Disabled Champions of America

Taking Control of My Weight.

2012-01-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

Hmmmm, well, I just started my all fruit diet this morning. I am determine to lose this weight, and I'm going to do it my way. "I did it, myyyyyyyy wayyyyyyy". LOL.... Anyway, I weighed myself and I'm at 365.8 lb.. I've been reading up on this diet, which a friend told me about. Sitting at home all day long with nothing to do, you have nothing but time to read and research. I had no clue you could do this for a month, but three days I think is not enough. I "WILL" do it for a week, let's just see how it goes. Oh yeah, i am eating fresh vegetables as well, so I think I'll be fine. And I will cut out the high blood pressure meds as well, just to see how I do on that as well.

Wish me luck or better yet, just pray for me. God knows and sees all. I know he has me, so I am NOT worried at all.

New Year, New Me!

2012-01-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

Eating and living healthy...

Guess what you'll? I have not eaten meat (pork or beef) for going on 2 years now. A friend of mine has been hipping me on some new stuff, and about the medication I take, that I was so clueless about. I'm on blood pressure meds and blood thinners. Blood pressure meds regulate you blood for your pressure, and blood thinners regulate your blood to thin it out to keep the clot from reaching you heart and lungs.

Well, let me show you what I mean. I have started researching all my medications, as to learn for myself, why I am not feeling all the time. And what i can do for myself to feel better and recover.

Medications and the side effects;

Specific Side Effects of Hydrochlorothiazide:

Weakness, dizziness, or a spinning sensation (vertigo)

Muscle spasm
Erectile dysfunction, also referred to as ED or impotence (see Hydrochlorothiazide Sexual Side Effects).

Side Effects of Lisinopril:

Cough; diarrhea; dizziness; headache; tiredness.

Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiazide

Now with both of these drugs combined, here is what may happen, or has happened sometimes;

dark urine, drowsiness; dry mouth, stiffness, or swelling; loss of appetite; mood or mental changes (eg, depression); muscle cramps, severe or persistent cough, sudden, unusual weight loss or gain (gained more then i have lost in the past 6 years.

symptoms of low blood sodium (eg, confusion, mental or mood changes, sluggishness), weakness, or tiredness.

I have experienced most of these symptoms at one time or another. And i have told the doctors this (my PA and family Dr.)

(Coumadin) Warfarin Sodium Side Effects:

Severe allergic reactions, (itching)

back, side, muscle, joint, or stomach pain; black, tarry, or bloody stools; blood in the urine (pink or brown urine)

unusual bruising or bleeding (eg, nosebleed, unusual bleeding from gums, unusual headache or weakness; unusual pain, swelling, or discomfort

Nortriptyline Oral Side Effects:

headache; impotence; nausea; nightmares; pupil dilation; sweating; tiredness; upset stomach; weakness; weight loss or gain. weight gain, impulsive behavior or other unusual changes in behavior, or muscle spasms; mental or mood changes (eg, increased anxiety, mood swings, agitation, irritability, nervousness, restlessness), severe dizziness or drowsiness; suicidal thinking or behavior; trouble sleeping; trouble walking or keeping your balance; worsening of depression.

This drug even causes high blood pressure.

Now I'm no doctor, but I do know my body. And after I started taking Coumadin along with the Nortriptyline, I was more tired hen ever. And it seemed or I felt as if I was weaker and my depression worsened. My mood was so bad that one day (just recently), I really wished I would just never wake up again. I honestly don't want to feel like that again. But sometimes, being home alone all day and not being able to work, you feel useless and unwanted. To tell you the truth, I had come to a conclusion that if a man is force to retire from something he loves or did most of his life, I literally kills him inside.

Happy New Year

2012-01-22T17:02:00.000-05:00

Well, I started of the new year with a bang. Sunday 01 January 2012, around 7:30 pm, I had to be hospitalized for pain and swelling in my left leg. Ha, the only good leg I have left since my right one had to be amputated. Turns out, I had an infection (that did not make any since to me), fever was over 102, and a blood clot. Now, I knew I had a blood clot, hell, I even told the doctors about the pain and swelling months before. This had been going on for over the past three years. But all they kept saying was, "you'll be alright. That's to be expected, because the left leg is the dominated leg now". Famous last words, when they don't want to waste their time to find out what's really going on with you.

