What's Wrong With Paul?

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Finsternis
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What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Finsternis »

So, since Paul himself seems to have no issue talking about his condition, and since I've been told that he has health problems other than his recent amputation, and I prefer to not trust grapevines or rumors and just go right to the source to get the real truth...

Paul, I'm curious what exactly your diagnoses are other than "missing leg". I heard it was infection that caused it and not some trauma. But I don't know. Do you mind filling us in briefly? If you feel that information is too personal, then I apologize and withdraw the question.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by AArdvark »

Him? too personal? Shirley, you jest. Ask him about the time is scrotum swelled up so bad he couldn't fit in his scooter..or what he used to do with Big Gulp cups at 2am

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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Tdarcos's penchant for rape fantasies finally oozed out of his head.
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Billy Mays
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Billy Mays »

He actually wrote a song about it:


https://www.joltcountry.com/phpBB3/view ... =2&t=11056

That plus he's losing his eyes to diabetes and they're drugging him up on alzheimer's medication.

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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Billy Mays wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 9:29 pm He actually wrote a song about it. That plus he's losing his eyes to diabetes and they're drugging him up on alzheimer's medication.
Thanks. All the info in that song, and various comments including yours, are more than enough to make completely clear to me why he lost his leg, and some of his other various issues. But I'm still wondering what he means by "his original condition", which he makes sound like something separate from, and/or in addition to his leg wound issues and their cause.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Finsternis wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 5:09 pm Paul, I'm curious what exactly your diagnoses are other than "missing leg". I heard it was infection that caused it and not some trauma. But I don't know. Do you mind filling us in briefly?
Not at all.
Arthritis, Asthma, blindness (right eye, from birth), carpal tunnel syndrome (right wrist), congestive heart failure, covid-19, Dupuychen's Syndrome (left hand), floaters and blur (left eye), high blood pressure, inability to straighten left leg, loss of strength in hands and arms, tremors, trunk paralysis.

The paralysis and amputation came as a result of the infection as you read in my poem.
AArdvark wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 5:23 pmHim? too personal? Shirley, you jest.
i don't think he was kidding, and don't call him Shirley (unless that's his name[1].)
AArdvark wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 5:23 pmAsk him about the time is scrotum swelled up so bad he couldn't fit in his scooter..
It was a power wheelchair, not a scooter.[2] The swollen scrotum was a result of congestive heart failure. I had a doctor's appointment but the swollen nut sack was so bad I could not ride in my wheelchair and had to have the paramedics take me to the hospital. I was having breathing problems at the time which is why I made the doctor's appointment.
AArdvark wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 5:23 pmor what he used to do with Big Gulp cups at 2am
Pee in them. But they weren't Big Gulp cups, (and it wasn't 2AM it was 3Am), bottled soda at 7-11 is cheaper than fountain soda when you count ounce price. However, I did buy Slurpees there.

What I was using at 3AM were cups from Five Guys. I'd wake up, use the cup to pee in, then empty it into a bucket, then go back to sleep, and in the morning when I got up I'd empty the bucket into the toilet, then wash my hands.

Much easier to pee in a cup and dump it, then go back to sleep, than (1) Get out of bed into the wheelchair; (2) Roll to bathroom; (3) Pee in cup (I could not aim at the toilet from a wheelchair); (4) Empty cup into toilet; (5) Roll back to bed; (6) Get off wheelchair into bed.

This worked well. I had an incident where I was using a urinal at my sister's place, and she walked into it, and might have been more than once over a three week visit. On the other hand, in nine years of using a bucket every night as a staging area I only spilled it twice.
Billy Mays wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 9:29 pm and they're drugging him up on alzheimer's medication.
Nice try, it's for tremors and usually given to patients with Parkinson's disease.


[1] Talk show host Maury Povich's father was a newspaper reporter for the Washington Post. His name was Shirley Povich
[2] A power wheelchair has a seat, controls on the arm, and no storage except a pouch on the back. It has four wheels, two in front for power, two in the back to steer. A scooter has three wheels, two in the back for power, a steering control on a lever like a tiller in front where the third (turning) wheel is.

Steering is powered, operated by a joystick on the arm on a power wheelchair; steering is done by manually turning the unpowered tiller on a scooter.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Tdarcos wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 10:25 pm Arthritis, Asthma, blindness (right eye, from birth), carpal tunnel syndrome (right wrist), congestive heart failure, covid-19, Dupuychen's Syndrome (left hand), floaters and blur (left eye), high blood pressure, inability to straighten left leg, loss of strength in hands and arms, tremors, trunk paralysis. The paralysis and amputation came as a result of the infection as you read in my poem.
Thanks. Have you ever been diagnosed with any kind of diabetes, by any chance? And, have the doctors suggested what might be causing the CHF? Is it just blood pressure?
Tdarcos wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 10:25 pm
AArdvark wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 5:23 pmor what he used to do with Big Gulp cups at 2am
Pee in them.
Shrug. As far as I'm concerned, if you've never peed in some container at your computer, you're not a real gamer.
Tdarcos wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 10:25 pm Much easier to pee in a cup and dump it, then go back to sleep, than (1) Get out of bed into the wheelchair; (2) Roll to bathroom; (3) Pee in cup (I could not aim at the toilet from a wheelchair); (4) Empty cup into toilet; (5) Roll back to bed; (6) Get off wheelchair into bed.
This is true, and it's even worse when you're on diuretic drugs like Lasix which are specifically intended too make you pee constantly. I'm not in a wheelchair like you, but my mobility is impaired enough that getting up to pee every ten minutes is not my favorite activity, so I sympathize. Though if I had been doing that I would have used some kind of bottle with a screw lid rather than cups or buckets, if only just for the smell as much as for the potential unpleasant incident.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Tdarcos »

Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:20 am
Tdarcos wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 10:25 pm Arthritis, Asthma, blindness (right eye, from birth), carpal tunnel syndrome (right wrist), congestive heart failure, covid-19, Dupuychen's Syndrome (left hand), floaters and blur (left eye), high blood pressure, inability to straighten left leg, loss of strength in hands and arms, tremors, trunk paralysis. The paralysis and amputation came as a result of the infection as you read in my poem.
Thanks. Have you ever been diagnosed with any kind of diabetes, by any chance? And, have the doctors suggested what might be causing the CHF? Is it just blood pressure?
Damn, I can't believe I missed it. Yes, I have diabetes. I don't know how the fuck I missed it. As for everything else, my medical information from my providers seems to be done using mushroom growing techniques: feed me shit and keep me in the dark.
Tdarcos wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 10:25 pm
AArdvark wrote: Thu May 28, 2020 5:23 pmor what he used to do with Big Gulp cups at 2am
Pee in them.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:20 am Shrug. As far as I'm concerned, if you've never peed in some container at your computer, you're not a real gamer.
I never went that route; back then if I was in my chair, I'd roll to the bathroom, pee in a cup, empty it into the toilet, then wash my hands.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:20 am
Tdarcos wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 10:25 pm Much easier to pee in a cup and dump it, then go back to sleep, than (1) Get out of bed into the wheelchair; (2) Roll to bathroom; (3) Pee in cup (I could not aim at the toilet from a wheelchair); (4) Empty cup into toilet; (5) Roll back to bed; (6) Get off wheelchair into bed.
This is true, and it's even worse when you're on diuretic drugs like Lasix which are specifically intended too make you pee constantly.
Fortunately I've never had to be on diuretics.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:20 am I'm not in a wheelchair like you
I'm not either; remember I'm reduced to being almost a paraplegic trapped in my bed. I haven't been in my wheelchair since 2018.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:20 am, but my mobility is impaired enough that getting up to pee every ten minutes is not my favorite activity, so I sympathize. Though if I had been doing that I would have used some kind of bottle with a screw lid rather than cups or buckets, if only just for the smell as much as for the potential unpleasant incident.
I generally tended to do very light color urine because I typically drank a lot of fluids. When I was in my wheelchair I was routinely producing anywhere from 2 liters to a gallon or more a day. When you're not building up the toxins your urine is clearer, and might not smell at all. Or my ability to smell was damaged, which I doubt. I can smell things even now, just fine. And I remember, back then too.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:20 am Thanks. Have you ever been diagnosed with any kind of diabetes, by any chance?
Damn, I can't believe I missed it. Yes, I have diabetes. I don't know how the fuck I missed it.
I suspected as much based on your symptoms. As far as I can tell almost all of you issues - with the exception of the congenital eye issue and possibly Asthma, but including your leg and torso problems - are direct or indirect complications from advanced diabetes and chronic hyperglycemia. You are suffering from the typical things that happen to diabetics such as peripheral neuropathy (often leading to amputations, as with you), diabetic retinopathy, CHF, and so on. I even see now that diabetes is a risk factor in Dupuychen's Contracture.

Your diabetes is killing you in a lot of different ways. On the one hand, I doubt that is news to you. On the other hand, I'm unsure exactly how much you know about all this, how much you know about the connections between the conditions, and how much you want to know. And, frankly, how much you care.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am As for everything else, my medical information from my providers seems to be done using mushroom growing techniques: feed me shit and keep me in the dark.
Well, if you'll allow me I can probably shed a lot of light. I'm no doctor, but I'm also diabetic, have been for a pretty long time, and have done extensive reading and research on the subject including attending several extensive classes and consultations with countless highly qualified nurses, board certified doctors, and specialists like endocrinologists. I'd be happy to give you some tips and education. If that would be unwelcome just say so and I'll shut up.

If I may ask, when were you diagnosed with diabetes? Type I or type II, if you know? Are you taking any medications for diabetes, including insulin? Does the staff where you are check your blood glucose level regularly? If so, do you have any idea what the general range of readings is, or your A1C? Do they have you on any kind of restricted diet? If so, what does it consist of and do you follow it? Do you see anyone specifically for your diabetes? How often do you see a doctor at all?
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 amFortunately I've never had to be on diuretics.
Just wait; you'll have the pleasure at some point.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am I'm not either; remember I'm reduced to being almost a paraplegic trapped in my bed. I haven't been in my wheelchair since 2018.
You seem to type fairly well. What device do you use? Do you have to laboriously type each character? Am I doing you no favors with very long messages?
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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This message is to everyone, not just Paul specifically.

Paul has what I am guessing is a very long period, perhaps decades or even a lifetime, of poorly treated diabetes. Unless he has some other condition he neglected to mention, almost every one of his conditions - including his leg, hand, and torso problems - is either directly caused by, or secondary to, chronic hyperglycemia cause by untreated diabetes or, at least, very poor blood glucose control over a long period of time.

What Paul chooses to do about it is up to him. I don't know yet how much he knows about all this, how much he cares, whether he wants to do anything about things, or even how much can be done at this late stage. Since no doctor could possibly miss this, I'm guessing that he has had medical people begging him to take his diabetes seriously for a very long time and has simply been unwilling or unable to do so. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. But, who knows? For right now, because it is my policy when considering people's motives, I choose to give him the benefit of the doubt and charitably assume he has either truly been kept in the dark, and/or had terrible doctors, and/or was well-informed but denying it to himself to avoid having to do the work to get better.

How far his conditions have gone and how much repair or reversal is possible is unclear. Obviously some things will never get better - legs don't regrow, of course, and nerve damage does not heal. So no amount of medication, diet, exercise, or whatever will fix him right up. But that doesn't mean he can't improve his situation. I can certainly give him some tips and help guide him in the right direction towards better health and managing his own healthcare - mostly not in a medical sense but just general old "been there, done that" experience.

Whether he wants any help or not is up to Paul. I don't know what his feelings are about it all. On the one hand he remains his prickly self. On the other hand, I feel empathy for him. Unless there are people no one has mentioned, I don't know if he he has any family or friends in the area. It doesn't seem as if he gets lots of visitors, and at Medicaid level I'm guessing the digs are not top notch, though I have no way to know. I can't imagine how awful it must be to more or less lay there, helpless, in a strange place with no friends or family around and really very little ability to improve your situation. It must be depressing as fuck and if Paul is angry and bitter it's hard to blame him. I give him some leeway for complaining. And if he isn't all that concerned with extending what might a very painful and difficult life, who can blame him? He doesn't even have the capability, it seems, to do himself in, so maybe his goal is to stay as sick as possible and hope he just dies. I don't know. It would really be the only possible form of suicide for him. I hope that's not the case, I hope he has cheerful and happy days sometimes, but his attitide here is not overwhelmingly positive as far as I can tell.

