The final word on "Cigars are good for me"

[shilala]

Originally Posted by CigarNut

This is very interesting Scott -- good to hear that your "hobby" is keeping you healthier -- that is one for the record books!

I take it from your comments that this is inherited? If so, what are the chances that Rebekeh will have this problem?

I'm sure you were joking earlier in your note about introducing her to cigars at 13, but maybe that's not so far fetched an idea...

Heck no, Michael. I'm not much of a "children are special flowers" guy. Goog has tried my cigars in the past. I let her try anything she wants. I'd far rather have her learn everything from me and get the facts to make her own decision, rather than learn from retarded 13 year olds like I did.
Fortunately she's way smarter than me and makes good decisions. I suppose it's easier when you have all the information.

Yes, it's inherited, and it's laterally transmitted. It doesn't need to be expressed, though. There's an autosomal dominant type and a recessive type.
My grandpa had this. I took care of him for lots of years, as did my brother, so I knew his disease really well. He was diagnosed with MS. So was I. I had MS for three years and knew it was a misdiagnosis because my symptoms didn't remotely fit. Add to that, I didn't respond to anything. That's why I've kept chasing this thing, and let the doctors torture me so much.

In order to find out what this is exactly, I have to do the drug trials. The one I'm taking now is used for this disorder and all those that are closely connected. If I respond, we can do the genetic testing, and voila. If I don't respond, I just to switch to one of two other drugs.
The cincher here is that I've had every test known to mankind. This particular syndrome has a few real catches. Two complications are pneumonia and chronic joint cramps. I've had pneumonia twice and have been plagued with joint rpoblems all my life. Add to that, I have low potassium, low testosterone, and low vitamin D, and all the associated symptoms, and we pretty much have the nail hit on the head.
It's just gonna take a little time with the meds now.
Once that's done, I can simply take Goog for a blood test. If her symptoms ever worsen, she can easily get taken care of. (She has many of them already, has since she was born.)
Fortunately this thing takes a long time to become a big bother. She's got lots of good years ahead, and by the time it becomes an issue, they'll probably be able to put her in a telphone booth and flash her and make her healthy.