So now i'm on blood thinners for the next month or so. Then he will do another ultrasound in about a month, to see if the clot has dissipated. What I meant bout the infection not making any since to me, is because the reason he gave me for the infection, DID NOT, make any freakin since. I had some sort of "skin infection" in my blood. Meaning I cut myself or something, that triggered the infection. PLEASE! Just say you don't know how i got it, or what it's from. Well, let me see if I can tell you (which I did try to explain). I have this soft skin indention just above the ankle, one day it sort of puffed up,, and I burst it. The blood was thick and very dark. You know how when you cut yourself, and the blood flows out freely? Well this didn't do that, it was like a thick dark red pus that was clotted. I told him this, and he said he would check, after I am off the blood thinners. We shall see!

ONE LEG QUEST TO GREATNESS

2012-01-22T16:39:00.000-05:00

Fighting the (losing) weight battle!

For the past 6 years, I have been losing the battle of fighting excessive weight gain. I lose 5-10 pounds only to gain back 10-15 more. Fighting depression is not helping either. I don’t eat beef or pork, and am attempting to change my eating habits. But sometimes, even that’s hard to do. Trainers are costly, the VA is hardly any help. However, I can say my kids keep me going, they are the reason i am fighting so hard to lose this weight. My dream is to make a U. S Paralympic Team, whether is be track & field, wheelchair basket ball or weight lifting. I served my country proudly, now I want to be a winner.

Advocacy Alert: Wounded Warriors and Caregivers need your HELP Today!

2009-10-16T16:13:00.002-04:00

YOUR ACTION IS NECESSARY FOR SENATE TO PASS A STRONG BILL TO HELP OUR MOST SEVERELY WOUNDED WARRIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Wounded Warrior Project’s (WWP) top priority is getting desperately needed legislation passed by Congress to provide critical support to family caregivers of severely wounded warriors including those with catastrophic injuries such as severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Spinal Cord Injury, and others.

Over the past 4 years, WWP has listened to the needs and concerns directly from family caregivers of critically injured service members from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Respite care, mental health counseling, technical assistance, health care coverage and a modest stipend, can make the difference between a warrior being able to receive the care and services they need in their own homes and communities rather than in institutional or nursing home settings.

A bi-partisan bill, (S.801) is currently awaiting action in the United States Senate. This bill acknowledges and fully supports the vital role of the family caregiver for the warrior’s well-being and will provide long –term support and services for our severely wounded warriors and their family caregivers.

With your help, progress has been made but more is needed. To date, 24 Senators co-sponsored this legislation – we need all 100. This country owes it to our service members to take care of those who care for them.

You have the opportunity to help and make a life changing impact on our wounded warriors and their families.

ACTION NEEDED:

1) Contact your Senators NOW to let them know how strongly you support the Caregiver and Veterans Health Services Act of 2009 (S. 801) and its supports and stipend for family caregivers.

To do so, please call the US Capitol Switchboard, at 202-224-3121, and ask to speak with the Senator from your state.

2) Contact Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), a key figure in this process, and urge him to support movement on the bill. Senator Coburn’s office can be reached at 202- 224-5754.

Please call NOW and encourage others to do the same. Your grassroots action can make the difference!

Disabled Champions of America: Erectile Dysfunction

2009-09-18T17:50:00.000-04:00

Disabled Champions of America: Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile Dysfunction

2009-09-18T16:52:00.004-04:00

Erectile dysfunction, sometimes called "impotence," is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse. The word "impotence" may also be used to describe other problems that interfere with sexual intercourse and reproduction, such as lack of sexual desire and problems with ejaculation or orgasm. Using the term erectile dysfunction makes it clear that those other problems are not involved.

Erectile dysfunction, or ED, can be a total inability to achieve erection, an inconsistent ability to do so, or a tendency to sustain only brief erections. These variations make defining ED and estimating its incidence difficult. Estimates range from 15 million to 30 million, depending on the definition used. According to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), for every 1,000 men in the United States, 7.7 physician office visits were made for ED in 1985. By 1999, that rate had nearly tripled to 22.3. The increase happened gradually, presumably as treatments such as vacuum devices and injectable drugs became more widely available and discussing erectile function became accepted. Perhaps the most publicized advance was the introduction of the oral drug sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in March 1998. NAMCS data on new drugs show an estimated 2.6 million mentions of Viagra at physician office visits in 1999, and one-third of those mentions occurred during visits for a diagnosis other than ED.

What causes erectile dysfunction (ED)?

