The last 15 hours have been a nightmare. As I was going to sleep last night, I realized that the field of vision in my left eye was narrowed only to the periphery...no sight in the round middle. After about 30 minutes it seemed to be better. Woke up and my eye felt as tho it had been shot with Novacaine.
Started looking stuff up on the Internet and got really scared. Called the neurologist, not in, but called back and said go to eye doc or ER. Hmmm. Called the eye doc, not in, they said go to my doc or to ER. Hmmm. Called my doc...no appointments but after begging and pleading they saw me in 20 minutes. Hmmm. Went there, she got me into an eye doc. He kept looking in and dilating my eyes and then said that thing that always reassures you...'I am really worried.' Just what I want to hear on a Friday. Going back there on Tuesday for some ocular nerve test. And I need an ultrasound of the carotid artery and a possible MRI.
Did I mention the eye doc wrote the labs on a lab slip not covered by my insurance so I spent an hour going to a variety of labs before I ended up back at my first lab...the one covered by my insurance? Did I mention that my husband took one of our sons to Laguna for a few days to skimboard?
Now the eye doc's office just called and asked when I went for the labs. He wanted them STAT! Now I am more worried than before. So for now, increase baby aspirin and if I lose the vision again, get to the ER immediately...do not think about it. ACK!
So here is my question: What is the point of eating a healthy diet and exercising? Should I listen to my husband and not look up on the Internet that which they said it might be? I sometimes think my health was better when I smoked Camels and drank Stoli!!!
Seeing the VeganHeartDoc in September. Need to keep the faith, exercising and eating a vegetarian diet. May just go back to vegan like Bubba Clinton once the little one goes back to school.
MORE from the Institutes of Health. I am glad I found this site as I am less scared than I was before!!!
The eye doctor wrote the diagnosis Amaurosis fugax on the lab prescription which is a loss of vision in one eye due to a temporary lack of blood flow to the retina. It may be a sign of an impending stroke. THEY TOLD ME IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN TO GET TO THE ER IMMEDIATELY AND NOT TO JUST ROLL OVER AND GO TO SLEEP! =)
Causes
Amaurosis fugax is a symptom of carotid artery disease. It occurs when a piece of plaque in a carotid artery breaks off and travels to the retinal artery in the eye. In people with amaurosis fugax, vision loss continues as long as the blood supply to the retinal artery is blocked.
Atherosclerosis of the arteries in the neck is the main risk factor for this condition. Risk factors for atherosclerosis include heart disease (CHECK), high cholesterol (CHECK), smoking (HAVE NOT SMOKED IN 21 YEARS), diabetes (NO), and high blood pressure (I HAVE BLACKMORE BP WHICH MEANS IT IS LOW NORMAL).
Symptoms
Symptoms include the sudden loss of vision in one eye (CHECK). This usually only lasts seconds but may last several minutes (CHECK). Some patients describe the loss of vision as a gray or black shade coming down over their eye (CHECK). LASTED 20 TO 30 MINUTES.
Exams and Tests
Tests include a complete eye (CHECK AND HE MADE ME FEEL BETTER--NOT--BY TELLING ME HOW WORRIED HE WAS) and neurological exam (I AM SURE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEEK). A carotid ultrasound should be done to evaluate a blockage in the carotid artery (MONDAY'S ACTIVITY ALTHOUGH WHEN THEY DID IT LAST YEAR IT WAS GOOD!)
Routine blood tests such as cholesterol and blood sugar (glucose) should be done to check your risk for atherosclerosis, which increases with high cholesterol and diabetes (CHECK).
Treatment
Treatment of amaurosis fugax depends on the severity of the blockage in the carotid artery. The goal of treatment is to prevent a stroke (SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN TO ME!).
Your doctor may recommend:
No treatment. You may only need regular check-ups to check the health of your carotid artery. (I DO NOT THINK THAT IS PART OF THEIR PLAN ALTHOUGH I AM CALLING ON MONDAY TO SEE IF I SHOULD THE VEGAN HEART DOC EARLIER THAN PLANNED.)
Diet changes and medication to help lower your cholesterol and control your blood pressure (CHECK).
Aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), or other blood-thinning medications to lower your risk of stroke (CHECK--81MG ASPIRIN INCREASED TO THREE).
If a large part of the carotid artery appears blocked, surgery is done to remove the blockage. The decision to do surgery is also based on your overall health. (NOT EVEN CONSIDERING THIS OUTCOME!)
