Gout Outta Here
The other day I had to refill my prescription for my high
blood pressure. The medication had no refills left so it required a call to my physician. He refused the refill saying he needed
to see me first. I had just been
there last month so I did not see the need. Anyway, I had to make an appointment before he would offer
his assistance. It made me think
back to a time when he fought me on a daily medication that might have made my
life a bit easier.
It was late spring of 1990. A new tradition was in its infancy. We already had a house down the Jersey
Shore for the 4th of July holiday. Now, I would be a part of another friend’s Garden State
offering. His parents had a house
at Barnegate Light on Long Beach Island.
I had spent many a summer during college on that island, but usually the
south end…the partying end. This
area was more residential, and the beautiful two-story house sat right on the
bay. We were given the week right
after Drexel’s classes ended to invade…usually the 3rd week in June.
I had been working my new job for about
6 months and was looking forward to a couple of days off. A few days before I was to leave, I
woke with a shooting pain in the middle of my foot. I had played hockey the night before, so I just assumed it
was something I had done in the game.
The pain did not subside, nor did a bruise form in the area. I had never experienced anything like
this before. I went to the doctor to
get it x-rayed to make sure there was no break. After a few snapshots and a few tests the doctor
returned. “Mr. Walsh, you have
Gout.” Huh?
Gout was something I had heard of, but I thought that
ailment went by the way of the dinosaur.
People got Gout in the olden days, along with Scurvy, Beriberi and
Rickets. I was given medication
and told not to drink alcohol for the next two weeks. Excuse me? I am
heading down the shore…not drinking alcohol would be akin to not breathing. Not yet being familiar with my new foe,
I obeyed the doctor’s orders. What
a boring week that was. For three
years the monster would not return.
During that time I chalked it up to a quack of a Doc who obtained his
degree from the bottom of a Cracker Jack box. I may have mocked him too soon. In the summer of 1993 the Gout would return with a vengeance.
Gout
Definition
Gout is a form of acute arthritis that causes
severe pain and swelling in the joints. It most commonly affects the big toe,
but may also affect the heel, ankle, hand, wrist, or elbow. Gout usually comes
on suddenly, goes away after 5-10 days, and can keep recurring. It is different
from other forms of arthritis because it occurs when there are high levels of
uric acid circulating in the blood, which can cause urate crystals to settle in
the tissues of the joints.
Urate crystals to
settle in the tissues of the joint…hmmm…let me put that in layman’s terms. It is like shards of glass imbedded in
the joint. You can’t rub it, you
can’t touch it…it constantly throbs like a cartoon character who stubbed his
big toe. While sleeping, even the
slightest movement of a blanket can awaken you in excruciating pain. My demon would settle in the knuckle of
the big toe. It would be the most
intense pain I would ever have in my life. As stated, it does come on suddenly…so once you feel it,
preventive medication is already too late.
I was recommended to a podiatrist, whom I must say was very sympathetic
to my plight. I would get to know
him very well. The treatment would
be a whirlpool for the foot. Warm
water would get the blood circulating to the area and the flow would help to
clear the crystallization. After
this was done, an ultrasound machine was used to try and break down the
remaining crystals in the joint. I
was given anti-inflammatory pills too.
While this sped up the recovery process, time seemed to be the only real remedy. I went to my primary physician and asked
for a long term solution. He
mentioned there was preventive medication, but felt I was too young to start a
daily med. He suggested diet and
exercise, and drink plenty of fluids…and not the alcoholic type. Believe it or not I took his
advice. I was helped along with a
perk at my job of having a gym and personal trainer. I avoided the foods on the “Gout List” and cut back on the
beer intake. I was now 28 and in
the best shape of my life.
However, the almost monthly visits from the Gout remained. My own personal period.
Over the years I would do my best to manager the
monster. I would even play hockey
while in the midst of an attack.
You think putting the skate on was an adventure in pain…imagine taking
it off after the game. The next
day I would be back at the podiatrist…and the whole process would begin
again. I tried not to miss out on
things, but inevitably there were times I would have to give in to the
pain. I would offer other excuses
why I would be missing out. I
never shared my ailment with anyone. The name in itself is enough to have people turn
away. Not since the days of Kings
has the word Gout been commonly used.
I would suffer in silence.
In late 2000 the monster must have has his fill with my big
toe. He branched out to my
ankle. While attacking my big toe,
I was always able to walk…albeit painful.
But when the Gout expanded its route, the ankle would be my Achilles’
heel. The ankle joint is larger
than the toe so more crystallization can form…hence harder to remove. The big guns would have to come
out. My podiatrist would have to
clear the joint by inserting a needle in it and flushing out the joint. How delightful. I struggled through these procedures for
the next few months. My doctor
still did not relent on the daily drugs, feeling my youthfulness should be able
to fight off this Old Man ailment.
I did understand where he was coming from. Certain medications can have long-term side effects. He felt it was not worth the risk. However with the attack on the ankle,
he now was starting to soften his stance…especially when I barely had one.
It finally culminated in October of 2001. The Yankees were in the World Series
and they were going for four in a row.
I went to Game 3 at the Stadium and what a grand spectacle it was. The world would see that even though
New York City had be brought to her knees on 9/11…she would not break. The President would throw out the first
pitch. After a night of partying
the payment ensued. Mr. Gout came
a knockin’. It was worse
than ever. That night after I watched an
amazing Game 4 on the television, I received a call from my friend. “You want to go to Game 5
tomorrow?”. Yes, I most certainly
did. But there was no way I could
go, the pain was too great. I made
up an excuse for my absence. Alone
in my apartment I would watch Scott Brosius, with two
outs in the 9th, hit a 1–0 pitch over the left field wall to tie the game.
Yankee Stadium erupted after the home run. For the second straight night, the game went into extra
innings following a ninth inning home run. The Yankees would win it in the 12th when Alfonso Soriano knocked in
Chuck Knoblauch. To top it off, in the ninth inning,
with the Yankees down 2–0, Paul O'Neill,
retiring after the series, was serenaded by Yankees fans chanting his name in
unison. My favorite player since
Lou Piniella. This was the last
straw. The following day I went to
the doctor and demanded the daily medication. He thought my youth could defeat the monster, yet it was
taking too much of it away.
One of the early side effects of the preventive medication
was inducing an immediate acute flare up of the Gout itself. Great. But I figured I could muddle through it one last time. Of course, nothing is ever that simple
for me. You may recall from the
definition above it may also affect the heel, ankle, hand, wrist,
or elbow. This time it chose the hand. Well, it would go away in 5-10
days…however I had a wedding to attend, and I was in the wedding party. It was filled with friends I had not
seen in several months. Each
greeted me with a hearty handshake.
Each time I smiled as I almost crumbled in pain. One last parting shot by the monster.
For over 10 years I
have been on the medication. Gout
is now just a painful memory. As
my friends and I have gotten older, we discuss the certain ailments and
medication we now take. They are
surprised when I say I am on Gout medication. “We didn’t know you had Gout?”
Not anymore.
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