The part about the prescription drugs in your post got my attention.
The farmer and long time friend whom I was helping on/off for a few years, had a situation with his liver, he is diabetic, but took care of himself, always went to the doctor, and you would think, like many who don't, often times farmers or similar, just let it go and what happens, happens.
Now I am not sure what the entire deal was with his liver, he never drank, well a beer after a long hot day or something, but that was years and years ago, he can't touch the stuff at all now. What happened was either veins or arteries feeding the liver were failing, he was bleeding internally, they said he only had 10% of it left, even considered a transplant, he went to Boston, Mass. too, but age would prohibit it. He had many bouts with this bleeding and had to be hospitalized, ICU even, he just went through h#ll with it, as I recall from being there with him at times.
While sitting with him, his wife and I think his daughter, a doctor came in, looked at his chart so to speak, and in layman's terms explained (I can't even recall the correct medical term for his condition)exactly what it is. Hands on, said what needed to be said, totally disagreed with what his doctor had prescribed, dosages and all, and flat out said, this is doing in your liver.
I am surprised they did not ask me to leave, this doctor was a good guy, well spoken and made a decision to take high interest in my friends situation. Well fast forward, he's had to have lots of those burst pipes repaired, but he's still here mainly because a change was made in the meds I firmly believe.
My father had a similar life threatening chronic problem and his doctor, well they seem to just want to prescribe meds, and not be a doctor, he made a change and found a great doctor, eventually revealing a well hidden sinus infection and polyps in there. The infection was aggravating and causing asthma attacks, previous doctor just kept him on meds and they have drawbacks like Predisone (sp?) which kills you immune system, others weight gain, and all this was taxing his heart, well he was able to lose a lot of weight, he can breathe well and if it was not for the change in doctors, it was just a matter of time when all the conditions were right.
I don't like chemicals and prescription drugs, avoid them as much as possible.
The thing with your cardio vascular, stroke and what you call it, I would suggest, staying on top of it, some of that is a ticking bomb, and time is of the essence, the last part I think is the most important. Reason I say it is I have seen the results of not being so proactive, its not a good thing, this world is a much better place with you than without, I would tend to agree with your outlook on it, as it seems difficult to find a doctor who acts like a doctor, instead of just loading you with meds and not doing much else.
Just the same, my father would plainly not be here without health benefits and a good doctor, he is also lucky the last doctor and the way it was going did not do him in. One has to be very proactive with being up front with these medical people today, and sort out the bad ones.