Outlook (Prognosis)
Amaurosis fugax itself usually does not result in permanent disability. However, it means you have atherosclerosis and an increased risk for stroke. (WHY ME? WHY THE WEIRD STUFF?)
Prevention
The following can help prevent a stroke:
Avoid fatty foods. Follow a healthy, low-fat diet. (I GUESS THAT MEANS THE VEGAN HEART DOC WILL WANT ME TO GO VEGAN AND NOT JUST VEGETARIAN. SHE HAS A REAL ISSUE WITH CHEESE. DANG!)
Do not drink more than 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks a day. (I DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL, ONLY TWO CUPS OF COFFEE AND WATER)
Exercise regularly: 30 minutes a day if you are not overweight; 60 - 90 minutes a day if you are overweight. (ALL RIGHTY THEN...THIS COULD BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. HAVE ONLY BEEN EXERCISING 35 TO 40 MINUTES A DAY, FIVE TIMES A WEEK, NOW I HAVE TO GO WITH CARDIO AND SOMETHING ELSE. ACK!)Quit smoking. (HAVE NOT SMOKED IN OVER 20 YEARS)
If you have diabetes, heart disease, or hardening of the arteries, your LDL "bad" cholesterol should be lower than 70 mg/dL. (THIS MAY BE AN ISSUE. NOW I KNOW WHY THE VEGAN HEART DOC IS ON ME ABOUT THIS NUMBER.)
So I believe I know the purpose of my blog. It will be my voyage with heart disease and how to make my heart healthy again! Twenty years of being fat did not help. I truly do have incentive now!
2011-08-19
2010-08-09
A Memory of Patricia Neal
Patricia Neal, the Oscar-winning actress, lover of Gary Cooper and wife of Roald Dahl, died today of lung cancer. She was 84. Miss Neal was a remarkable woman. At 39, while pregnant, she had a series of strokes that left her unable to speak or walk, and yet she was able to recover from this and continue to act in films and television productions (and racking up more Emmy nominations and an additional Oscar nomination).
In the early '90s, I had the amazing good fortune to interview her for the video release of An Unremarkable Life. I was flown to New York and the interview was set to take place over lunch at the fabled Russian Tea Room. We spoke for more than an hour, had an awesome lunch, and I was left with a warmth that enveloped me for the walk back to my hotel that crisp spring afternoon. No subject was off limits and she was so gracious. I will never forget this woman or the time I spent with her.
I am reminded of another Hollywood great I was supposed to interview in the mid-nineties for the video release of, if memory serves, a boxed set of her films. My interview was set for April 25, 1995, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. I remember driving to my two o'clock appointment when my husband called me on my cell. He told me the studio publicist had called the house and that the interview would have to be put on hold indefinitely. Turns out that never would have been more accurate than indefinite. I turned on the car radio and listened in shock to hear that Ginger Rogers had just died and hence the interview would not take place ever!
Patricia Neal, the Oscar-winning actress, lover of Gary Cooper and wife of Roald Dahl, died today of lung cancer. She was 84. Miss Neal was a remarkable woman. At 39, while pregnant, she had a series of strokes that left her unable to speak or walk, and yet she was able to recover from this and continue to act in films and television productions (and racking up more Emmy nominations and an additional Oscar nomination).
In the early '90s, I had the amazing good fortune to interview her for the video release of An Unremarkable Life. I was flown to New York and the interview was set to take place over lunch at the fabled Russian Tea Room. We spoke for more than an hour, had an awesome lunch, and I was left with a warmth that enveloped me for the walk back to my hotel that crisp spring afternoon. No subject was off limits and she was so gracious. I will never forget this woman or the time I spent with her.
I am reminded of another Hollywood great I was supposed to interview in the mid-nineties for the video release of, if memory serves, a boxed set of her films. My interview was set for April 25, 1995, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. I remember driving to my two o'clock appointment when my husband called me on my cell. He told me the studio publicist had called the house and that the interview would have to be put on hold indefinitely. Turns out that never would have been more accurate than indefinite. I turned on the car radio and listened in shock to hear that Ginger Rogers had just died and hence the interview would not take place ever!
2010-07-18
The Continuing Saga of 'Is It All in My Head or Am I Just Getting Old?'
2 August 2010
The exercise is continuing! I am now on day 19 of 21! Following the Family Circle Walking Challenge and I have been able to keep up without any real issues. Also doing the ab crunches and have upped that number to 35 for this week. It's all good.
