In 2015, I moved from the suburbs into the peace and quiet of the rurals in a primarily senior community (called The Bridges of Seaforth). The community features 73 (so far) homes besides the town of Seaforth in southwestern Ontario. Seaforth is a typical small Ontario town of 3,000-plus people. The main street is about one mile long and has two stop lights – one for pedestrians near the bank and post office, and the other at the major north south intersection. The town of Seaforth has a usual complement of health facilities for a small town of our size with surrounding farms, etc. Included are:
- a small rehabilitation hospital with an emergency department and one doctor (ER specialist);
- a Family Health Centre, which contains the family doctors;
- a small blood clinic;
- a mental health and eye treatment facility (an oncologist); and
- apparently, there are nine doctors, including an ER doctor and one pharmacy and an optometrist in town.
My doctor is a Family Doctor specialist and is very good, when she is available. But this availability is a problem for me. At best, she is available with three weeks’ notice. If not an emergency, her assistant or a nurse fills in.
When I moved here, she interviewed me as a new patient and had a nurse enter my history into their computer. Unfortunately, the nurse was new to Seaforth and the history was poorly done – much of my older history was missed. My doctor had ensured me her prime focus was in prevention. In actual practise, this was not done. She just didn’t have the time. All new residents to The Bridges development were guaranteed a doctor.
I have had her as my doctor since we moved here in 2015. Getting an appointment was difficult and I often resorted to using the ER. If my history had been accurately recorded, she would have been able to anticipate what are now serious illnesses. I am referring to my dementia and autoimmune diseases. Both of these diseases have a history that is proving to be an issue as I grow older. The doctors of 1951 (I was 12 years old) considered that I had an allergy problem. They tested and diagnosed “allergy” but they were mistaken. As years passed my allergies (onions, eggs, nuts, milk, etc.) were not active but the hives and other side effects kept occurring. This is my autoimmune that I am fighting today.
Both my daughter is, and my father was, a Type 1 diabetic. I was not considered as one who inherits diabetes but I am convinced that the pancreas delivery of insulin for me has caused problems, as I age, by restricting the glucose and therefore the oxygen, to my brain. This was evident to me when I had a brain scan in 2013 (I was 74 years old). In retrospect, from 2014 to today, I have been diagnosed as MCI due to Alzheimer’s.
The autoimmune was first evident to me when I was 12. I was smitten with large hives and swellings. My family doctor helped to overcome these hives, etc. by injecting me with adrenaline and it worked. I suffered from these hives all of my life, off and on. As I progressed through life, I learned how to “fight or flight” and produce the hormone adrenaline internally to overcome the hives, etc. I became quite adept at producing the adrenaline and eliminating the hives when they occurred. However, these skills reduced as I aged and became a real problem when my throat was swelling to severely retard my swallowing which worsened in my 81st year. Today, the autoimmune is winning the battle for my body. I have small swellings over all of my body. I am on melanoma pills and a IIVg infusion monthly.
All my life, since I was 12 years old, I have been a strong advocate of my medical issues. Some doctors take the time to listen. Often those that do so do not have time to pursue solutions. Today, specialists have a very small range of experience and skills.
The frustrations: Now I have a neurologist for my dementia. And an oncologist (pills and surgery) to control the ‘triggers’ (the melanomas) and a rheumatologist for my autoimmune disease. Are these the correct specialists for me? I don’t know, but at least they are trying. It is interesting that the oncologist found melanomas, which were removed by surgery. They were considered by the oncologist as the ‘triggers’ for the autoimmune disease. Even though dementia is considered a ‘brain’ disease, I was rejected by a psychologist.
Contrarily, I figure that the autoimmune disease could be caused by the brain and could be a dementia. Go figure! I just wish that there was one specialist that I could talk to about all my diseases, overall.
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Bob Murray is retired from the graphic communication industry, living in Seaforth, and was diagnosed with Dementia in 2013. Follow his blog – https://myvoyage553264702.wordpress.com.
