So, What's Wrong With Dan?
by Dan Weiner, a.k.a. Mr. Ed
mr-ed@webleyweb.com

Special to TLE

Okay, kids, time to Tell All. As background, I had been through some very stressful times in recent months up to my vacation in June. I even got mildly sick over it, but I seemed to be healthy when I left Houston June 8th. I was, in fact, fine all day, until I found out I was going the wrong way on Hwy 287 and heading back to Witchita Falls. I finally made it to Amarillo, but the next morning was damp and chilly (about 50-55 deg.—very chilly in summer for Texass). By the time I made it to ABQ, I was very sick, with what felt like the flu. I tried to fix it in the usual fashion: Dayquill and Nyquill and chicken soup and bed rest. It seemed to go away for the most part, but that was a false feeling, it turned out later. I had a weird thing happen on my way to Mike Blessing's TV show the first Wednesday I was there: I was in a convenience store parking lot, and couldn't remember where I was supposed to go or why. I barely rembered my own name! Mike finally called about 8PM, wantign to know if I would be there. I talked to him in a weird voice that was nothing like I normally use, and ultimately said no. I did manage to make it back to Dad's place, but the whole incident really shook me up. I talked to one of my roomates, who is a trained shrink with an expired license. I apparently had a short lived nervous breakdown. By morning, I was somewhat more like myself, enough to make the show on Thursday, and the LPNM convention. I even managed to meet with Neil, which was a big reason for me being there. I am not sure how I impressed him, but all the good things people have said about him are certainly true enough, and he remains one of the people I most admire. I visited with him off and on throughout the weekend, and enjoyed his speech as well. Yeah, one cool dude.

I got sick again after the convention, but the meds I was using weren't working. Dad offered to run me through NM's medicaid via his HMO, but I turned him down.

Instead I kinda stumbled through the remainder of the vacation, and left the day after I appeared on Mike's show for Pinkpistols ... My illness came back to life on the air, and Mike can tell you how miserable I sounded. I get the feeling I should have turned down the appearance ...

I got back to Houston, and felt much better for a day or two, and then got sicker and sicker. I went see my doctor later in the week, who called me the next day practically in a panic: my body's electrolyte readouts were a disaster; especially sodium and chloride. He kept insisting I get my poor butt to a hospital for retesting and treatment, and over the course of three days (I was climbing walls wanting to escape. They kept telling me to stay, but right after they told me the cat-scan found not only pneumonia, but a large blockage in my right lung, along with similar "spots" showing on my liver. Most likely cancer, but it willl tale a biopsy to be sure. As I had already run up a 5 digit bill I can't pay, I checked myself out.

Now you know what's the matter. I haven't quite been able to bring myself to join the medicaid system, but that's the only way I can afford to find out for sure. It could be a benign tumor, but the likelyhood is very poor. That's why I am interested in Essaic. I have begun Part I of my nutritonal supplement treatment program, but may go ahead and try Essaic. I haven't been to that web site yet, but I know I need to hit it soon, and but this stuff. Sounds, so far, like my best bet.

There is a doctor here in Houston named Brezinski (probably misspelled, but his program is $30K. which I obviosly don't have either.

Meanwhile, the pneumonia is gradually going down, and I may con the doctor into giving me a 1-2 week exteension on the presciption to insure it's gone, at least.

I will tell you more about my immediate plans to deal with it later. Although I am getting a lot of my energy back, I still fade out early, and I am about as faded out as I have ever been. Good night, and thanks to all for your good wishes. I prize this bunch more than any other group of people I have met on line, and will keep you posted as much as my gumption allows.

Dan is the Editor of TLE.

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