I saw the neurologist and had to go for a brain MRI. It was not nearly as bad as I imagined it was going to be! My cousin Lizzie told me to have them put a towel over my face and this helped so much. There was a cool breeze inside the tube. Rather than allow the noise to freak me out, it sounded like a cacophony of musical notes, much like an angry Mahler piece being played by a sad tormented machine. Of course, the anti-anxiety meds helped me through it all. My husband says I babbled all the way home, but in all honesty, I do not remember this. I do remember, though, that my babbling caused him to have a headache!!
The results came back the next day. The positive result was that the MRI was negative. Completely negative other than I do have a brain!! There was not even any evidence of my brain aging...a real fear given my mom's condition before she died. Great, great news. The downside, I now need an MRI of my spine and neck as well as an ultrasound of my carotid artery. They really do not know what is wrong with me or why I am having these headaches. But, in order to have these tests, I have to no longer be taking the Prednisone (yippee!!) so I am getting weaned off that now.
For those of you who have only had a burst for asthma or a very short regimen of this medication, when you are on it for more than 40 days, there is a weaning off process because taking this med, stops the adrenal gland from working. The adrenal gland needs to be jump-started back to work. So, my doctor has me going from 30mg to 20mg and starting tomorrow I am down to 10mg for four days and then I get four days at 5mg, and then I will be done, at least for now. I also discovered that another side effect of this process is the continued feeling of acute anxiety and rebound headaches!
16 July 2010
The only good thing about all of this is that I am on an exercise roll. Completed the fifth day of aerobic exercise in a row today, in addition to doing ab crunches. I may be fat, but underneath this chubbiness, muscles are forming and getting into shape. Exercise helps to take the edge off the meds.
Am also cooking for my family, lunching with my girlfriends (from school, my life as a twins' mom, neighbor and new friends from FV), as well as cleaning out the dysfunctional disorganization that is my house. (I should post photos of before and after!)
The Prednisone is making me feel as though I want to crawl out of my skin. It is the most uncomfortable anxiety-provoking feeling. My heart beats so rapidly and it will not slow down. It is especially bad late at night as I lay there waiting for and willing sleep to pass over me, and help me to get some respite from this journey of an unknown destination. The current solution is Lorazipam, which definitely is curbing the anxiety. Good grief, my pill intake looks like an old lady's...perhaps because I am approaching my dotage??
Sed rate came back. Initially it was at 34 (normal is 0 to 10) and now it is at 4. Does this mean the Prednisone is working? Does this mean it is TA and the treatment is working? Does this mean the whole headache could have been from some unrelated cause which doctors like to blame on a virus of unknown origin?
I am seeing the neurologist on Monday at 8:30. What will be the result? More questions or perhaps some answers? My one doctor told me the best possible result of all the tests is that they find NOTHING! That way it becomes a little House mystery. Nothing good, nothing bad. One thing in my favor is that the initial headache spans more than one sphere of the brain. Apparently this is a good thing.
15 July 2010
Big day on the doctor front. Went back to the eye doc today. Pressure is good...blah, blah, blah. Now he seems to be getting on the TA band wagon by telling me the biopsy does not always give a positive result and even though my blood vessels are not bursting in my right eye, TA could very well be the cause.
Turns out that a year ago, the vision in my right eye was 20/20 (my left and stronger eye is 20/15). When I saw him in June it was 20/40. The change was virtually overnight. Now, with corrective lenses, my sight is only at 20/25. The scariest aspect about this journey into the unknown is how quickly my vision changed.
Intense numbing headache for weeks, not like a migraine, odder, weirder, numbing, and then you wake up one morning and your vision is blurred and they cannot really fix it.
I can honestly say I am scared.
13 July 2010
Went back to see my doctor today. She is keeping track of my progress or lack thereof, and she is insisting I get to a neurologist. So not looking forward to the MRI that I just know is waiting for me in the offing. I did get another blood test for the sed rate (my understanding is that this has something to do with the way the blood drops while in a test tube...yeah...right!)
Okay, that was short-lived! The headache came back so I am back on 40mg of Prednisone. Not sure how much more of this I can handle. The meds make me so hyper...at least I have a lot of energy and getting some work done around the house!
The doctors now have me taking Ambient at night to offset the Prednisone. I've been able to get to sleep by 3 AM and then up by 8 or 9. It's an interesting world, this world of the sleep deprived and insomniac. I have never fully appreciated the ability to fall asleep until it was taken away.
