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Maravilla, My son just turned 24. We are going to review all the meds he has taken and takes. You have given me a renewed concern for everything that passes our lips.
I got home a little while ago and it took me 20 minutes to go through the posts in my mail box. This has become a very busy thread. I had no idea there were that many of us concerned enough with health and medication to respond in the amounts we’ve seen. Most of the time we take things for granted and never check what we are actually doing to ourselves. Many of us, I’m sure, will have quite a different attitude when next visiting the doctor.
Jenny, this was a ball I had no intention of starting to roll. Now that the snowball is rolling downhill, I’m glad it happened. I’ve learned more in the past few days about taking care of ourselves, and the wonderful nature of the members here. I believe we all got an eye-opener on this one.
Rebeca, I appreciate your words of confidence. We always try to do what we think is best for our kids. Children are the most precious things we have in this world. They are not possessions, but rather a gift from God. It is our responsibility to do everything in our power to protect those gifts.
There are times you will second guess yourself while trying to do your best. We balance a life of work and family, sacrifice and recreation, not always in the proper proportions. Ultimately, you find the things you do, you do with love and the best of intentions. The answers always seem to come, no matter how late. This may be one of those times. Finding some of these answers, in a most unlikely place as this forum, gives us reassurance that someone other than ourselves controls the universe.
Jenny, Some years ago we had allergy testing done for both our sons, and myself. Environmental allergies, such as mold in the home, was not on the list of things they were allergic to. I wound up with a dust mite allergy, and removed most of the carpeting in the home to cope. I think it is about every seven years or so your body changes and you may lose or gain new allergies. When we do the tests again, as I’m sure the doctor will want to do, we will see if any issues in the home need to be addressed. We also use a dehumidifier in the basement which helps, and have redone our bathroom tub enclosure due to mold.
Life is a journey. We never really arrive at a destination while we are on this planet. In this journey, you may meet the worst and best of people. I consider myself lucky to have met so many of the best right here.
Pura Vida
I just went out today and bought the Cod liver oil in gelcaps. I took two myself and when I got home I told my son to take them also. Rebeca, I will be sure to go light on the supplements, until we see the Dr. I don’t want to play around with his health, so I will be contacting Dr.Kokayi when I am off on Wednesday. Keith, thanks again for giving me his name. I really want my son to see a doctor who knows what he is doing and has the ability to use alternate therapies. With the inhalers and other things he has taken for his asthma, it only seems to have gotten worse in the past year. Although he is feeling better today, we never know when it will flare up again. The best thing would be to get to the root cause and figure out a method of treatment. I know how bad the steroids can be and certainly don’t want to condemn him to a lifetime of dependency on them.
I probably am just realizing how bad some medications can be and am reevaluating my opinion of most of them, thanks to all of you. We live in a time where life expectancies have been rising, but I question when “Third world” countries have equal or longer ones, what is really going on. Wealth and health are not synonymous. We all are not going to live forever. One of my favorite sayings to my friends who were on health kicks, and tried to get me to join in, is, “In a hundred years, you and I cannot have this conversation.” Now I see that even though that statement is most likely true, we should take better care of ourselves so we can live a fuller and happier life.
Maravilla, I appreciate all of the information. If you only knew all the meds he takes regularly, you would jump through the roof. I wouldn’t want to post them here. As parents we were only concerned for his well being, and now I’m not so sure we have done the correct thing. I know how you fell about these pharmaceutical companies, and sometimes I thought you might have been overdoing it a bit. I see from the many reactions of others, you may have been too easy on them. I am aware of the commitment to change one’s lifestyle and take responsibility for our own health. It is not an easy task. I don’t know if we can make that complete change, but now I am able to understand there are better choices with regard to what we should be doing.
When I started this post on healthcare costs, I never thought it would involve my family and myself the way that it has. My son doesn’t even have his own healthcare from his job, so this will be a real personal learning experience for us. This forum is supposed to be about Costa Rica, and all the things we love about it. It now has become very personal to me. Because of all of you, I feel like I have benefited the most. This website has had more than a large impact on our family. Life is strange that way.
