Anita Adams retired from a career in newspaper advertising at five different newspapers, followed by a second career as a Meat/Food Inspector for the State of California and Southwest Airlines. Always a Pollyanna, she always knew tomorrow would be better! But sometimes tomorrow took a long time.
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Big Pharma
Big Pharma
I recently read the book, “Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radden Keefe. It was astonishing and incredible but believable due to my medical history.
The first allergic reaction I ever had was after I was married and our friends gave us a “Charivari,” a traditional hazing of newlyweds in the Midwest. One of the wedding party poured an entire bottle of Pine Sol into our water cooler; it burned my respiratory system.
After that, I was very ill with respiratory issues for many years. As an asthmatic in the 1960’s the first treatments were shots of adrenaline; I shook from the effects. It was quite a buzz but NOT helpful.
Next, physicians thought it was “all in my head” and gave me tranquilizers; I was tranquil as Hell but, I still couldn’t breathe.
I had to sleep sitting up or reclining since the pressure of lying flat restricted my air flow, I could do nothing but sit around trying to get oxygen into my body; I was almost an invalid.
By the Grace of God, I survived.
Moving to Sacramento was great; no more Walnut or Modesto Ash tree pollen to breathe! For years I was free from respiratory ailments.
When I moved to a house along the American River with Cottonwood trees all around, asthma started up again but it was manageable until the big flood of 1985. Whatever washed down river, I ended up in the hospital. I started using a breathing machine ; a “Pulmoaide” I dubbed it “Perry the Pulmoaide.” I filled the bowl with medicine and breathe in the medicine every four hours around the clock.
“Perry” went everywhere with me. The first time I went through security at an airport, he generated great interest.
One time when I was sitting on a bench waiting to be seated at a restaurant, a woman bent down, tried to look through the vents, and asked me what kind of an animal was in the “little cage.“ : - )
I was given so much Prednisone my head and face looked like a basketball. My body was having all sorts of weird reactions. I asked the doctor if it could because of all the medications I was taking. “Oh, no” he said.
I went to the Carmichael Library and checked out the PDR, Physicians Desk Reference. This was in 1985; the only way to look at this book was to give the librarian my Driver’s License to hold while I looked through the book at a nearby table. She returned my license when I returned the book.
I had made a list of all the peculiar symptoms my body was experiencing, and every single one was because of this powerful drug.
I also learned to talk to the Pharmacist about drugs instead of the doctor since they know more about medicine and the interactions than medical doctors.
During my last major episode of asthma and bronchitis I was advised to go through an experimental procedure conducted by University of California at Davis; infusions of globulins. Since my immune system was compromised since the massive amounts of Prednisone I had taken had depleted my body of enough globulins to get well. I consented and recovered well enough to return to my usual active life.
All was well for several years before I had another assault to my body. By then globulin infusions was a usual procedure but I decided I would search for other options,. A friend kept suggesting a person who could help me: an acupuncturist. NO! No way was I going to voluntarily subject myself to having needles inserted into my delicate body.
However, as I continued the slide downhill, I reconsidered and made an appointment. I got well!
My attitude towards medicine is: I don’t want to be “treated” I want to be HEALED!
Big Pharma doesn’t make any money when we get well; only when we continue to use their products.
~ Anita Duncan Adams
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