7 July 2010
The biopsy results came back negative for TA BUT the Prednisone did help the initial headache. Daily dose lowered to 30mg and will have another blood test on Tuesday for the sed rate. My doctor still thinks the TA was caught early but wants me to see a neurologist. Blurred vision no better and no worse so that is a good thing. Learning to deal with it. I just want to feel well.
5 July 2010
I want these meds I am taking to get under control! I feel like Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe without the talent! Meds are messing up my sleep cycle. Need to get back into some kind of routine. Cannot play solitaire all night, night after night...
The side of my head, from the incision, hurts big time but the initial headache is gone which makes me think the doctor is correct in her diagnosis. Getting used (if you can!) to the Prednisone and hopefully my sleep cycle will adjust. Want to get into an exercise regime and cooking!
30 June 2010
I made it through the biopsy surgery although the 3-inch incision at my temple is kind of scary (looks like the lobotomy incisions from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), plus they used derma-glue to close it. Feeling a lot better today. Should have the test results early next week at the latest. Good news: the original headache is GONE! Getting my glasses next week. What if all I needed was glasses for distance?
The biopsy was done at Providence Tarzana Hosptial as an outpatient procedure. They took me down to the operating room and there was a delay. It was a odd lying there, alert, watching all the comings and goings that take place, bodies being wheeled in and out. People lying in giant ice packs to lower their body temperature, their faces with the waxiness of the dead. And, it was bright! Why do they TV shows make the ORs look like dark moody rooms when the reality is that they are bright, as bright as being outside in the sunlight. I spoke with the vascular doctor and the anesthesiologist while I was waiting. The anesthesiologist was kind of funny and I began babbling, much as I always do when I am nervous.
Once I was wheeled into the OR, I could hear music playing. The anesthesiologist was playing the MONKEES! Who the heck plays the MONKEES? I asked for the Goos and fortunately he had them. Nothing like being sedated to the Goo-Goo Dolls.
The vascular doctor had me go under general anesthesia rather than the twilight sleep option. Not sure why. They shaved the side of my head, luckily when I was out, and made the incision. I am guessing they take little samples of the vein for the biopsy. It is one nasty looking incision, but kind of cool in a let's scare and gross out the kids kind of way!
Keep your fingers crossed. I can even deal with months of Prednisone if the original diagnosis of temporal arteritis pans out. I am just not prepared for neurologists and MRIs. = (
28 June 2010
Saw the vascular doctor. He is not happy with the sed rate, location of the headache, and he, too, thinks it is TA. Have the biopsy set for Wednesday. Should be an interesting day. There go my lunch plans for Thursday and Friday.
Interesting thing about this doctor. He reminds me of the perinatologist who delivered the twins. Very kind and gentle. I am fearless around him!
26 June 2010 (my 56th birthday)
YES! Given everything I have read, I am hoping for the TA diagnosis as it is treatable. The Prednisone has taken away the initial headache. Do not want an MRI due to intense claustrophobia. I can deal with this. My doctor is getting me in with dietitian to help with the side effects of the Prednisone. May just be G-d's way to get my act in gear, lose weight and get into shape!
24 June 2010
I went to the eye doctor today. He did not see signs of temporal arteritis. Says I need glasses. He did this awesome retinal scan that showed the inside of my eye...no need to dilate! My other doctor still wants me to see the vascular doctor on Monday, but cut the Prednisone dose by 20mg to 40mg from 60mg. Yippee!!
22 June 2010
Went to the doctor who thinks I have temporal arteritis. It's something that has to do with an inflammation of the temporal artery which explains the headaches and the change of vision in my right eye. Her office made appointments with the opthomologist and vascular doctors. Had blood tests. Prescribed Prednisone... (YUCK!) and pain meds (no more Advil). Good news: can still go to the gym.
2 August 2010
The exercise is continuing! I am now on day 19 of 21! Following the Family Circle Walking Challenge and I have been able to keep up without any real issues. Also doing the ab crunches and have upped that number to 35 for this week. It's all good.
I saw the neurologist and had to go for a brain MRI. It was not nearly as bad as I imagined it was going to be! My cousin Lizzie told me to have them put a towel over my face and this helped so much. There was a cool breeze inside the tube. Rather than allow the noise to freak me out, it sounded like a cacophony of musical notes, much like an angry Mahler piece being played by a sad tormented machine. Of course, the anti-anxiety meds helped me through it all. My husband says I babbled all the way home, but in all honesty, I do not remember this. I do remember, though, that my babbling caused him to have a headache!!
