A Letter From Ben; I’m Alive!
Hey Everyone!
Ben here, I thought I would give you folks an update.
First, let me thank the admins, mods, friends, and family, who posted here, on reddit, and on facebook, to keep the updates flowing while I was down. Also I want to thank everyone for the out-pouring of support we have received. You guys rock!
So here’s what happened:
As far as we can tell, it appears I contracted a virus, likely during October of 2013. It appears this virus damaged my heart muscle and one of my heart valves. As a result, my body began retaining fluid in my chest cavity, my lungs, and my abdomen. I mistranslated this fluid retention as a mere chest cold. As it worsened in December, I thought I had pneumonia. By January my feet and hands began to swell, and yet I put off going to the doctor. In spite of the advice and insistence of people like my beloved wife and my good friend Michael Dean, I continued to avoid the doctor until the morning of Friday January 31st. On that morning, my wife took me to an urgent care facility outside Mobile Alabama. They took one look at me and called for an ambulance. I was moments from cardiac arrest, and literally looking into the eyes of eternity and whatever it holds. Due to the quick actions of the urgent care unit, the ambulance crew, and the Providence Hospital Emergency Room, I am alive to type this letter.
As soon as I was stabilized, I was admitted to the Providence Hospital and began treatment and testing. From that Friday until Sunday I lost over 8 pounds of fluid from my chest, lungs, and abdomen. On Monday a scope was sent from my groin to my heart, and the doctors took a good look at my innards.
The Prognosis:
I am currently on a regime of drugs meant to keep fluid from building back up while improving my heart condition. With medical treatment and exercise, we hope to repair at least some of the damage that was caused by the virus. In three months the doctors will re-examine me and determine if we have been successful or if major heart surgery is going to be required.
At The Moment:
Since they got that 8 pounds of fluid out of me, I feel great! I actually went to the grocery store with my wife today and walked around. I haven’t been able to do anything close to that in months.
Money:
I expect this mess will cost a bundle. Currently folks have given Bitcoin and Paypal donations and I can’t express enough, how grateful I am. At present, we have no idea how much the insurance will cover and how much we will be stuck with. As soon as we know something we will make a post explaining the money situation. Again, thanks for the outpouring of support!
What’s Next:
I have been instructed to take it easy. However I am working on notes and trying to get caught up. For the last couple months, I couldn’t sit at my desk for more than a few minutes. So now that I can sit at my desk, I can begin making podcast notes and maybe even some podcasts.
Thanks again for all the support!
Ben Stone
Yeah, been a pretty brutal season so far. Chest colds, flu, more colds and flu, miserable weather, etc. My cousin ends up in the hospital from a heart attack (she’s not even 50 yet), another cousin blows out her foot(ok, she’s gotta stop the P90X crap), and then one aunt ends up in the hospital for chemo again.
I think someone asked what virus causes heart problems like Ben’s. For the morbidly curious, here it is.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocarditis The top ones are, Adenovirus, Enterovirus, Aspergillus, and Toxoplasma_gondii So, that narrows it down to about 5 million strains, and classes of bugs everyone is exposed to from cradle to grave.
I suppose that means it comes down to the whim of the fates, the genetic lottery, and how many people it takes to drag you into the ER. 😀
Oh well, get well soon Ben, without you Anarchy would be just too disorganized. 😉
Ben, so glad to hear you’re going to live. We have never met in person, but I feel like I know you from your podcasts. No kidding, the night before I heard about your troubles, I had a dream that I met you–at a campground, of course.
God speed. We’re praying for you.
I’ve never heard of a virus damaging the heart like that, strange virus. I am just as stubborn as you when it comes to the doctor, not because i dont mind needles or anything but because of cost.
I hope you get better Ben. Maybe going on a vegetarian w/occasional fish diet would help in the short term? I tried it for a year and it really brought inflammation down in me and I felt great, might help you heal faster.
We are grateful for all you’ve done for freedom, hope you get better.
God speed from Prince Edward Island, Canada Ben.
Keep up the exercise…
Oh Ben, I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear about your improvement! I’ve really missed your podcasts. Keep getting better! 🙂
Hooray!
I’m glad to hear you are doing and feeling better!!! That’s awesome news.
So glad you are recovering Ben.
Glad to hear the good news! Thanks for posting the details, because it’s a good reminder to the rest of us to watch out for slowly-worsening symptoms.
Get healthy ASAP!
Glad to hear your on the mend Ben! And YES, Listen to Michael more often LOL
Love ya man, take care of yourself and continue to get better!!
Doc
Yay!
Something similar happened to me last year when I got a simple knock on my leg, and didn’t report the developing and ever more burning abscess until I almost died of blood poisoning.
We are getting old I guess, and we don’t bounce back like the children do.
I’ve been missing your voice, Ben. I’m very glad you are on the road to recovery. Take it easy, I know we all look forward to your complete recovery. Thanks for the update.
If it wasn’t for wives, most of us men would die horrible early deaths.
Glad you’re doing better. Hang in there.
Shucks.
Much love, Ben.
Also: this is apparently more proof that everyone should do what I tell them to do, always. As soon as more of the world realizes that, everyone will be a lot better off.
lol.
MWD
Happy to hear you’re getting well! Keeping you and your family in my thoughts, Mr. Stone! Take care of yourself. We need your voice in Libertyland. 🙂
I’m glad you are doing better, sir! (I was your closest competition for best beard at the MPLC weekend last August). I’ve been through something very similar, if not (perhaps) the same thing. Months of recovery, but thankfully I got better. Hang in there, and be STUBBORN! Don’t let those little bugs get the best of you! (Might want to listen to the wife just a little bit!). Get well. You have too much to say to be silenced so soon. And keep us posted, please!
I am very happy to hear that you are doing well. All of us from the MPLC have been keeping good thoughts for you. So have a lot of others all across the interwebs.