Are Prescription Drugs The Only Answer?

I saw a commercial tonite for an "american cheese flavored" something that is approved by the American Heart Association. No fat, no carbs blah blah blah. How the hell does the human body assimilate something that is not natural?

So this commercial got me to thinking about my own personal journey to avoid pharmaceuticals and fakes at all costs whenever possible. I personally believe that once someone succumbs to that slippery slope, there is little chance of going back for a number of reasons -- you body stops producing whatever it would naturally because a drug has taken it's place, the drugs are masking the problems not solving them, etc.

The Illustrious One is unaware of this, but I am very appreciative that he has avoided taking prescription drugs in many circumstances when he easily could have. Maybe he saw first hand my almost obsessive desire to avoid drugs -- don't get me wrong - I think marijuana should be legalized for those suffering from cancer or HIV complications because marijuana is natural and has been used by indigenous people for centuries - but I think too many people are looking for a quick fix and will pop whatever brightly colored pill some person in a white coat prescribes. I mean honestly, how can someone that sees you only a few minutes a year know your body better than you do?

A number of years ago I was a passenger in a car wreck. The right side of my head took out the windshield and my right hip split the dashboard in two -- I had no cuts, no abrasions, no fractures, nada. The paramedics kept looking at the car and rummaging about my body looking for SOMETHING that was wrong. I did have something wrong -- but it was internal.

The impact of the crash has my right hip joint 1 1/2" lower than my left hip joint and my backbone is twisted to compensate -- you can only tell it on Xrays. Also, the impact misaligned my jaw - not enough to warrant breaking it and resetting it, but enough to cause a lot of grief.

I had the most horrific headaches I have ever had in my life and they continued at the rate of about 2 a week for more than 2 years. At one point the doctors had me on a cocktail of "start with prescription Tylenol" and I would work my way up to 6 of those, then 4 Darvocet then 2 Midrin....well it didn't end the pain but by the time that much medication was in me I was so fried I couldn't even walk.

Then I visited an oral surgeon who praised the wonders of Halcion. I kept telling the doctors something was wrong -- but no one listened to me. It wasn't until my boyfriend at the time received a phone call from his grandmother wanting to know if we were coming to dinner. He replies, "What dinner?" and she says, "I mailed you invites with an RSVP," and THAT was when he realized there was REALLY a problem with me. Miss Etiquette hadn't replied to an RSVP.

If you are having trouble picturing the scene, think of Charlotte's first husband in Sex & the City -- too wealthy Scottish family that was so prim & proper -- now you see why an unanswered RSVP was such a serious issue!

There is SO much I don't remember while I was on Halcion - like 2nd year French -- the whole semester! But I recall him coming in the front door the day of that unanswered invite and just looking at me and somehow I knew that he finally realized that there was something very wrong with me. He was really sweet and saying I looked pretty and that we needed to go to dinner. From then on he was really involved with my medical appointments and such and he stood up to the doctors for me. There was no more brushing off "the girl" who couldn't remember last week; there was a third party involved that knew me before the Halcion and literally lived with me during it all as my memory got worse and worse.

Sometimes it sucks to be a girl -- mechanics don't take you seriously when it comes to your car and doctors dismiss you when it comes to medical stuff. Guys with manners and chivalry don't understand, but it happens -- more often than not. And it's a refreshing a change to have a guy step up to the plate and defend you especially when you aren't firing on all pistons.

The worst thing about getting off Halcion after being on it so long is that you can't sleep -- you'll be up for 6 days at a time and LOOK like you've been up for 6 days. You finally crater, pop a Halcion and go to sleep. But at some point, I guess if you are fortunate, you fight it through.

Turns out I never needed Halcion -- I needed an "oral applicance" to sleep with in my mouth (kind of like a retainer) that helped everything get back in place -- no drugs at all.

Me and the boy ended up splitting up when he went off to NYC for college but I remember him calling me one night before we split up all excited, "Did you watch 20/20? That piece on Halcion? The people can't remember jack and they are killing people and not remembering -- THAT'S WHAT WAS WRONG WITH YOU!!!" Yes, I had watched it also -- I guess we are all lucky that I didn't kill someone.

So what got me on this Halcion story -- the commercial about "american flavored" something that's supposed to be cheese. After my bout with Halcion, I never have taken a prescription drug again. I read Back to Eden, Fit For Life, etc etc. I turned to homoeopathy solutions and understood that my body needs natural foods -- to hell with calories, fat & carbs -- if it's natural, your body can break it down, maintain and heal itself. Fake food & prescriptions your body can't do jack with.