The results came back the next day. The positive result was that the MRI was negative. Completely negative other than I do have a brain!! There was not even any evidence of my brain aging...a real fear given my mom's condition before she died. Great, great news. The downside, I now need an MRI of my spine and neck as well as an ultrasound of my carotid artery. They really do not know what is wrong with me or why I am having these headaches. But, in order to have these tests, I have to no longer be taking the Prednisone (yippee!!) so I am getting weaned off that now.
For those of you who have only had a burst for asthma or a very short regimen of this medication, when you are on it for more than 40 days, there is a weaning off process because taking this med, stops the adrenal gland from working. The adrenal gland needs to be jump-started back to work. So, my doctor has me going from 30mg to 20mg and starting tomorrow I am down to 10mg for four days and then I get four days at 5mg, and then I will be done, at least for now. I also discovered that another side effect of this process is the continued feeling of acute anxiety and rebound headaches!
16 July 2010
The only good thing about all of this is that I am on an exercise roll. Completed the fifth day of aerobic exercise in a row today, in addition to doing ab crunches. I may be fat, but underneath this chubbiness, muscles are forming and getting into shape. Exercise helps to take the edge off the meds.
Am also cooking for my family, lunching with my girlfriends (from school, my life as a twins' mom, neighbor and new friends from FV), as well as cleaning out the dysfunctional disorganization that is my house. (I should post photos of before and after!)
The Prednisone is making me feel as though I want to crawl out of my skin. It is the most uncomfortable anxiety-provoking feeling. My heart beats so rapidly and it will not slow down. It is especially bad late at night as I lay there waiting for and willing sleep to pass over me, and help me to get some respite from this journey of an unknown destination. The current solution is Lorazipam, which definitely is curbing the anxiety. Good grief, my pill intake looks like an old lady's...perhaps because I am approaching my dotage??
Sed rate came back. Initially it was at 34 (normal is 0 to 10) and now it is at 4. Does this mean the Prednisone is working? Does this mean it is TA and the treatment is working? Does this mean the whole headache could have been from some unrelated cause which doctors like to blame on a virus of unknown origin?
I am seeing the neurologist on Monday at 8:30. What will be the result? More questions or perhaps some answers? My one doctor told me the best possible result of all the tests is that they find NOTHING! That way it becomes a little House mystery. Nothing good, nothing bad. One thing in my favor is that the initial headache spans more than one sphere of the brain. Apparently this is a good thing.
15 July 2010
Big day on the doctor front. Went back to the eye doc today. Pressure is good...blah, blah, blah. Now he seems to be getting on the TA band wagon by telling me the biopsy does not always give a positive result and even though my blood vessels are not bursting in my right eye, TA could very well be the cause.
Turns out that a year ago, the vision in my right eye was 20/20 (my left and stronger eye is 20/15). When I saw him in June it was 20/40. The change was virtually overnight. Now, with corrective lenses, my sight is only at 20/25. The scariest aspect about this journey into the unknown is how quickly my vision changed.
Intense numbing headache for weeks, not like a migraine, odder, weirder, numbing, and then you wake up one morning and your vision is blurred and they cannot really fix it.
I can honestly say I am scared.
13 July 2010
Went back to see my doctor today. She is keeping track of my progress or lack thereof, and she is insisting I get to a neurologist. So not looking forward to the MRI that I just know is waiting for me in the offing. I did get another blood test for the sed rate (my understanding is that this has something to do with the way the blood drops while in a test tube...yeah...right!)
Okay, that was short-lived! The headache came back so I am back on 40mg of Prednisone. Not sure how much more of this I can handle. The meds make me so hyper...at least I have a lot of energy and getting some work done around the house!
The doctors now have me taking Ambient at night to offset the Prednisone. I've been able to get to sleep by 3 AM and then up by 8 or 9. It's an interesting world, this world of the sleep deprived and insomniac. I have never fully appreciated the ability to fall asleep until it was taken away.
7 July 2010
The biopsy results came back negative for TA BUT the Prednisone did help the initial headache. Daily dose lowered to 30mg and will have another blood test on Tuesday for the sed rate. My doctor still thinks the TA was caught early but wants me to see a neurologist. Blurred vision no better and no worse so that is a good thing. Learning to deal with it. I just want to feel well.