One thing is for sure, though: anyone who sends him candy (or anything else filled with sugars or carbs, such as cookies, crackers, etc) is helping him commit suicide. No judgement - it's his life and his choice and I fully respect the right to decide when to stop living as probably the most fundamental right there is. Whether Paul has made that decision or not, consciously or uncoinciously, I have no idea. I just want people to be aware of the stakes and make their decisions fully-informed. If he wants to live or get better, Paul just can't have Starbursts. Or any candy (unless it's sugar free). He can't have any Ritz crackers. Or white bread. Anything where the "Net carbs" on the label is, say, greater than one digit. I suggest that if you really want to send him treats, send meaty treats like Spam, jerky or Vienna sausages. Or, better yet, send him non-food gifts like books or software or whatever. Every carb he eats goes directly to the high blood sugar that is killing him.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Can you go ahead and forward that to Amazon?
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Flack wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:02 pm Can you go ahead and forward that to Amazon?
I don't get it.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

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Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am You are suffering from the typical things that happen to diabetics such as peripheral neuropathy (often leading to amputations, as with you), diabetic retinopathy, CHF, and so on. I even see now that diabetes is a risk factor in Dupuychen's Contracture.
Uh huh, but I didn't have it back when I was in a wheelchair. This is the result of an opportunistic infection caused because I wasn't caring about the wound on my foot, which would eventually heal (it did, a few months later, and if I hadn't had an infection to fight off first, might have been faster.)
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 amYour diabetes is killing you in a lot of different ways. On the one hand, I doubt that is news to you. On the other hand, I'm unsure exactly how much you know about all this, how much you know about the connections between the conditions, and how much you want to know. And, frankly, how much you care.
I am probably to some extent, aware of what is going on, even if I don't admit it to myself. As for caring, I don't know if I do.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am As for everything else, my medical information from my providers seems to be done using mushroom growing techniques: feed me shit and keep me in the dark.
Well, if you'll allow me I can probably shed a lot of light. I'm no doctor, but I'm also diabetic, have been for a pretty long time, and have done extensive reading and research on the subject including attending several extensive classes and consultations with countless highly qualified nurses, board certified doctors, and specialists like endocrinologists. I'd be happy to give you some tips and education. If that would be unwelcome just say so and I'll shut up.
Well, you can tell me, but I don't know that it makes much difference. You may hae decreased mobility but at least you have mobility. I've got nothing; i can't even take a shit without having to ask someone to change the diaper and wipe my ass! I get aides who sometimes tell me when rolling me on my side to hold on to something when there's nothing to hold on to, and even if there was, the best I can hold is maybe 12 pounds. And I guess they forget, even after going through all that, they sometimes forget to leave my stuff, like the (3 foot) long stick I use to retrieve things out of reach. With my stick and the control to the bed, I can do a lot of things, but without one or the other, I'm a total invalid and can't reach anything not within arm's reach, and sometimes npt even then.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am If I may ask, when were you diagnosed with diabetes? Type I or type II, if you know?
Type II, probably over 15 years ago, since I knew it at some point when I could walk, so it's a least that far back. Almost certainly before 2000, so make that over 20 years ago.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 amAre you taking any medications for diabetes, including insulin? Does the staff where you are check your blood glucose level regularly? If so, do you have any idea what the general range of readings is, or your A1C? Do they have you on any kind of restricted diet?
Metformin. I was using insulin while in the hospital the first time but not now. In fact, when I was using automatic injecors they woud let me do them myself. This place stopped bothering to check my glucose and I don't know why, and I don't think they've ever checked my A1C.

Can't tell if they have me on a restricted diet, but they do give me weird selections in food, like at dinner last night I was offered potato salad with mashed potaoes (and nothing to put on them), black beans, milk, hot chocolate and some dessert. I might have had something else with it, I wasn't paying too much attention. How exactly am I to eat bare, unflavored mashed potatoes? Oh yeah, no salt, of course, and while they used tp give me Mrs. Dash seasoning, I don't get that any more.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am If so, what does it consist of and do you follow it? Do you see anyone specifically for your diabetes? How often do you see a doctor at all?
I sometimes eat what they give me. Sometimes it's things I can't stand (like, as I discovered, Brussels sprouts) don't like (yams) or would be okay, but they ruin them (they give me eggs for breakfast almost every day. I'd preer them hard boiled as I love egg white, but they're often scrambled which is okay, but at times they come in a "foamed " method, reminding me of how cakes rise. it might have things in it (like pieces of red peppers, maybe), and I think it's called "confetti eggs," Inedible, unappetiing, bad tasting mess.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am Just wait; you'll have the pleasure [of taking diuretics] at some point.
Unlikely, I drink plenty of water. A while back, I got criticized because I wasn't drinking enough, and they had to insert an IV and give me fluids. I do not want that to happen again.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am You seem to type fairly well. What device do you use?
$20 high-visibility keyboard from Amazon. Take a regular keyboard but the letters and symbols printed on the keys are larger and it's yellow keys with black letters instead of the standard white on black.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 am Do you have to laboriously type each character?
Yes.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 amAm I doing you no favors with very long messages?
No. I've been doing hunt-and-peck for years, I used to get 50 WPM doing hunt-and-peck with two hands, because until I thought about It, I'd already memorized the keyboard and was doing hunt-and-peck for years (with two fingers!) using the index finger on each hand by memory, it wasn't until i thought about how I was sometimes typing in a message while looking at the screen, that I realized I had internalized the keyboard. Sometimes I can look away from the keyboard while typing one-handed for a few keystrokes, but not msny or you get a mess of misspellings.

I still use the index finger almost exclusively to type except when using a thumb on the other hand or another finger to hold the shift key to get to those $#%^%@# grawlixes you need for typographic symbols. (Or fake cursing in my fuckin' cartoons!)

Sometimes I've typed in a long message and every time I review it, it's like squeezing zits; there's always a new misspelling I can't believe I didn't notice before. I'd be surprised, even though I'm looking at the keys while typinf, how many times either I leave letter out, addd a leettter, mistype a lettwr (like hitting u for I, comma for m, slash for comma or several slashes when I thought I was holding the shift key, s for a, or 4 for r, \ for "), or completely gibberish a word or two. Or another way to say that, xpnokryrku honnrtodj s eptf pt yep.

Sometimes I can guess by context when I see "yjr" that it's a one letter shift of "the" (look at the keyboard), but sometimes I've put some weird combination of letters that even I don't know what I meant. And I'm sure no one else does, either.

tHEN THERE ARE THE TIMES i WRITE A SENTENCE WHERE i WAS TOO BUSY WATCHING THE KEYBOARD AND DIDN'T REALIZE i'D EITHER ACCIDENTALLY HIT SHIFT LOCK, OR USED IT TO CAPITALIZE THE FIRST LETTER IN A SENTENCE AND THEN FORGET TO TURN IT OFF. Can you imagine what it would be like to read a sentence where the letters are in reversed case? Or having to erase it and go back and retype it? Sometimes I'll get so disgusted I'll copy the sentence to my word processor (Open Office), choose convert case either to "lower case" or "sentence case," then cut the original text and replace with the now lowered case text.
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Billy Mays »

Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am Paul has what I am guessing is a very long period, perhaps decades or even a lifetime, of poorly treated diabetes.
We've been telling him that for years.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am But that doesn't mean he can't improve his situation.

