I just got done reading the message board responses to my post and to John’s.

At the age of 7, I wouldn’t eat supper for some reason, and evidently it was problem enough that my folks took me to the doctor. No endocrinologist then, just the family MD. His answer to the problem was to give me a small glass of beer or wine an hour before dinner. Well, my dad liked his beer so, at first I shared his beer! Then, he started buying me the little 7 oz. bottles of Blatz that they made at that time, and I had one of them. He didn’t have to share this way :)   I felt like I was grown-up because I was drinking beer with Dad. wow!!!!!!! Little did my doctor or family know that I would carry on the family tradition of alcoholism. So this was my beginning. I drank whenever my parents would let me have some, or sneak it when they were having card parties like they did then. I remember being 13 years old, going to the movie with a can of Coke, spiked by a half pint of Wild Cherry Vodka - the original Cherry Coke - and puking it back up on my shoes on the ways home as I was walking. I never drank wild cherry vodka again! But it was the only thing I didn’t drink. This continued till I was 37 and I got my second d.u.i.l. and found out that I was a full blown alcoholic, and found help in the 12 steps, which I still do today 13 years later.

Now, as a child I was given shot till I was 5, when they developed pills. My mom still has the old stainless steel syringe that she used every day to keep me alive.  The pills were cortisone and I think Florinef. About 10  I believe, I was switched to Medrol 2mg. and was on that med and dosage till about 25, when they quite making the 2 mg. and went to 4mgs. and so did I. Gave me a little extra boost. I stopped taking them at about 30 when I went to U of M for check up, and they took me off them immeadiatly, and switched me to Cortef, which I am still on today.  I should have been taken off the Medrol when I was about 18, but wasn’t because of lack of endo’s around to tell me. I am at this time on 20mg. of Cortef once a day, first thing in the a.m.

 

I worked in the oil fields here in Michigan, and awhile in North Dakota, for most of my working life. I started as a repairman, working 12 hour days alot. Later, my big mouth got me into sales, and that is where I stayed. I sold everything from coffee cups to drilling rigs. And drank my way thru it all. At 24, I was the youngest district manager that Axelson, Inc. ever had. I then was the highest paid salesman that LTV Energy Products ever had, and one of the best also!! Then I went to work for a company called Beckman, as their first ever salesman. And eventually was made the sales manager. I also sold real estate for a couple years, didn’t like the time I had to put into it, so went back to sales in the olifield and industrial market, and did quite well until I had to quit because of the CAH   and  ulcerative colitis. I got so ran down and week from the colitis, that I had to quit work in 2000.

During all this I drove well over a million miles, spent lots of time in motels and hotels and yes the bars, and I survived it all. Yes, after a night of drinking, and some times praying at the porceleon goddess in the morning (puking that is for you non alkies), I would be extremely dehydrated. I would drink lots of water, coffee, and in the later years, would drink grapefruit juice and salt in the morning. Also tried gatoraide, and it helped some, but the grapefruit juice seemed to help the best, until I found my way out .

My bones are deteriated extra from the booze and the steroids. I have to take Fosemax and calcium, and testosterone shots today. I went from osteo-porosis to osteo-penea which is an increase in bone mass.

 

When I got the colitis, I was given prednisone to stop it, which didn’t work. It just ate more of my bones, and today I have a lot of lower back trouble. Constant pain in the SI joint, and backbone.

I am now 5’4 and weigh 250+. Lost an inch in height. Besides the CAH -SW, and the UC,  I have high BP, chloresterol, bladder and prostate problems because of age, am on 80 mg. a day of Prozac for depression, and pain meds for my back. In all about 15 different medications.

Your kids will be extra sick because of the CAH, and as for the drugs and alcohol, that depends alot on family history. I hope none of them half to go the alcohol way, but am sure some will. As long as we take our medication, we can live through about any thing and do any thing any body else can. Except maybe being tall and skinny, and being a basketball star :) !!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to Green Bay in the morning for my 6 month check up with the "local" endocrinologist, about a 2 hour drive from the U.P. of Mich. where I now live.  I recieved my NADF news yesterday, and it has some good things in it about emergency rooms and wearing i.d. tags.  I have one, but forget to wear it most of the time.  CAH slows me down, but heh , who wants to be in a rush any way!!!

 

Thanks for letting me babble on . . .