5 July 2010
I want these meds I am taking to get under control! I feel like Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe without the talent! Meds are messing up my sleep cycle. Need to get back into some kind of routine. Cannot play solitaire all night, night after night...
The side of my head, from the incision, hurts big time but the initial headache is gone which makes me think the doctor is correct in her diagnosis. Getting used (if you can!) to the Prednisone and hopefully my sleep cycle will adjust. Want to get into an exercise regime and cooking!
30 June 2010
I made it through the biopsy surgery although the 3-inch incision at my temple is kind of scary (looks like the lobotomy incisions from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), plus they used derma-glue to close it. Feeling a lot better today. Should have the test results early next week at the latest. Good news: the original headache is GONE! Getting my glasses next week. What if all I needed was glasses for distance?
The biopsy was done at Providence Tarzana Hosptial as an outpatient procedure. They took me down to the operating room and there was a delay. It was a odd lying there, alert, watching all the comings and goings that take place, bodies being wheeled in and out. People lying in giant ice packs to lower their body temperature, their faces with the waxiness of the dead. And, it was bright! Why do they TV shows make the ORs look like dark moody rooms when the reality is that they are bright, as bright as being outside in the sunlight. I spoke with the vascular doctor and the anesthesiologist while I was waiting. The anesthesiologist was kind of funny and I began babbling, much as I always do when I am nervous.
Once I was wheeled into the OR, I could hear music playing. The anesthesiologist was playing the MONKEES! Who the heck plays the MONKEES? I asked for the Goos and fortunately he had them. Nothing like being sedated to the Goo-Goo Dolls.
The vascular doctor had me go under general anesthesia rather than the twilight sleep option. Not sure why. They shaved the side of my head, luckily when I was out, and made the incision. I am guessing they take little samples of the vein for the biopsy. It is one nasty looking incision, but kind of cool in a let's scare and gross out the kids kind of way!
Keep your fingers crossed. I can even deal with months of Prednisone if the original diagnosis of temporal arteritis pans out. I am just not prepared for neurologists and MRIs. = (
28 June 2010
Saw the vascular doctor. He is not happy with the sed rate, location of the headache, and he, too, thinks it is TA. Have the biopsy set for Wednesday. Should be an interesting day. There go my lunch plans for Thursday and Friday.
Interesting thing about this doctor. He reminds me of the perinatologist who delivered the twins. Very kind and gentle. I am fearless around him!
26 June 2010 (my 56th birthday)
YES! Given everything I have read, I am hoping for the TA diagnosis as it is treatable. The Prednisone has taken away the initial headache. Do not want an MRI due to intense claustrophobia. I can deal with this. My doctor is getting me in with dietitian to help with the side effects of the Prednisone. May just be G-d's way to get my act in gear, lose weight and get into shape!
24 June 2010
I went to the eye doctor today. He did not see signs of temporal arteritis. Says I need glasses. He did this awesome retinal scan that showed the inside of my eye...no need to dilate! My other doctor still wants me to see the vascular doctor on Monday, but cut the Prednisone dose by 20mg to 40mg from 60mg. Yippee!!
22 June 2010
Went to the doctor who thinks I have temporal arteritis. It's something that has to do with an inflammation of the temporal artery which explains the headaches and the change of vision in my right eye. Her office made appointments with the opthomologist and vascular doctors. Had blood tests. Prescribed Prednisone... (YUCK!) and pain meds (no more Advil). Good news: can still go to the gym.
2010-07-17
Education RoI (Return on Investment)
OH! Did I mention that my sons' achievements were accomplished by going to California public schools? You know the horrendous schools that are always in the news? Cannot figure out for the life of me why we would have paid a college tuition to send them to private school when they could accomplish all they did in public school! Upshot: one is going Ivy League and the other Cal State (and thanks to all of his AP classes with his minimum score of a four, he is entering his freshman year as a sophomore, yes a sophomore. All those AP classes in high school gave him college credit!). Take that public school naysayers!
From my one son's journey to go a to top tier private university, the only SoCal private school that appeared to have any impact on admissions to these private schools was Harvard Westlake. The other private schools had the same rate of admittance as the public schools. I am sure Harvard Westlake's pull is skewed based on legacy. Where other private schools would have two or three students accepted/going to top-tier universities, Harvard Westlake has 15 to 20. I see an ROI on even though it is $30k+ a year.