Experts believe that psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure cause 10 to 20 percent of ED cases. Men with a physical cause for ED frequently experience the same sort of psychological reactions (stress, anxiety, guilt, depression). Other possible causes are smoking, which affects blood flow in veins and arteries, and hormonal abnormalities, such as not enough testosterone. From experience, trauma to the lower part of your body can also trigger ED.

Damage to nerves, arteries, smooth muscles, and fibrous tissues, often as a result of disease, is the most common cause of ED. Diseases—such as diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, and neurological disease—account for about 70 percent of ED cases. Between 35 and 50 percent of men with diabetes experience ED.

Lifestyle choices that contribute to heart disease and vascular problems also raise the risk of erectile dysfunction. Smoking, being overweight, and avoiding exercise are possible causes of ED. In addition, many common medicines—blood pressure drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and appetite suppressants, can produce ED as a side effect.

How is ED diagnosed?

A physical examination can give clues to systemic problems. For example, if the penis is not sensitive to touching, a problem in the nervous system may be the cause. Abnormal secondary sex characteristics, such as hair pattern or breast enlargement, can point to hormonal problems, which would mean that the endocrine system is involved. The examiner might discover a circulatory problem by observing decreased pulses in the wrist or ankles. And unusual characteristics of the penis itself could suggest the source of the problem—for example, a penis that bends or curves when erect could be the result of Peyronie's disease. (

Several laboratory tests can help diagnose ED. Tests for systemic diseases include blood counts, urinalysis, lipid profile, and measurements of creatinine and liver enzymes. Measuring the amount of free testosterone in the blood can yield information about problems with the endocrine system and is indicated especially in patients with decreased sexual desire.

How is ED treated?

Most physicians suggest that treatments proceed from least to most invasive. For some men, making a few healthy lifestyle changes may solve the problem. Quitting smoking, losing excess weight, and increasing physical activity may help some men regain sexual function.

Cutting back on any drugs with harmful side effects is considered next. For example, drugs for high blood pressure work in different ways. If you think a particular drug is causing problems with erection, tell your doctor and ask whether you can try a different class of blood pressure medicine. We all know cutting back on medication that is suppose to help you, is not always a good thing. We do what we must.

Drugs for treating ED can be taken orally, injected directly into the penis, or inserted into the urethra at the tip of the penis. March 1998, Viagra was the first pill approved to treat ED. Since that time, vardenafil hydrochloride (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis) have also been approved. Additional oral medicines are being tested for safety and effectiveness.

Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis all belong to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. Taken an hour before sexual activity, these drugs work by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes smooth muscles in the penis during sexual stimulation and allows increased blood flow.

While oral medicines improve the response to sexual stimulation, they do not trigger an automatic erection as injections do. The recommended dose for Viagra is 50 mg, and the physician may adjust this dose to 100 mg or 25 mg, depending on the patient. The recommended dose for either Levitra or Cialis is 10 mg, and the physician may adjust this dose to 20 mg if 10 mg is insufficient.

Oral testosterone can reduce ED in some men with low levels of natural testosterone, but it is often ineffective and may cause liver damage. Patients also have claimed that other oral drugs—including yohimbine hydrochloride, dopamine and serotonin agonists, and trazodone—are effective, but the results of scientific studies to substantiate these claims have been inconsistent.

You can achieve stronger erections by injecting drugs into the penis, causing it to become engorged with blood. Drugs such as papaverine hydrochloride, phentolamine, and alprostadil (marketed as Caverject) widen blood vessels. These drugs may create unwanted side effects, however, including persistent erection (known as priapism) and scarring. Nitroglycerin, a muscle relaxant, can sometimes enhance erection when rubbed on the penis. Let me tell you something, THIS procedure is NOT fun at all. I still have this vial in my refrigerator, and the needles in my closet. To each his own...

There's also vacuum devices and surgery;

Vacuum devices cause erection by creating a partial vacuum, which draws blood into the penis, engorging and expanding it. The devices have three components: a plastic cylinder, into which the penis is placed; a pump, which draws air out of the cylinder; and an elastic band, which is placed around the base of the penis to maintain the erection after the cylinder is removed and during intercourse by preventing blood from flowing back into the body

Surgery usually has one of three goals:

to implant a device that can cause the penis to become erect
to reconstruct arteries to increase flow of blood to the penis
to block off veins that allow blood to leak from the penile tissues

Implanted devices, known as prostheses, can restore erection in many men with ED. Possible problems with implants include mechanical breakdown and infection, although mechanical problems have diminished in recent years because of technological advances.

