Sick & Tired (but Happy)

Believe it or not, I consider myself a healthy person and I feel very blessed in that regard. I mean, how many people can say they don't have to worry about insulin or high blood pressure medication or even chemo. Thank God, right! But for some reason--and I know it's a contradiction--I feel sick all the time.

It's not that I get colds easily. I mean, my immune system is not generally weak. This is different: this is me feeling tired and sick almost every day.

I'm not certain what causes this feeling of malaise but I can tell you what I do know: I got malaria twice as a child and the measles once (third-world country, you know); I got hit by a car when I was seven and had my spleen ruptured when I was 22. I also survived a war and moved to a new country. Oh yeah, I also nearly died from bronchitis twice.

These factors may or may not have contributed to my now having fibromyalgia, which is simply rheumatism of the soft tissue. It started out in junior high when I would get sudden dull but debilitating aches in my limbs. One day it was the right arm, the following week my left leg and so on. Eventually this grew into an all-over body ache like you get when you have the flu. But that wasn't until I was nearly 30.

For years I took Ibuprofen to fight the pain (you know, a 200-mg. Advil tablet when the pain struck) and that (among other things like diet, I'm sure) caused me to get GERD, commonly known as acid reflux disease. I only take Tylenol now, which is not bad for the stomach at all but God only knows how my liver will end up!

Today I am having to take Benadryl or Chlortimetron every four hours for allergy relief. I never had nasal allergies like this growing up. It didn't start until my 26th spring. Then it kept growing out of control until the allergies never went away, even when spring was over. The allergies also produced a new problem: sinusitis. I get infections very often and might need surgery but so far so good.

Finally, I'd like to get a tad personal and admit I suffer from severe hormonal problems. I don't know if it's PMS or worse. But I get hot flashes, cravings, fatigue, tenderness and of course emotional. Whatever it is I can't stand it and hope it goes away soon.

But as I said, I consider myself a healthy individual and I soldier on through these annoying health disturbances and I will get my college education (God willing) even if it's one class at a time and even if I'm 80 when I finish!

By the way, there's a website you can go to if you'd like to calculate how long you might live. You just answer a series of health-related questions and you'll get a number. Mine was 92. Not bad for a decrepit old bag like me! Here it is if you're interested: http://www.livingto100.com/