Th edge has nothing to do with APs and IB programs. I believe the edge has to do with legacy in addition to the idea that if you can pay $30+k a year to send your kid to high school, then you will not need financial support when your child goes to university and you are dealt a bill of $56k.
The one thing I have discovered in this year of private school applications and with a child who is in the top two percent of the country, a National Merit Scholar Finalist, the top SAT score at his high school (and in our District), 11 AP classes (nine with a five, the others with a four) which makes him a National AP Scholar, three years volunteering at the hospital, one year on a sport, four years tutoring, all honors/AP classes except for auto safety, Boys State, a Reagan Presidential Scholar, and Leadership in Washington, DC, is that none of this appears to have made any difference.
He did not have legacy. He did not create a solar power program at the high school. He did not help build orphanages in Central America. He did create a system to feed the homeless both here and in Africa. (Some of the credentials of the local top scholarship winners!) He was just an excellent and dedicated student. And, this was not enough.
He was not accepted by Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, MIT or Yale. Based on the rate of acceptance at WHS, the only student who was accepted to every school applied to was Native American and deserving of this. Being a white male or female is a huge disadvantage. Being Asian male or female is a huge disadvantage. I heard a piece of information that I am not sure I believe, but if your father is a doctor, it's a huge disadvantage. Perhaps, the whole system proffers nothing but disadvantages to students who are the best and brightest. That they succeed is a credit to their tenacity and belief in themselves.
So, no, the playing field is not remotely level. His children will have the legacy advantage (Most of the Ivy Leagues have a special admission phone number based on legacy.) Getting into a top university is an unbelievable hurdle. I did not realize how impossible it was until my son was rejected everywhere.
Granted he did get into his top choice and his top program. Why? Who knows!
I guess it all boils down to where one's child wants to go to university. The public schools out here had a tremendous amount of students going to UCLA, UC San Diego, Berkeley and UC Davis. Same with the Cal State system. Even the Cal State schools now have wait lists and are realizing they can be more competitive. The prognosis to get into a California school becomes more competitive each year. Do not even apply to UCLA without a 4.0...actually a 4.2. Due to the budget crisis, the UCs are accepting more and more foreign and out-of-state students because they make more off them. The trickle down effect of the competitive nature of getting into university is making seemingly lackluster schools have a certain cachet.
It is insane.
I thought that my boys would be fine waiting until sophomore year to investigate colleges. We should have done it in middle school. Regardless of what the universities say in their politically correct manner, grades, SAT scores, extracurricular activities (and I am serious about the orphanages, solar energy systems, farming, working in free clinics, and building houses) matter. And, these extracurriculars have to be out of the box. When the most brilliant math mind at ny sons' high school--who is ranked number three mathematically in the country--does not even get into CalTech there is something wrong with the system.
If one's child has their sites on a top five university, then the resume needs to be built now. These schools are looking for global leaders and that is what they expect them to be going after now. They need to speak at least one additional language to English. They have to be prepared to represent that top university on an international scale and to be prepared to enter the high-stakes world of globalization where they will be expected to be the rising stars of the future. These students are the future.
The competition is crazy, the cost unreal and the stress insane.
The AP scores are in and it's time to brag. One son received five 5s this year. That's a total of nine 5s and two 4s over the course of high school...most of which were in math and science. He's met a lot of requirements at UPenn! My other son received two 4s and one 5 this year, and four 4s the other years. He has met... all his English, math, and science requirements at CSUN and is entering as a sophomore!
This has me thinking...My son is going to the University of Pennsylvania in the fall in its Management and Technology dual degree program. They accept 50 students worldwide. They will receive an engineering degree and an economic degree from Wharton. Of the six kids attending from Cali, all went to public schools, and four from LA Unified. Take that public school naysayers!
From my one son's journey to go a to top tier private university, the only SoCal private school that appeared to have any impact on admissions to these private schools was Harvard Westlake. The other private schools had the same rate of admittance as the public schools. I am sure Harvard Westlake's pull is skewed based on legacy. Where other private schools would have two or three students accepted/going to top-tier universities, Harvard Westlake has 15 to 20. I see an ROI on even though it is $30k+ a year.
Th edge has nothing to do with APs and IB programs. I believe the edge has to do with legacy in addition to the idea that if you can pay $30+k a year to send your kid to high school, then you will not need financial support when your child goes to university and you are dealt a bill of $56k.
