Carla, I was just told I have a heart murmur... would that ALSO be caused
by my getting older??? The doctor made an off-hand comment about it when I
was checked before surgery. I was shocked to say the least, because I'd not
been told that I had one before, so I suspect it just showed up. As for the
weight thing that Kyle's doctor mentioned. I'd always been thin until about
a year ago... gotta start getting this weight off. *sigh*

Dana

At 01:43 PM 10/29/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>   When I was in my late 20's, early 30's I was seen by a physiatrist.
> Prior to
>that I had always dealt with orthopaedic surgeons. The chap I saw, when I
>asked
>him what I had to look forward to when I hit 40, responded with ... "not
>much".
>I was stunned at his lack of awareness/information about cerebral palsy.
>Needless to say, he was summarily dismissed. He prescribed a meconium load of
>pills and a wheelchair full time. I didn't get the chair until 1990, and only
>use it for mall hopping. It's a great asset during the Christmas rush.
>
>   The chap I now see is totally tuned in and always open to learn more.
> I'm his
>best teacher, and he knows it. It was yet another doctor of physial medicine
>with major focus on cp who diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. As Kyle's doctor
>said, we with cp, due to overworked joints/muscles essentially "wear out" more
>rapidly than our NDA peers of the same age.
>
>   I stopped taking "doctor drugs" over 12 years ago, and only use them during
>bouts of pneumo, and the like. On a daily basis, I'm into a lot of
>vitamins and
>herbs - to boost the immune system, deal with fatigue issues and to reduce
>spasticity. Works great for me. How many of you have a diagnosed heart
>condition
>- something that perhaps was diagnosed in adulthood. I was diagnosed with
>aortic
>insufficiency 2 years ago - leaky valves on a scale of 1-3 are a grade 2.
>I find
>I get acute arrthymia during a fibro flare. The flare tends to mimic dry
>pleurisy, with no prior bout of pneumonia. Do most of you have immature lung
>systems that make you prone to resp infections? I know I do. A real pain
>in the
>butt.
>
>  So, there's my 7 1/2 cents.
>
>Cheers!
>
>Carla