Health Tips For Sick Nerds
My goal as a software developer is to write good code, and to meet the needs of my client by applying technology to solve business problems. My goal as a heart patient is to improve my ejection fraction, to increase my exercise tolerance, to maintain or improve my quality of life, to survive a diagnosis that has been know to kill 40% of people in the first year, and to live a long life that will allow me to provide for my step kids and for my wife.
I want to build a life for us all to remember together, and I find comfort in thinking that my step children will remember this time we spend together seventy years from now. I care about them, and I have more than hopes for them: I want to equip them for life, and to teach them things to help them. In a way, I am also committed to a cause, or several, and I may want to extend my moral influence into the future through them – such is my conceit.
Nerds do not have a reputation for knowing much about exercise or health. In fact, we have a reputation for not being good at sports and for eating badly. That is our reputation, at any rate. Whether we exercise or not, I think we can safely say that we differ from most people in peculiar ways. My approach to health is nerdy, I think. My wife would agree – the way I talk about it certainly makes he suppress a giggle.
In the morning, I start my day by checking in with God by at least praying, and perhaps by reading the bible. Very quickly after that, I visit some websites to keep up with technology. I read about trends, and I read various articles about programming in either Java, C#, Python, Ruby, PHP or Javascript. I do not routinely program in each of these languages, but concepts are interesting. I also follow certain frameworks: Turbogears, Django and Ruby on Rails. Again, I do not use these frameworks in my work, but concepts are useful. Basically, I try to stay informed.
I also keep up with research on cardiomyopathy and heart failure. For example, I have decided to take Coenzyme Q10 even though my cardiologist advises that he has no reason to believe there is a benefit. I have found no research that indicates that it does harm, and I have found a lot that indicates that there may be a benefit. However, my risk management strategy is check the research every week. I also take magnesium and chromium.
My angiogram reveals that my arteries are in great shape, but blood tests revealed that my triglycerides were high and my levels of good cholesterol were extremely low. My cardiologist prescribed Lipitor to address my cholesterol problems, but I read that Lipitor shares a chemical pathway with Coenzyme Q10, which is a source of energy for the heart. This interferes with Coenzyme Q10 production in the body. A Dr. Silver recommends taking Coenzyme Q10 supplements if you take Lipitor and you have suffered from congestive heart failure. I decided to discontinue the Lipitor since my arteries are clear anyway, and to address the cholesterol problems through diet and exercise.
As a matter of course, I also track research on Lipitor, and I found an amazing study that suggests that Lipitor may have other benefits in heart failure. Lipitor seems to be associated with increased ejection fractions and better outcomes in general, despite the warning about the shared chemical pathway with Coenzyme Q10. I still refrain from taking Lipitor because I have concerns for liver complications associated with Lipitor, but I will monitor my cholesterol levels and reassess at a later date.
One of the risks I face every day is that I will retain water. This water can end up impairing the function of my heart and lungs by causing congestion. I manage this risk by getting weighed every day. A sudden gain in weight indicates a possible problem. I also manage this risk by reducing my salt intake. Salt helps the body retain fluid, but reduced salt intake is associated with less water retention. As a final precaution, I take a daily diuretic to help me shed fluid that may end up around my heart and lungs.
I have often said that a database, especially a database that is being used every day, is a machine. It breathes, it excretes and it performs other bodily functions. Databases need checkups, too. I find myself taking the same approach to my own health as I do to technology. If you are a nerd, and you are struggling with a chronic illness, perhaps you should consider transfering some of your skills to managing your health.