We've been telling him that for years.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amOne thing is for sure, though: anyone who sends him candy (or anything else filled with sugars or carbs, such as cookies, crackers, etc) is helping him commit suicide.
Paul can't die, he's worse off than Anakin after taking the dip in the lava and he will still outlive every last person on Earth. Good advice, nonetheless, and I hope whatever people start sending him instead of candy is something that comes in a metal tin and he eats it with a metal spoon at 2 in the morning and it makes a tink tink tink noise that drives the other residents there nuts.

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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Tdarcos »

Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am This message is to everyone, not just Paul specifically.
This is Tansin A. Darcos and I disapprove of this message.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amPaul has what I am guessing is a very long period, perhaps decades or even a lifetime, of poorly treated diabetes. Unless he has some other condition he neglected to mention, almost every one of his conditions - including his leg, hand, and torso problems - is either directly caused by, or secondary to, chronic hyperglycemia cause by untreated diabetes or, at least, very poor blood glucose control over a long period of time.
I had none of these problems until the infection got in and destroyed me, because I was careless and stupid.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amWhat Paul chooses to do about it is up to him. I don't know yet how much he knows about all this, how much he cares,
Probably not much.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amwhether he wants to do anything about things
Not sure at this point.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am or even how much can be done at this late stage.
Probably not much.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amSince no doctor could possibly miss this, I'm guessing that he has had medical people begging him to take his diabetes seriously for a very long time and has simply been unwilling or unable to do so.
Probably not much. Just kidding, I don't remember any begging.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amDenial ain't just a river in Egypt.
It's also a word in the dictionary!
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amBut, who knows? For right now, because it is my policy when considering people's motives, I choose to give him the benefit of the doubt and charitably assume he has either truly been kept in the dark, and/or had terrible doctors, and/or was well-informed but denying it to himself to avoid having to do the work to get better.
Sometimes I feel like I should leave "Probably not much." at every response as it seems to work. What I'll say is, "What do you expect? I'm in a nursing home."
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amHow far his conditions have gone and how much repair or reversal is possible is unclear. Obviously some things will never get better - legs don't regrow, of course, and nerve damage does not heal.
Have you ever noticed, no matter how much people pray, God has never cured a single amputee? I don't think even Jesus tried,
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amSo no amount of medication, diet, exercise, or whatever will fix him right up. But that doesn't mean he can't improve his situation.
Doubtful prognosis, Dr. Finsternis.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amI can certainly give him some tips and help guide him in the right direction towards better health and managing his own healthcare - mostly not in a medical sense but just general old "been there, done that" experience.
So you don't get charged with "practicing medicine without a license" or sued for malpractice. Or both.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amWhether he wants any help or not is up to Paul. I don't know what his feelings are about it all. On the one hand he remains his prickly self.
I think you'd be a bit cactus err I mean calloused after all the problems I've had to go through.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amOn the other hand, I feel empathy for him.
1. On the other hand, you have five fingers.
2. If you're feeling empathy on your hand, you might need treatment for phantom feelings.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amUnless there are people no one has mentioned, I don't know if he he has any family or friends in the area.
My relatives are about 4 miles away, but aren't in a position to help much. I have the dubvious distinction that the only friends I have (with one minor exception) are on this board.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amIt doesn't seem as if he gets lots of visitors,
Not really. Outside of various staff seeing me every day. I get maybe one visitor a month, on average. If we count the staff person who comes by when my co-pay is late |(like when had no phones) then maybe it's two visitors.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amand at Medicaid level I'm guessing the digs are not top notch, though I have no way to know.
Well, ignoring the shattered windows, collapsed ceiling, walls with holes exposing frayed wiring, mice, rats, roaches, ants, bedbugs, fleas, silverfish, mosquitos, smallpox and bad breath, it's not bad.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amI can't imagine how awful it must be to more or less lay there, helpless, in a strange place with no friends or family around and really very little ability to improve your situation.
Yeah. Pray to God this never happens to you. Oh, wait, sorry, you don't believe in God or gods either, so, just hope it doesn't.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amIt must be depressing as fuck
Actually, being able to fuck would be, uh, what's the word for opposite of depressing? Delightful?
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am and if Paul is angry and bitter it's hard to blame him.
You'd be surprised to find out how easy it is for some people.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amI give him some leeway for complaining.
You'd be surprised how little others do.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amAnd if he isn't all that concerned with extending what might a very painful and difficult life, who can blame him?
Not really painful - they do give me drugs for that, but as far as difficult, well-...
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amHe doesn't even have the capability, it seems, to do himself in, so maybe his goal is to stay as sick as possible and hope he just dies.
Naah, I suspect I've done something to piss off the universe and so I'm going to live a long time. Or I might get lucky and drop dead tomorrow.

As much as I do want to live and dislike the idea of dying and most likely ceasing to exist, there were times, more than once I seriously wished the sepsis infection had "done its job" and killed me. Fortunately I'm past that, and realize I've resigned to the fact I've been condemned to live.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amI don't know. It would really be the only possible form of suicide for him. I hope that's not the case, I hope he has cheerful and happy days sometimes, but his attitide here is not overwhelmingly positive as far as I can tell.
I'm going to try not to wallow in self pity, but there isn't much left for me. I had plans for lots of things I was going to do, even though i was in a wheelchair, that are all now denied to me. No TV to dull my mind. Can't travel, can't see people, can't move.

Aah! Got one! I can eat tasty candy, potato chips, and crackers! Hurray! I have a reason to live!
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amOne thing is for sure, though: anyone who sends him candy (or anything else filled with sugars or carbs, such as cookies, crackers, etc) is helping him commit suicide.
Wrong. I'm a 59-year-old man, who can't even jerk off, literally has nothing to live for except one thing: I can occasionally enjoy the taste of something sweet or savory. That is all I've got left to make life worthwhile.

As I said before (or I think I did and I'm too lazy to go back and look), "What the fuck do I have to live for?" Improved paralysis? A longer life in a wasted shell who's lost all control of bodily function? I've got one thing left, to enjoy a few snacks, and now that's going to be bad for me. And I say: What the fuck difference does it make?
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amNo judgement
I've had problems on this one too. It's spelled "judgment" in America. Your spelling is used in Commonwealth countries. Sort of like how they still use "colour" while Americans use "color." No judgment, just a teachable moment.


