Wellness means to me is being alive, having a zest for life, improved physical health, improved awareness and appreciation for your family, your job, yourself and increased income. Wellness is an active life-long journey of learning, growing and integrating body, mind, spirit/soul, social network and financial parts  on the road to wellness.

My journey started with a mind opening almost death experience, a major heart attack. This happened about five years ago. I spent approximately 30 days in the hospital on drugs to keep me alive and prepare me for open heart surgery. The operation performed was a quadruple bypass, replacement of a valve and an insertion of a pacemaker. I left the hospital with instructions to take 14 different prescriptions and to come back for checkups and tests. My life was doctors, tests, more drugs and feeling sick.

Within the next 60 days, I landed in the ER 3X with dizzy/cold sweat spells, a heart attack symptom. The ER doctors and tests could not tell me what was wrong and what to do. So on to 9 different specialists with more exams and tests with the same results, could not tell me what was wrong and what to do. Meaningless suggestions were made to try another drug or two without knowing what was wrong, a sort of trial and error at my expense. Do the doctors that request all these tests follow up and explain the results directly with you?

The 4th ER run was from the cardio-rehab center. I kept complaining of not feeling well and questioned why my blood pressure was so low, 90/60. The nurse had checked and told me that is where the cardiologist wanted me to be. As prepared to start my cardio-rehab session and hooked up the monitors to start the nurse said “stop, don’t do anything”. The monitor showed ventricular fibrillation. Up to ER I went. The high blood pressure drugs had drained all the potassium from my body. I spend 5 days having potassium pumped into me. The cardiologist and kidney doctor consulted and changed one of my prescriptions to potassium retaining blood pressure drug and did little follow up. When I called the kidney doctor, the nurse told me it was my responsibility to follow up on the test that the doctor had me take. She then reads me the results. When I asked to speak to the doctor or go in to see him, she tells me he is too busy to see me and she told me the results. Is this typical or what?

My wellness at this point was down. My weight was approximately 170 lbs. my facial complexion was pale and sickly looking. My energy was down as well as my spirits and mind. Walking was a challenge as besides weakness in my body and legs, I had to deal with gout attacks caused by the drugs. Walking was difficult as I was wobbly in negotiating steps because I was afraid of failing.

At this stage, my wife and I started questioning everything. The doctors did not like that. Researching all the prescription medication revealed that most had a side effect of dizziness. We had lost our trust and faith in the health care we were given by the Western Doctors. We sought alternative treatments. I was examined and treated by a MD that was practicing alternative medicine. After taking the supplements and suggestions he prescribed and getting little or no results. He suggested that I seek acupuncture treatment to open my body channels to receive and utilize the supplements.

My wife took me to a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor (TCM), Dr. Shao-Bin Zhang, who was recommended by a friend who was treated for cancer by Dr. Zhang. He checked me by looking at my facial complexion and tongue, feeling my many pulses, taking my blood pressure, questioning me about my sleep, my diet and movements (exercise). Based upon his diagnoses, he prescribed herbs, treated me with acupuncture and manipulations, and advised me on my diet suggesting certain foods and to start walking daily.

45 days later, the dizzy cold sweat spells went away. His examinations and treatment continued for approximately 4 years, slowly spaced out, resulting in my being able to do most all the things I did before the heart attack with some moderation. I play tennis 4x per week and walk 3X per week, both for about an hour each time. Plus, I do daily stretching for about 30 minutes. My stamina and strength has returned. During the 4 years there were other issues like gout and arthritis and whiplash from an auto accident. He treated all with positive results. I need to confess although I did everything Dr Zhang advised me, I was not consistently doing everything other than brew and drink the herbs daily that he prescribed after the 1^st year because I felt well. There have been and still are mind and spirit lapses. My quest for wellness keeps me going.

All in all, I have recovered to the point of looking for the more bricks along my wellness journey, networking and financial. My current cardiologist, who attended me in the hospital, is amazed at my recovery. He told me that he did not think I would make it out of the hospital. He has given me the freedom of choices because of what he is seeing. He has allowed me to decrease and drop some of the prescribed drugs. Although, he says that the drug he has me on are the recommended drugs for someone with congestive heart failure and a major heart attack. I have been questioning the need for each drug of which I take 3 and soon will take none.

My suggestion is that you need to take control of your wellness. No one else will, believe me when I say that. Do your doctors monitor the drugs they prescribe? Do they examine you thoroughly in prescribing your treatment? Do they follow up? Do they advise you what you should eat, how much you should sleep and to exercise. Wellness is your choice.

Do you realize how much the drug and food companies spend on advertising? They are spending billion with people who know how to push our buttons even if they know the drugs and foods are not good for us. You need to take control of your wellness care. Who knows your body the best and can feel every moment of your wellness? Does your doctor know your body, mind, soul, spirit, network and financial wellness better than you?

WELLNESS IS YOUR CHOICE!

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