Malleable implants usually consist of paired rods, which are inserted surgically into the corpora cavernosa. The user manually adjusts the position of the penis and, therefore, the rods. Adjustment does not affect the width or length of the penis.

Inflatable implants consist of paired cylinders, which are surgically inserted inside the penis and can be expanded using pressurized fluid. Tubes connect the cylinders to a fluid reservoir and a pump, which are also surgically implanted. The patient inflates the cylinders by pressing on the small pump, located under the skin in the scrotum. Inflatable implants can expand the length and width of the penis somewhat. They also leave the penis in a more natural state when not inflated.

Points to Remember

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the repeated inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.
ED affects 15 to 30 million American men.
ED usually has a physical cause.
ED is treatable at all ages.
Treatments include psychotherapy, drug therapy, vacuum devices, and surgery.

For More Information

American Urological Association (AUA)
1000 Corporate Boulevard
Linthicum, MD 21090
Phone: 1–866–RING–AUA (746–4282) or 410–689–3700
Fax: 410–689–3800
Email: aua@auanet.org
Internet: www.auanet.org
www.urologyhealth.org

AUA can refer you to a urologist in your area.

American Diabetes Association (ADA)
Attn: National Call Center
1701 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
Phone: 1–800–DIABETES (342–2383)
Internet: www.diabetes.org

ADA can help you find a doctor who specializes in diabetes care in your area.

American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)
P.O. Box 1960
Ashland, VA 23005–1960
Phone: 804–752–0026
Fax: 804–752–0056
Internet: www.aasect.org

You Would Never Think It Could Happen To You; Coping with a Disability

2009-07-21T06:19:00.002-04:00

21 January 2005, it was late evening about 7 p.m. I was headed towards home coming off base but changed my mind at the last minute. I needed some music, so I kept going, heading to a friends. I kept straight down Russell to Moody Rd. As I was making that left hand turn, I saw a vehicle to up the hill to my right at an intersection. My last words were, "Jesus, he's going to pull out of that street on me". No sooner then I could get the sentence finished, the last thing I remember was blacking out. I had been struck by this car while riding my motorcycle. I remember waking about two times that night, then waking the next day at the trauma center in Macon, GA.

My tibia/fibula had been broken in 6 places, ankle was crushed, 2 toes broken, and nerve damage. And that was just my right leg. My left shoulder was dislocated, 2 toes and the heal in my left foot were fractured, and I suffered a slight concussion. SLIGHT? What the heck does slight mean? Now I forget thing. Anyway, if that weren't enough, I suffered compartment syndrome; were my left leg swell up the size of a cantaloupe. Well, maybe the size of a grapefruit. Either way, I had to have a fasciotomy lower leg on the left and right side of my right leg, they had to release the pressure. My whole body shut down. I had to learn to do a simple thing as use the bathroom before I could leave the hospital. Every time I got up out of bed, the blood rushed so fast to my head, I would fall and/or pass out. This went on even when I came home.

The surgery the doctor did was use a screw to attach my ankle and leg back. Needless to say that didn't work. I had to have another surgery, but this time, the doctors at Eisenhower Army Hospital at Fort Gordon did the job. A rod and about twenty screws was attached to the six broken bones. A piece of bone from my hip was used to fused the ankle. As for the nerves, well, they said there was nothing they could do. They should heal themselves. HA! NOT! Fat chance, that never happened. I suffered from some sort of nerve pain, but it wasn't called nerve pain, it was called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. I could barely put on a sock, and never worn a shoe on my right foot again. Just to be touch, made me want to slap someone, that's how much it bothered me.

Well for 4 long years, the doctors at Eisenhower tried to save my leg. But the pain got worse, the bones in my ankle deteriorated. Come to find out, my cartilage blew so I had bone on bone every time I walked on it. Listening to the doctor, "you need to walk on it". Yeah, okay, now I have one leg...LOL I tell you, the things some doctor have you do just so they wouldn't have to be the one to tell you it's getting worse. Anyway, to end this saga, on 07 October 2008, i had an amputation. I'm dong better, i can't complain. I still think about the procedure, and wonder if I made the right decision. To late now huh? I suffer from depression, and I still have phantom pains or phantom limb.