There is a lot of information to absorb from all of the responses, and I will have to reread them all to fully understand them.
I sincerely thank each and every one of you, for your help, kind words and genuine concern. Scott, my personal thanks and appreciation to you as well.
Jenny and Maravilla, I went and got the B6, Zinc and Vitamin C today, and I was speaking to one of my friends tonight and he said Cod liver oil too. I haven’t heard of cod liver oil being used much since I was a kid. What is the usual amount to take? Is it one teaspoon per day? And, is it OK for us older folks to take also? I think I remember reading something about vitamin A overdose or poisoning with cod liver oil some years ago.
Rebeca, We thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and suggestions. It means a lot to us.
All of you cannot know how appreciative we are for your concerns and caring thoughts. It restores our faith in humankind knowing there are still people around who actually take the time to help others.
The B6 is a great suggestion. I remember it was one of the treatments I used for Carpal Tunnel syndrome. It acts like an anti-inflammatory. I’m going to the natural foods store right after I finish this and get it.
Maravilla, I can agree with your perception of Western Medicine. Still, there are some beneficial drugs, as you and I have discussed in the past. Medicine was once a noble profession, but has now been corrupted by greed. As most other things in life, the money factor seems always to take control in even the most altruistic endeavors.
Again, at the risk of repeating myself, Thanks to Jenny, Lotus, Rebeca and Maravilla and all others I might have missed. You guys are the best!
Maravilla, With all the information on the internet, it can get confusing. My son has used WEBMD, but I would assume the traditional doctor is where you will ultimately be sent. I’ve seen conflicting information on many things, as I’m sure you have. I figured you may have had some first hand knowledge, as I know you have done much research. I appreciate, and thank you, your response. And agree Western Medicine treats symptoms and never gets to the root cause of the problem. Like you said, if it is something within our control, that is what we should be looking to do.
With all the televison ads for medications today, and the warnings they provide for each, it scares you to death(pun intended)about taking them.
I think Lotus’s suggestion is a good option. If my son agrees, we will give it a try.
Jenny, Like you, I don’t think doctors have all the answers. The good ones will tell you so. They realize the limitations of their field. Some, who are either blind believers, or are in it for the money, may not be so forthcoming.
Lotus, Thank you for the information and concern. Dr. Kokayi seems like a reasonable option. He’s about an hour and a half from us, but that should not be a problem. As soon as my son gets up I am going to show him the site. He is definately more open to eastern philosophies than I am, and this may be just the thing that may help. Western medicine has been both a blessing and a curse. We have been so indoctrinated in it, that any other form of treatment seems like voodoo. I myself have gone to an accupuncturist and did not recieve much relief for carpal tunnel syndrome. Ultimately I had to have the surgery. On the other hand, I had a Chiropractor that did wonders for a really bad cervical spine problem. It has been ten years since the doctors wanted to perform surgery on my neck. I regained my biceps through his care. Unfortunately, last year he moved his practice to another state.
An integrated approach to healing has to be a better solution than all the pills we need to take to remain healthy. As I get older I’m beginning to realize there are many more options to healthcare.
Thanks again,
AlMaravilla, Any suggestions about a natural treatment for asthma. My son suffers from it and it has gotten worse as he entered his 20s. Tonight, we just had to return home early from a wedding because of an attack he had. He had to use his nebulizer and prednisone. Both of these are not good, but the attacks recently have been triggered when he gets a cold. He’s been to the emergency room enough times, and the doctor always uses the same treatments. Any information would be appreciated. I know you are not a doctor, and I don’t want to put you on the spot, just could use some help.
Karlafaria, I believe there are other people many more times qualified to answer your questions about a choice of where to live. I have only visited Costa Rica and have never actually lived there. So many other people on this site will be able to give you a more informed answer, and I suggest you put up a new topic to get that information.
