[TI] More on Grave's Disease

[Ken Geraci]

Dear Roseann,

Hope you grandson is continuing his good recovery. As
I and others had mentioned, quite a few of us on the
list have this same illness. After I posted about my
own experience (and my grandfather and sister), Joan
Dattilo Hegstad also mentioned having this, THEN.. two
other regular list members whom everyone knows wrote
to me privately to tell me they also had Graves and
then one additional list member told me privately her
sister had had her thyroid gland removed although she
didn't have to take any pills afterwards (maybe she
had only a part of it removed?). 

But anyhow, Graves Disease is apparently a genetic
autoimmune disorder that is NOT as rare among us
Termitani as it is with the general population. In
addition to symptoms such as possible weight loss,
tremors/trembling hands, emotional excitability and
bulging eyes/retracted eye lids, there can also be
other symptoms such as high blood pressure, excessive
sweating, heat intolerance, skin rash problems on the
lower legs, irritability, restlessness, lack of
concentration, memory losses, diarrhea, hair loss,
sensitivity to light and even goiter (swelling of the
thyroid gland) in extreme cases.  As I understand it
the immune system goes into "overdrive" attacking
parts of the body it shouldn't, including the body's
own chemical messengers that tell the thyroid gland
when there's already enough thyroid hormone. Since the
thyroid gland doesn't get these intended chemical
messages, it keeps making more and more thyroid
hormone which then starts some of the unhealthy
symptoms described above. Sometimes the thyroid gland
will eventually burn out from the excessive work
causing another disease called Hashimoto's Disease
(which my sister now also has). Anyhow, if anybody on
this list is suffering from more than a few of the
above described symptoms they should mention to their
doctor the possibility of Grave's Disease since it is
not as rare among us as it is in the general
population.

Dr. Ken Geraci (yes, I'm kidding about the doctor
title but the rest of the above info is real) 

--- Roseann Lemp <italiancousin at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I want to THANK EVERYONE for their prayers. My
> grandson Patrick had his surgery today, tuesday 
> feb 19..  The surgery lasted 7 hours. he had 2
> surgeons. We were thrilled when the doctors told us
> how good things went. They originally said he would
> need 3 or 4 surgerys. After todays sucesses they are
> hoping they can posibly only have to do 1 more.
> This would be a miracle to me..a miracle from
> prayers.
> He has a way to go but the road doesn't look as
> rocky.
> Please keep him in your prayers,,I DO believe in
> Miracles.
> 
> There is very little info on this disease, and Pat
> and
> his sister Alicia talked about it and decided they
> wanted to help, so they have been taking all kinds
> of
> pictures of Pats face and before and after the
> surgery
> today. They will continue to document his recovery
> and
> any other surgerys. When they are finished they will
> put all of the pictures and information on the
> internet in hopes to help other victims of this
> cruel
> disease.
> 
> I am so proud of them...
> 
> Thank You All and God Bless You
> 
> Maybe I will be able to com to the reunion in
> Cleveland..I would LOVE to meet all of my new
> cousins..
> 
> Love to all,Roseann
> --- anniegoe <anniegoe at access995.com> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: pslm3 at juno.com 
> > To: anniegoe at access995.com 
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 8:17 AM
> > Subject: Re: URGENT PRAYERS NEEDED-Another one
> > 
> > 
> > Hi,
> > Sure will add them to the prayer list. I had
> Grave's
> > Disease and it can
> > be overcome. There are newer treatments that won't
> > create the problems
> > down the road but I think that the medication will
> > remain a life long
> > thing. I am having severe back and bone problems
> but
> > getting by. Please
> > keep me posted about your friends.
> > Cynthia 
> > 
> > On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:25:37 -0500 "anniegoe"
> > <anniegoe at access995.com>
> > writes:
> > 
> > How are you?
> > Ann
> > 
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Roseann Lemp" <italiancousin at yahoo.com>
> > To: <terminiimerese at comunesofitaly.org>
> > Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 10:55 PM
> > Subject: Re: [TI] URGENT PRAYERS NEEDED
> > 
> > I would like to add my grandson Patrick to the
> > prayer list/ Pat has
> > Graves Disease that effects the thyroid. He has
> been
> > thru a lot and
> > because of the disease his eyes have been
> affected.
> > They are very
> > swollen and he looks like he has a donot
> surrounding
> > each eye. Next tues
> > February 19 Pat will under go the first of a
> searies
> > of surgerys, to
> > reduce the problem with his eyes. Please pray for
> > him he is only 27 and
> > we are so worried about him...
> > 
> > Thank You, Roseann (italian cousin)
> > --- nancymancuso_2000 at cox.net wrote:
> > 
> > Sheryl,
> > 
> > Sorry to hear the your best friend's child is very
> > sick my pray and
> > through are with the both of family's.
> > 
> > Nancy Mancuso
> > 
> > ---- Sheryl Hartnett <grammylady3 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> > For my best friend's grand nephew, little Tyler,
> 13
> > days old. Tyler was
> > air lifted Monday from Springfield Hosp. to
> Peoria's
> > Pediatrics. He has
> > RSV. He was put into an induced coma and is on a
> > respirator. Tyler, his
> > Mom and Dad, Heather and Jack Lowe and big
> brother,
> > Jamison, 2 yrs, old
> > need your prayers urgently.
> > 
> > Thank You All,
> > 
> > Sheryl :)


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