Heart Surgery and Depression

[Ross]

but pregnancy is not a disease!

After all this time, are you telling me that my wife lied to me?

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Ross

Ross

Hehehe!

Peg

 

[ccrawford]

I know a doc who describes life as a sexually transmitted disease with 100% mortality. Think about it !

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Well, that didn't work! I tried the quote thing and then tried to add my comments, and I screwed up somehow?

I can hear Ross now, that Peggy in Alaska really doesn't know much about computers, does she?!

Anyway, I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth, that ccrawford's doc sure has it right Re: life. So true!

 

[Ross]

Peggy I know you have to be wondering whats wrong with the way your posting with quotes because the text you add doesn't show up. It doesn't work right on this board. You have to first post the quote and then click edit and go back and add what you wanted to add. 2 step process where it should only be one.

 

[Peggy in Alaska]

Thanks, Ross!

Thanks, Ross!

Thanks for the tip. I'll make it a 2 step process next time.

Peg

 

[Blanche]

While pregnancy is certainly not a disease, postpartum depression that can result from pregnancy and delivery is every bit as real as any other depression. Depression alters lives, is dangerous, and can be deadly. One study I read said that 25% of the women who were not treated for postpartun depression remained depressed after one year. The medical community and psychiatric community both recognize postpartum depression as a physical condition that can be treated successfully.

After the Andrea Yeates case, medical doctors are taking post partum depression more seriously and including information and counseling about the disease in their prenatal materials and training. Bottom line is regardless of the cause, depression is a serious illness.

Blanche

 

[Rain]

Caitlin,

Thank you for posting the ?tips for handling depression?. I?m sure there are people here who will benefit from it. I think a list of that sort is exactly what Chris was looking for.

We certainly come from all walks of life here at vr.com.... and clearly have a million different opinions on any one subject.... but still we love one another. This is an amazing place.

 

[Nancy]

Thanks for the editorial Quetlin-

Modern medicine of all kinds has helped my husband through some terrible, terrible situations. His attitude is positive and helps him to keep on fighting. If he weren't such a fighter, he probably wouldn't be here. We both stay pretty upbeat in spite of all that has happened to him. In the past he has had depression and it was not a good thing for him.

I must also admit that we both have very good senses of humor, even though it is dark humor at times. Sounds strange, but it works for us.

 

[joy]

I understand the whole post partum depression thing...I had it myself. I have some feelings about that Andrea Yates case though, that makes me think she was just using post partum depression as a way out of getting punished. She actually chased one of her kids down a hallway to drown him, I mean, c'mon. Just don't believe it. I had a friend that ended up in the hospital because severe post partum depression, and there are signs. Her husband should have seen warning signs.


Joy

 

[Georgia]

Pregnancy is a disease

Pregnancy is a disease

Hey, folks - first of all, please be advised that those two absolutely ADORABLE boys are my grandsons. Jack and Quinn 3.5 and 4 mos old and of course the source of my greatest joy. And I can assure you that I'll just happen to have a few pics at the reunion.

Now - I believe that pregnancy makes enough changes to our bodies and causes enough problems that it can certainly be classified as a disease. Certainly we can get disability leave for it. I'm not knocking pregnancy (well, seems to me that God could have found something a little easier for propagation of the species, but I had two very easy pregnancies, so who am I to grouse); but just as preclampsia, gestational diabetes, and a myriad of other complications are deadly, so is post-partum depression. And as has been said, until recently it was underappreciated except by those whose families had suffered through it.

I have a daughter who's a depressive. Her first bout was when she was a freshman in high school. She's now 28. When she feels it coming on she high-tails it to an MD to get medication and pretty much keeps it from getting bad. I'm so proud of her; this was something that was considered an embarrassment by my generation; she just handles it.

We need to react to it the same way if it hits us after ohs. And I'm not sure that most of our docs emphasize it enough.

 

[ccrawford]

Georgia - In case you didn't already know it , your grandsons are awful good looking young men. I think they take after their grandmother !!!