This Teachable Moment™ was sponsored by: Good Intentions Paving Company LLC. "Even the Road to Hell is paved by Good Intentions."
Good Intentions Paving Company LLC. "We will pave it!™"
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am - it's his life and his choice and I fully respect the right to decide when to stop living as probably the most fundamental right there is.
Not so much suicide as, "What the fuck else do I have to live for?" I write stories like Marnie, The Takeover Man, Don't Break the Merger and other books, and interactive fiction like The Librarian as intellecual exercises, not expecting I'll make any money off the books (the game has no market value, text adventurs stopped being interesting to cash customers when Windows went mainstream), but because it keeps me sharp

I don't want to waste my life and intellect watching TV - waaay too many things are so stupid I'd want to throw a brick at the screen - and while this BBS is fun, I want more, and as I have said, I don't write books because I think other people should read them, altthough that would be nice, I write books because I wanted to read the story and no one else had written it. And because writing and plotting the story can be fun. It would be nice if people read what I wrote.

Sometimes people can disagree over the readabiolity of a work.

I am reminded of a writer who was releasing a new book, and the publisher sent copies of it to two of their internal reviewers. Both thought the book should be published.

One said it was an important, powerful piece of literature, that won't sell very well. but it has such a great message it should be published even though they would not make any money.

The other said it was the worst pece of trash they'd ever seen, a horrible book, that they should publish because a lot of people would buy it and they'd make a fortune.

Turned out, on that book, they were both right. It's still in print, and still sells, more than 55 years after it was published.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amWhether Paul has made that decision or not, consciously or uncoinciously, I have no idea. I just want people to be aware of the stakes and make their decisions fully-informed.
I'm not sure if you were conscious when you wrote that, because I think you unconsciously misspelled a word there. Again, no judgmen, just a teachable moment...


This Teachable Moment™ was sponsored by: Good Intentions Paving Company LLC. "Even the Road to Hell is paved by Good Intentions."
Good Intentions Paving Company LLC. "We will pave it!™"

If people take your advice and stop sending me anything, I can live with it for the time it takes to find out where you live and sue you. Actually, if nobody else sends me any more snacks, I have enough money left to buy a few things.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amIf he wants to live or get better
Live or get better, for what? The big thing I had in my life was to get below 300 pounds and stay there so I could have knee replacement surgery so I could walk again. I've fucked that up and fucked myself so badly I can never get un-raped. I ain't got a whole lot left to look forward to.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am Paul just can't have Starbursts.
Okay , there's a candy from Japan called Hi-Chew, it's really delicious, the strawberry is better than Starburst strawberry and...
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amOr any candy
Awwwww fuck.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am (unless it's sugar free).
That's no fun. Besides, most of them taste terrible or they have the warning "Excessive consumption may have a laxative effect." Jesus, I already have very little trouble doing bowel movements that extrude like toothpaste, I don't need more help getting rid of it!
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amHe can't have any Ritz crackers.
Fuck no1 You're not taking those. I warn you, I havbe a Utah non-resident concealed carry handgun permit that is valid in Virginia and I will use it on you if you try to taake those away! (I'll use the permit, not use a handgun.)
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amOr white bread.
That is something they regularly leave in my lunch or dinner that I didn't think I ordered and don't eat. I'm not a "bread" person.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amAnything where the "Net carbs" on the label is, say, greater than one digit.
Who seriously reads the labels?
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amI suggest that if you really want to send him treats, send meaty treats like Spam, jerky or Vienna sausages.
Spam is probably loaded with salt, Finsternis. But, of course, I'd eat it anyway. I hate Vienna sausages. Polish sausage, however...
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amOr, better yet, send him non-food gifts like books
I can't read print, would have to be Kindle version. There was a suggestion Pinback was going to send me the electronic version of one of Eckhart Tolle's books so I could read and discuss it with him, then he gor pissed off for some reason - probably because I "killed" his already dead podcast "The Don Rogers Show," in my cartoon - and rescinded his offer. so I'm not going to count on that.
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amor software or whatever. Every carb he eats goes directly to the high blood sugar that is killing him.
Yeah, but they're sooooo tasty!
Evil cannot create anything new
They can only corrupt and ruin
What good forces have invented or made.
- J.R.R. Tolkien

TD Summary

Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by TD Summary »

td summary the single most arrogant and condescending post in internet history is Dr. Finsternis waltzing in here trying to shame the rest of us for sending our friend going through tough times some candy

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The Happiness Engine
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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by The Happiness Engine »

I do believe there is also the matter of him currently having the most mass of any active poster.

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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Tdarcos »

The Happiness Engine wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 2:10 pm I do believe there is also the matter of him currently having the most mass of any active poster.
That includes the mass of the active poster Flack has in his entertainment room!
Evil cannot create anything new
They can only corrupt and ruin
What good forces have invented or made.
- J.R.R. Tolkien

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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Finsternis »

Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 2:26 am Uh huh, but I didn't have it back when I was in a wheelchair. This is the result of an opportunistic infection caused because I wasn't caring about the wound on my foot
What put you in the wheelchair, then? You may have been undiagnosed at that point, or ignoring your doctor. In any case diabetes causes hyperglycemia which leads to all kind of fun things like ketoacidosis and peripheral neuropathy. That last one means you lose sensation in your extremities. It starts with your feet and toes, moves into your hands, and eventually your legs and even arms. It means you lose your sense of touch as the nerves die. This is why it's critical for diabetics to examine their feet (or have them examined) constantly, for this exact reason: if you cut or damage your foot or leg and don't feel it, you never do anything about it, and it gets infected, and the next thing you know you end up with a massive infection and eventual amputation like you did. Many, many diabetics end up with amputated feet and legs for this reason. I don't know what your living situation was at the time or if you had anyone to help you. I agree it can be tough for obese people to carefully examine our feet. But be assured your infection was indirectly caused by diabetes. Normal people don't get infections like that, or if they do, they notice right away and get them taken care of before amputation is necessary.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 2:26 amwhich would eventually heal (it did, a few months later, and if I hadn't had an infection to fight off first, might have been faster.)
Diabetes causes very poor blood circulation in extremities (which causes the aforementioned neuropathy). That affects healing rate. It doesn't mean wounds on your hands and feet never heal, not at first, but they take much longer to do so, and get slower and slower to heal as things get worse. Even though I manage my diabetes much better than you do, I'm still not 100% perfect, and I have a little bit of tingling and numbness in my feet and toes because of neuropathy. Luckily I still have some feeling, and have my wife to help me keep an eye out for wounds.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 2:26 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:18 amYour diabetes is killing you in a lot of different ways. On the one hand, I doubt that is news to you. On the other hand, I'm unsure exactly how much you know about all this, how much you know about the connections between the conditions, and how much you want to know. And, frankly, how much you care.
I am probably to some extent, aware of what is going on, even if I don't admit it to myself. As for caring, I don't know if I do.
My strong suggestion is now that you're fully aware of this connection you decide how badly you want to live and in what condition.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am Well, you can tell me, but I don't know that it makes much difference. You may hae decreased mobility but at least you have mobility. I've got nothing;
Yes yes, we know that, and I'm sorry. I definitely sucks. As I said, you are far more disabled than me. It has to be really depressing.

