Stress Bruises – Jimbob Kireton Related

[pigduck]

Hi guys,

I was reading up on Jimbob’s case… I noticed he over-stressed himself… how do you know it’s stress that caused the extreme leukemic event?

Any other stories from others who were doing ok and then over-stressed themselves?

Also, how’s Kireton? I was thinking… do bruises mean that it’s definitely leukemia? With MDS can you still get bruises ‘cos of low platelets?

These are the 2 threads I read:-

https://www.mds-foundation.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004464;p=1#000001

https://www.mds-foundation.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004448;p=1#000005

[pigduck]

I thought I should add that my dad has been experiencing bruises and he has been stressed so i’m just worried – the BMB results don’t come back till Tuesday…

we think it’s related to stress but we’re not certain…

[Terri]

BOb has tons of bruises from his low plt count and He has not progressed to AML. Our last report was Good with the doctors Bob is holding his own, no better but no worse. The disease is at a standstill. So we just continue the treatments and he still takes his vitamins and supplements. Healthy eating helps as well

[pigduck]

Hey Terri, thanks for the info about Bob…

[Jimbob]

pigduck,
I am pretty sure that stress, of many kinds, is what caused the leukemic event. I was diagnosed in Feb 2003 after my annual physical. I had been very tired and had increasing levels of aches and pain all over. My white blood cell count was over 20 and then a BMB showed that I had CMML. At first they told me that CMML was terminal without any treatment. I went to Oregon Health Science Universit Hospital and they were willing to do a transplant which they said was a cure but that the chances for surviving it were less than 30%. I wanted to see if there were any other options. While researching for other possible treatments, I found a naturapathic physician who was also a Chinese Medical Doctor acupunturist, and nutrionist. I worked with her and was steadily improving. Not only had ALL of my blood counts gotten back into the normal ranges but I had increased endurance and had very little pain anywhere.
By November, because things were looking so good, I had decided to continue with our family’s tradition of hosting Thansgiving and Christmas dinners, where I do almost all of the cooking. Both occassions would have 30 guests. In addition to that, I decided to also throw a 30th wedding anniversary party with about 80 of our closest friends to surprise my wife. I did almost all of the planning and preparations for everthing.
To complicate matters, our home heating system quite without any warning two days before Thanksgiving. We were able to heat the home temporaritly with electric space heaters. I got bids for replacing the furnace with a new heating system, adding air conditioning, electronic and UV air cleaners, and extending duct work into the second floor. I got bids from 12 contractors. That was a lt of work and a lot of hasseling! The job was just completed the morning of December 18, the day of the anniversary party! Then all of my promised help ran into problems and I thought I would have to do all set-up on my own. I had not done any set-up before my wife had left for work that morning to ensure the surprise. Luckily, a few guests, including my doctor, called early and asked if they could help with anything. They came over and in just a couple of hours decorated and rearranged the house for the party while I prepared and cooked food. My wife had NO idea anything was up until I got her home – late. I picked her up from work an hour after normal and got chewed out all of the way home. Boy was she surprised AND apologetic. It was a real success.
Christmas dinner was a little easier because my wife was in on it and did almost all of the decorating and most of the set-up. My job was primarily food prep and cooking. Again, all went well.
About this time, though, my daughter, who was home from college for the holidays, found out that her new housing arrangements that were supposed to be available on January 1, had fallen through. Being in a VERY giving mood, we helped her shop here for new furniture, that she would be able to keep for years, and, because the prices for so good for quality furniture, I decided to load it into a U-Haul trailer and tow it behind our motorhome and set it up for her before school started.
This meant taking the motorhome out of storage getting new tires on it, which I had planned to do in the spring. When we were getting the tires replaced they found the front brake rotors to be cracked and they also needed to be replaced. This could not be done until after January 1st. We had to cancel the furniture purchase, the trailer rental and make last minute flight arrangements for my daughter to get back to college. She left New Years Eve and on New Years Day I got extremely sick and was admitted on January 2, with a WBC count of 385K!
Because the blood was basically sludge, I had a heart attack. I spent most of the nest 2 months in the hospital. And that is another long story.
After revewing my blood counts and activities prior to the event, all my doctors and I agreed that I had overstressed myself physically, mentally and emotionally, and that that was as likely as not what caused the leukemic event.

[Neil]

Hi Jimbob,
What a story! Hope you are feeling better and your daughter, house and motorhome are are doing well.
Happy belated anniversary.

[Naomi]

Hi Jimbob:
I agree with Neil, what a story!!
Hope all things are getting better and continue to do so.
Take care and do not over do again.
Naomi

[pigduck]

HI Jimbob,

I see what you mean by stress levels… wow…

I can’t believe you did all that! hahahah…. and you had so much energy… I think for a normal person like me, I’d faint with everything happening…

[Jimbob]

Thank you, all.
My daughter did have a lot of problems and got overstressed herself, we think from over exposure to paints and the like. She was pursuing an Art degree and had to take a break for a while due to extreme debilitating chronic headache. No relief, 24/7, for almost two years. Finally got a break (through Botox injections!) and completed college and earned teaching credentials. She is now teaching part-time. House and motorhome are in good shape and have been well used for rest and relaxation. Wife and family do their best to keep me from overdoing anything. And I am doing physical therapy to recover from muscle atrophy, chronic pain and chronic fatigue. Also group therapy through the Veterans Administration to treat PTSD from service related events. There are occassional setbacks but I really am getting better almost every day.
I get a lot of inspiration from the folks on this forum, even if I am not alwyas able to respond.
Jim

[pigduck]

Dear friends,

So my dad was diagnosed with AML yesterday…

Can’t say anything else but please pray for us.

My dad is scheduled for his chemo next week.

Right now, I’m trying to find inspiring stories to tell my dad so if you know of any, please let me know…

Today, I spent my time calling up friends and relatives for blood.

[willie]

pigduck Hang in there with your dad – he will need you every step of the way. It is also amazing how strong and inspiring those who have these terrible diseases can be. Thinking of your dad and his family. Willie

[pigduck]

Thanks willie…

[Author]

Posts