The one thing I have discovered in this year of private school applications and with a child who is in the top two percent of the country, a National Merit Scholar Finalist, the top SAT score at his high school (and in our District), 11 AP classes (nine with a five, the others with a four) which makes him a National AP Scholar, three years volunteering at the hospital, one year on a sport, four years tutoring, all honors/AP classes except for auto safety, Boys State, a Reagan Presidential Scholar, and Leadership in Washington, DC, is that none of this appears to have made any difference.
He did not have legacy. He did not create a solar power program at the high school. He did not help build orphanages in Central America. He did create a system to feed the homeless both here and in Africa. (Some of the credentials of the local top scholarship winners!) He was just an excellent and dedicated student. And, this was not enough.
He was not accepted by Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, MIT or Yale. Based on the rate of acceptance at WHS, the only student who was accepted to every school applied to was Native American and deserving of this. Being a white male or female is a huge disadvantage. Being Asian male or female is a huge disadvantage. I heard a piece of information that I am not sure I believe, but if your father is a doctor, it's a huge disadvantage. Perhaps, the whole system proffers nothing but disadvantages to students who are the best and brightest. That they succeed is a credit to their tenacity and belief in themselves.
So, no, the playing field is not remotely level. His children will have the legacy advantage (Most of the Ivy Leagues have a special admission phone number based on legacy.) Getting into a top university is an unbelievable hurdle. I did not realize how impossible it was until my son was rejected everywhere.
Granted he did get into his top choice and his top program. Why? Who knows!
I guess it all boils down to where one's child wants to go to university. The public schools out here had a tremendous amount of students going to UCLA, UC San Diego, Berkeley and UC Davis. Same with the Cal State system. Even the Cal State schools now have wait lists and are realizing they can be more competitive. The prognosis to get into a California school becomes more competitive each year. Do not even apply to UCLA without a 4.0...actually a 4.2. Due to the budget crisis, the UCs are accepting more and more foreign and out-of-state students because they make more off them. The trickle down effect of the competitive nature of getting into university is making seemingly lackluster schools have a certain cachet.
It is insane.
I thought that my boys would be fine waiting until sophomore year to investigate colleges. We should have done it in middle school. Regardless of what the universities say in their politically correct manner, grades, SAT scores, extracurricular activities (and I am serious about the orphanages, solar energy systems, farming, working in free clinics, and building houses) matter. And, these extracurriculars have to be out of the box. When the most brilliant math mind at ny sons' high school--who is ranked number three mathematically in the country--does not even get into CalTech there is something wrong with the system.
If one's child has their sites on a top five university, then the resume needs to be built now. These schools are looking for global leaders and that is what they expect them to be going after now. They need to speak at least one additional language to English. They have to be prepared to represent that top university on an international scale and to be prepared to enter the high-stakes world of globalization where they will be expected to be the rising stars of the future. These students are the future.
The competition is crazy, the cost unreal and the stress insane.
The AP scores are in and it's time to brag. One son received five 5s this year. That's a total of nine 5s and two 4s over the course of high school...most of which were in math and science. He's met a lot of requirements at UPenn! My other son received two 4s and one 5 this year, and four 4s the other years. He has met... all his English, math, and science requirements at CSUN and is entering as a sophomore!
This has me thinking...My son is going to the University of Pennsylvania in the fall in its Management and Technology dual degree program. They accept 50 students worldwide. They will receive an engineering degree and an economic degree from Wharton. Of the six kids attending from Cali, all went to public schools, and four from LA Unified. Take that public school naysayers!
2010-01-03
Welcome to the New Year
Twenty-ten is a year of new beginnings, and while I am not extolling the virtues of New Year Resolutions, I have created a list of items I want to accomplish this new year, and beyond. To wit:
- Get into the best shape that I can, and participate in both 5ks and 10ks.
- Finish most of the coursework for the Masters program I am taking (although the degree reality will be 2011)
- Take the coursework I need in order to get my Single Subject English Credential especially as I already passed all four subtests of the CSET
- Lose a ton of weight through a healthy-heart diet
- Continue on a the path of eliminating as much animal protein as I can from my diet, which I have accomplished by no longer eating beef, no bacon, and soon little or no poultry. For the time being, fish will still be part of my diet
- Organize, clean, and declutter my house and classroom
- Create a positive mindset for myself, eliminate as much negativity as I can from my life, accentuate the positive
- Set aside time each day for reflection and meditation
I may be adding to this list as the year progresses. I will be commenting on it. I will be reflecting
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