If you like, I will buy you one of these I've found them to be indispensable. I think it makes life easier for people who have mobility issues. I can walk, but I can't bend down much or reach far.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am i can't even take a shit without having to ask someone to change the diaper and wipe my ass! I get aides who sometimes tell me when rolling me on my side to hold on to something when there's nothing to hold on to [...]
Sure sounds like it's awful. Again, I hate to rub your nose in it, but in all seriousness, you need to decide right away whether you want to slide downhill into misery and death or do the work necessary to attempt to improve your situation as much as you can. You're never gonna run and jump again, Paul, sorry. You know that. And I have no idea how much improvement you can make - that's up to nature and you. It's certainly well within the realm of possibility that you could get well enough to do a lot more things for yourself and regain some independence.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am Type II, probably over 15 years ago, since I knew it at some point when I could walk, so it's a least that far back. Almost certainly before 2000, so make that over 20 years ago.
Then you absolutely lost your leg to complications from diabetes, no doubt about it. The infection was caused by a wound which you did not attend to because you either felt it but did nothing or didn't feel it at all. As a diabetic, you need to be hyper-aware of even the tiniest wounds on you.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 amThis place stopped bothering to check my glucose and I don't know why, and I don't think they've ever checked my A1C.
Hmmmm. <Angry face.> That is inexcusable. If it's true, you may have a case for malpractice. Then again, they can certainly defend themselves by pointing to a mountain of empty Starburst bags
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 amCan't tell if they have me on a restricted diet, but they do give me weird selections in food, like at dinner last night I was offered potato salad with mashed potaoes (and nothing to put on them), black beans, milk, hot chocolate and some dessert. I might have had something else with it, I wasn't paying too much attention. How exactly am I to eat bare, unflavored mashed potatoes?
Well, that's a terrible diet for a diabetic in any case. You shouldn't be eating mashed potatoes at all.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 amOh yeah, no salt, of course, and while they used tp give me Mrs. Dash seasoning, I don't get that any more.
Spices are cheap and something anyone can here can send you. I suggest you ask for those in place of candy.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 amI sometimes eat what they give me.
And the other times you don't eat at all, or you eat something else?
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 amSometimes it's things I can't stand (like, as I discovered, Brussels sprouts) don't like (yams) or would be okay
Yeah, I hate Burssels sprouts too, and yams, and beets. Have you tried talking to them about replacements?
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am egg white, but they're often scrambled which is okay, but at times they come in a "foamed " method,
It's known as a soufflé.
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 am Unlikely, I drink plenty of water. A while back, I got criticized because I wasn't drinking enough, and they had to insert an IV and give me fluids. I do not want that to happen again.
Diuretics aren't about how much you drink, it's about how much comes out. I suspect you are very thirsty all the time and even drinking a lot doesn't quench your thirst much. Ref "polydipsia" and "polyurea".
Tdarcos wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:24 amtHEN THERE ARE THE TIMES i WRITE A SENTENCE WHERE i WAS TOO BUSY WATCHING THE KEYBOARD

I too am a rotten typist who over the years has developed a method which is extremely fast but extremely error prone even though I look at the keyboard. So my extreme speed is effectively halved because I have to do back and do so much correcting. I tried to learn touch typing but after 40 years of doing it this way the muscle memory is just too hard to break. I have a new backlit keyboard which I like but the keys are a bit too small and I'm constantly hitting shift-lock and doing the same as you describe above.

Paul, it's all up to you. All these decisions are yours. All I wanted to do was make sure you were fully cognizant of the deadly seriousness of your situation. Sometimes we get so used to shining things on and ignoring them that we never get around to facing things. It would be sad to me if you just slid into misery and death without ever having made a conscious choice to do so. Though, as the poet says, "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."

So your choice is clear. Either A) decide you don't care, that you'd rather die, and figure out the least painful way to do that. Pros: you don't have to do anything except suffer misery. Cons: give up years of your life. OR B) decide to live. Pros: you get to live longer and probably gain back some independence and possibly even some hope and purpose. Cons: it's a lot of work. You have to not give up, fight back, take control, do a lot of work and other things that are no fun, sacrifice, and so on. Many of those things are tough, or at least I find them so.

And you know, Paul, you are probably thinking I'm trying to shame you towards option B. And yes, it's what I have picked for myself. But if you pick option A, I personally would not judge you. Despite what "feel-good" Hollywood movies and After-School Specials want you to think, not everyone is a hero. Some of us just don't have that "gumption" and "drive" and "discipline" that are so highly praised. Some of us have Saint Salieri as our patron. Not everyone can be a hero. Lots and lots of people with problems never overcome them. We aren't strong enough. And that's OK too. Me, I'm still figuring out whether I have enough willpower to swing my course back to the good. I've managed to stop my slide into the depths, but pulling myself back up is even harder. All i can say is that I decided I'd rather go down trying instead of surrendering.

If you choose to not give up, I can give you some tips. You're already made a detailed inventory of things you can't do and things that suck about your life. Now make an inventory of what advantages and skills you have. None of them are physical, check. But compared to many people, you have lots of things you can use. You are intelligent. You write pretty well. You have communication with the outside world. Thanks to the internet, just those three things can be leveraged into getting yourself more assets. If you try to do this and find yourself concentrating on how hopeless it is and how it will never work, you're doing it wrong. Pretend that Ben or Jonesy or I have pout forth the proposition here that it is impossible for you to do anything to improve your situation. Try to prove us wrong. Remember what Tich Nhat Hahn (I think) said: "If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are thinking about the future,. If you are peaceful, you are thinking about the present." Or, more succinctly, what someone else said: "Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right." You're gonna have to do it yourself,but it is possible.

The following goes for anyone with any serious medical condition that they want too be sure gets the best care, not just Paul.

Step 1) Learn everything you can about your condition. Take some online classes about diabetes and its care. Read some books and many web sites - about the condition, how it works, about the chemistry, the side effects - the works. Maker yourself an expert on it. There is endless information available. Don't just read one or two sources and feel you're done. Get so you can have an intelligent discussion about it with an M.D. Know what blood glucose is, how it works, what insulin is and how that works too, how they interact, what different medications are and how they work, your blood chemistry, etc. This is one of those places where knowledge is power. If you talk intelligently about your condition and make good points, people will respect you and NOT treat you like some amateur who has read a few quack article on "Dr. Google."