One thing I can tell you is, I have spoken recently with a family that left Venezuela seven years ago. They still have relatives there and told me it is getting very bad. Caracas has about 100 murders per week, and they will kill you for a pair of sneakers. I don’t know if this is true or not, but it must be bad.
To all other members; When anyone thinks I might be an expert on Costa Rica, I think I might be making too many posts.
Jenny, That is probably the most powerful comment on healthcare. We are responsible for our own well being. We have turned over our bodies to a profit industry which has given us as many problems as they have solved. Doctors routinely put you on and switch you to other medications due to side effects. Sometimes the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, but with all the new drugs on the market, without proven records, side effects may increase. Yesterday I heard on the radio, the FDA in the US cannot guarantee the quality of US drugs. The reason is the fact that 90% of the drugs US manufacturers dispense are being compounded from foreign ingredients. They can’t keep the lead out of toys, how can they insure the purity of our medications. This is an absolute horror. I remember when GWB warned people from buying medications from Canada at a discount. He said you could not be sure of its quality. Now we find US drug makers are using imported ingredients in our medicines. This is outrageous.
I believe in limited government. A government that turns its obligation of protecting its citizens over to private corporations, is not limited government. It is one that has been lobbied to corruption, and has failed in its job. Still, government grows larger daily and the citizens are losing their voice and control over it. Of, by and for the people, used to mean something. It is now becoming just a slogan.
Take a look at the survey Scott has on healthcare costs, and tell me you are not slightly shocked that in the worlds richest nation, 16% of the respondents can’t afford healthcare. And these are people who visit this site, presumably to look at purchasing a home or moving to Costa Rica. I’m sure most are not in the poorest group of our nations citizens.
I am convinced universal healthcare in the US will never work. There are too many making too much that they will not be willing to sacrifice in order to bring down the costs. While there are I’m sure, dedicated doctors and medical scientists, the system is set up for profit, and it will be almost impossible to change.
Somewhat related to this is Scott’s email today about the shrinking US dollar. If our medications are imported, we will be paying more for them as time goes on. We have lost the ability to control our own destiny in this country. Our children and grandchildren will inherit a broken and dependent nation because of what our “supposed leaders” have done.
I know this sounds like gloom and doom, but can anyone see it any other way? I think many of us would like to see a ray of hope.
Diego, Lets hope we never all become a shade of gray, or just a light brown-skinned race. It is the diversity which makes life interesting and enjoyable. And that unity you spoke of was a hope of 1960s social engineers. The Yin and Yang are constantly pulling and pushing, and the black never does mix with the white. Although being attracted to one another, they circle each other, get close, but are distinctly unique to themselves. This is the order of things. It is unnatural to have one world order where all peoples are blended to destroy their own culture in order to adopt another. It is our uniqueness that gives us what and who we are. If we were all blended, we would be like robots, all with the same thoughts, likes and dislikes. How boring.
I have no problem with interracial relationships and am not a super-nationalist, if that’s what anyone is thinking. I just prefer to enjoy the differences we have. I love the diversity, the give and take, but I still have the pride left in my own culture. Right or wrong, I was born into it without a choice. To be self-hating enough to want to give it up, or to complain about it so much that it makes you sick, will give you, (SIC)”Adgeda.”
On this board alone, I have met many from various backgrounds, races and cultures, and I think it’s great. There are few other places where I have this access to so many differing opinions and attitudes. We all interact and have a good time (for the most part) while doing it.
While I think it would be politically incorrect to give labels, we are all different and many of us fall into one category or another. Celebrate the differences, and enjoy the life we have.
Regarding the topic of this thread, I enjoyed Lois’s article immensely. She gave us a real, sensitive and informative piece of work, from her perspective. Diego’s perspective was just as valid because it was his. Some people maybe did not agree, but at least he has the honesty also to provide his observations. I respect both of them for that.
Pura Vida, y desea vivo la diferencia.