Step 2) Do the things you can do all by yourself to improve your health. In your case, this largely means STAY AWAY FROM CARBS OF ANY KIND, especially refined sugar. Obviously that means NO candy, NO soda, pasta, rice, or white bread. Think of it as poison to you, because it is. Try to keep your carbs below 60 grams per day - lower if you can. Every carb you don't eat is a victory.

Step 3) Using your knowledge of your condition, gather some data. In your case specifically, this means: take your blood glucose several times a day and record it somewhere safe (i.e., in a nice neat table in a spreadsheet or phone app, not on the back of a napkin). Keep a food diary of what you ate each day, what your BG reading was before each meal and 2 hours after. You can get a very good BG meter for cheap on Amazon. You only need to buy one or two containers of test strips because the goal is to get them to pay. You need data that you can wave at them, not just your opinion.

Step 3) LEARN TO ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. Our healthcare system has a lot of problems, and one of the biggest is that it;s test-oriented. The system really loves tests. They are discrete money units. They are easy to put a price on and to bill for. So they will give you lots of them - as long as someone will pay for them. The problem is, they often 1) don't even give you a copy of the results, and 2) the doctor who gets them basically "eats them and says nothing". A good doctor may give you a little advice, but beyond maybe writing you a prescription for something, few doctors will point you in the direction of what you should do next. They mostly just send you on your way and expect you to figure out "what next"?

SO: DO THAT. First, you have to get good at the skill of firm but polite assertiveness. That means: Ask nicely, but don't take no for an answer. Sometimes you have to push people a little bit,. Sometimes you have to get them to do things they won't normally do. Sometimes you have to pester them a little bit, or call them several times. This is most definitely a case of the Squeaky Wheel getting the grease. The people who get left behind, stuck in the system, are the ones who pay no attention and are apathetic. Don't be one. If someone says something can't be done, ask them how it could be. Ask what might make it possible. Ask if an exception can be made. Find the cracks and the loopholes and the nice people who are willing to do more for someone who is nice to them, someone who asks for their help in a kind way. Ask what to do next. How to follow up. What's next, etc. Believe me, in any system, but especially the US health care system, pro-active advocacy is the only way to survive the complex problems. If there's some kind of administrative issue, find out how to fix it and either fix it yourself or get ask someone nicely to do it over and over until they do. Using these kind of tactics, I recently obtained $18,000 worth of medication for $20. It works if you are clever and persistent.

Step 4) Now that you understand assertiveness and you have a bunch of data, start your campaign for better care. Be as nice as you can without being a pushover. As politely. Use reason. Ask for reasonable things- a blood glucometer, free test strips, and monthly (or more) A1C tests. Ask to see a diabetes specialist right away and get on the proper medications, including both quick-acting and long-basting (basal) insulin. Ask for a very low-carb / high fat diet. Don't let them rest until you have those things, even if it is only to get you to shut up about it already. Once you have those things, become obsessive about them. Take your BG and insuin 15 minutes before every meal and test again two hours after. Write everything down in meticulous detail.

Step 5) If you can do those things A LOT, religiously, you should see a lot of improvement, not just in your blood sugars and A1C, but also in your general condition. You won't jump out of bed and start dancing around, but I wouldn't be surprised if your pain was less, your mobility and flexibility were better, your tingling and numbness decreased, you blood pressure and other stats improved, and so on. Diabetes affects every single part of your body.

IF, after every possible attempt to work things out nicely, after being kind and polite and patient and understanding, you they STILL refuse to give you proper care, then it's time to gently start to hint at the big guns. You are a diabetic suffering form a very advanced stage. Failiung to treat you properly is basically a crime, and it's not as if you are asking for expensive surgery. Meters, test strips, A1C tests, and proper meals are not expensive. Talk to the hospital administrator or ombudsman if you can. Otherwise, start casually dropping words like "malpractice" and "investigation" in a sad, mournful way as if you really don't want to do those things but they leave you no choice.

Those are the basic steps. Try those and see how they work. If you encounter issues, say so here and we can all try to work them out.

Be well. "Choose life."
"I’d rather have questions I cannot answer than answers I cannot question."

- Max Tegmark

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Re: What's Wrong With Paul?

Post by Finsternis »

Note: to save a huge amount of time and space, all of Paul's incessant whining and self-pity has been deleted.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am I had none of these problems until the infection got in and destroyed me, because I was careless and stupid.
Paul, your infections and amputation were due to symptoms of advanced diabetes. Sorry. It was diabetes ---> infection, not the other way around.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am Sometimes I feel like I should leave "Probably not much." at every response as it seems to work.
Of course you love that answer. It's completely free of any meaning, it requires no proof or evidence on your part, it's completely squishy and tries to make things out as if they aren't your fault, are beyond your control, and you are perfectly justified in giving up. You use it because it;'s easier for you than giving honest answers. The correct answer for you would be "I don't know", because you don't. You don't know the answer to any of those things because you've never bothered to find out and just decided to feel sorry for yourself and assume the worst.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amWhat I'll say is, "What do you expect? I'm in a nursing home."
I expect you to have a little fucking dignity and not be a mewling whiner for a while. I've known and/or heard of plenty of people in your shape or worse who didn't complain half as much.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amSo no amount of medication, diet, exercise, or whatever will fix him right up. But that doesn't mean he can't improve his situation.
Doubtful prognosis, Dr. Finsternis.
And you base that on your expert medical opinion? I don't claim to be a doctor, but I know one hell of a lot more about these specific conditions than you do, that's for damn sure.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am So you don't get charged with "practicing medicine without a license" or sued for malpractice. Or both.
Since I'm not a doctor I can't get sued for malpractice, duh. As for practicing without a license, I don't give a shit - go ahead and try to sue me, I dare you. It would be a lot of fun to see your sorry ass wheeled into the courtroom only to have the judge laugh it back out when he heard you were trying to sue some stranger on the internet for bad medical advice.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am mosquitos, smallpox and bad breath, it's not bad.
Smallpox?
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am Actually, being able to fuck would be, uh, what's the word for opposite of depressing? Delightful?
Speaking of, did you ever end up losing your virginity? Last I remember, decades ago, you had decided to save yourself for Mrs. Right because you "didn't want to just 'masturbatue into a vagina'."
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amI'm going to try not to wallow in self pity
Too late!
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amNo TV to dull my mind.
You know, these days we have invented something called "filmed material that is not mindless dreck." You could spend the rest of your life learning new things from documentaries alone - history, science, whatever topic you want.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am Aah! Got one! I can eat tasty candy, potato chips, and crackers! Hurray! I have a reason to live!
If that's the best you can do, you're fucking pathetic. Guess what, Stephen Hawking has been worse off then you for decades and he has written groundbreaking works of cosmology and is considered one of the most brilliant people on earth. He can barely blink his eyes let alone type, and he finds more to look forward to than tastier paste to eat.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amOne thing is for sure, though: anyone who sends him candy (or anything else filled with sugars or carbs, such as cookies, crackers, etc) is helping him commit suicide.
Wrong.
Oh, no, I'm right. Dead right. So sowwy.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amI'm a 59-year-old man, who can't even jerk off
Well, there's a goal for you right there: work on your flexibility enough so you can jerk off. It would be a much better goal to try to jerk off as much as possible before you die than eat candy. It would not only be better for you but actually improve your reach and grip. And if you can't manage that, there are plenty of other ways to do it using both everyday objects and inexpensive machine that are designed exactly for people like you: who are disabled and can't reach and may not be able to achieve erection. Some are for true paraplegics who can't even feel orgasms but need to "extract" sperm so they can still have kids. I can think of at least two off the top of my head.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am literally has nothing to live for except one thing : I can occasionally enjoy the taste of something sweet or savory. That is all I've got left to make life worthwhile. What the fuck do I have to live for? Improved paralysis? A longer life in a wasted shell who's lost all control of bodily function? I've got one thing left, to enjoy a few snacks, and now that's going to be bad for me. And I say: What the fuck difference does it make?
(I didn't elide this particular whining because it is relevant).

Sigh. You're so tiresome, the way you think with your little brain, come up with one or two things, decide they are the ONLY POSSIBLE THINGS THAT CAN BE, and then base life decisions on them. You think that's all you can possibly do with the rest of your life? If you do, you deserve your fate just for being so uncreative.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am It's spelled "judgment" in America. Your spelling is used in Commonwealth countries. Sort of like how they still use "colour" while Americans use "color." No judgment, just a teachable moment.
A "teachable moment"? Bahahahaha!!!!! You actually think I'm unaware of the different ways Americans and British people sometime spell words differently? Dude, I spent literally years studying British (and pre-british) literature. Shall I recite some Middle English for you? Regale you with details of old English etymology, lexicography and typography? Lists of archaic english words that haven't been used since Elizabethan times? And due to all that endless study, I do still sometimes use words like "judgement". And "grey". Or "theatre". Or any one of a number of other similar ones. So sue me, you daft fanny.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amThis Teachable Moment™ was sponsored by: Good Intentions Paving Company LLC.
Moire like "Pompous, Pretentious, Pontificating Poseurs LLC".
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amI write stories
Great! So write some fucking stories, then. You're capable of doing that.

Except this time, if you want people to actually read them, maybe change from bloviating about your philosophy and try writing an actual fun story. Or a novel. Make it readable. Practice writing. Get feedback on how to improve - on dialogue, perhaps, since your characters seem to talk like robots. get feedback from other writers. Join a forum. Become a famous writer and have everyone be impressed because you do it all in your condition. These are all things you can do online. E-publishing and ebook promotion are pretty much 100% free. You could even make somw money at it.

I now await your explaining why you can't do it even though it's been done plenty of times.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amI don't want to waste my life and intellect watching TV - waaay too many things are so stupid I'd want to throw a brick at the screen
So do it better. I can easily point you to free professional video production software and endless tutorials on how to use it. You could make your own stuff from various free video sources.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amI want more, and as I have said, I don't write books because I think other people should read them, altthough that would be nice, I write books because I wanted to read the story and no one else had written it. And because writing and plotting the story can be fun. It would be nice if people read what I wrote.
Wait, you want more? I thought candy and good tasting things were all that was left, all that were possible? It sounds to me like you want to write. And you want people to read your stuff. What, exactly, is preventing that? You can write, I'm reading things you wrote right now.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amTurned out, on that book, they were both right. It's still in print, and still sells, more than 55 years after it was published.
And I am reminded of a book whose main character reminds me so much of you - a fat, insufferable know-it-all, self-pitying, acknowledging no responsibility for his actions, firmly convinced that his philosophy is the only possible way to look at things. That book's author committed suicide after he finished it. Eleven years later, his mother found it and gave it to another writer to be evaluated. That writer kindly took a look, expecting it to be rubbish,m but it was amazingly good and he got it published. That book went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for literature posthumously.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 amI ain't got a whole lot left to look forward to.
If you say so.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 am (unless it's sugar free).
That's no fun. Besides, most of them taste terrible or they have the warning "Excessive consumption may have a laxative effect."
You, and every other person who clearly can't read basic english, always read right past the word "excessive" in that sentence. My suggestion is to not eat excessive amounts of the candy and you will have no trouble. I love my Sugar Free jolly ranchers., I eat maybe three or four a day. Zero bowel troubles. Because I don't eat them excessively. See how that works? And I love the way you and every other obese person somehow magically can't stand the taste of any artificial sweeteners. How odd that is! How convenient! You know what? I hated Diet Coke at first. But I drank it. Now if I drink regular Coke it tastes like awful sugar syrup to me. Gag. I switched to skim milk from whole. At first it tasted like water. Now whole milk tastes like cream to me.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amHe can't have any Ritz crackers.
Fuck no1 You're not taking those. I warn you, I have a Utah non-resident concealed carry handgun permit that is valid in Virginia
I'm not taking anything away from you. Just pointing out what you would have to sacrifice if you want to die later instead of sooner. And don't try to scare me with guns - where I am I can carry any weapon I want, open or conceled, with only a simple gun permit. I can walk into my grocery store packing a sidearm if I want, zero problem.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amAnything where the "Net carbs" on the label is, say, greater than one digit.
Who seriously reads the labels?
People who taking "not dying of preventable causes" seriously.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amI suggest that if you really want to send him treats, send meaty treats like Spam, jerky or Vienna sausages.
Spam is probably loaded with salt, Finsternis.
Once again, don't lecture me about nutrition, ignoramus. I'm well aware that Spam is high in sodium,. I also could NOT care less because I know that sodium is not bad for people. And it's 100% certain that sodium is nowhere near as bad for diabetics as carbs are.
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am I can't read print, would have to be Kindle version.
Do you have a device to read kindle things on? If so, what is the email address at which you would receive Kindle books, should I ever choose to send one?
Tdarcos wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:09 am
Finsternis wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 11:50 amor software or whatever. Every carb he eats goes directly to the high blood sugar that is killing him.
Yeah, but they're sooooo tasty!
They are To Die For, so to speak?
"I’d rather have questions I cannot answer than answers I cannot question."

- Max Tegmark

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