July 14th
Things are going pretty well for Tim. He is getting stronger. He is working on weaning himself from all the drugs he has been taking. It’s a challenge to find supplements for him to take that will bring health and stability to his body for as long as he needs it.
One of the amazing things that we have learned is that almost all heart problems stem from problems with a person’s teeth! Yesterday when I spoke with someone from the dentist office, she confirmed that. She said it is a crime that the importance of oral health is not emphasized in the medical world. Doctors rarely send their patients to the dentist. I am sure that is because the doctors are not selling dental practices, they are selling what they learned from the pharmaceutical companies who own the medical schools. Doctors can’t make a living sending people to the dentist.
Yikes.
Anyway, we did learn that heart problems start in the teeth from several sources recently, including the cardiologist here in Sequim who is part of the team from Virginia Mason in Seattle that performed the heart surgery on Tim in March. March 9th, to be exact.
When we met with this doctor with a big name: Amir Kazerouninia, he told us about the danger of having any work done on Tim’s teeth. If Tim were to get his teeth cleaned, for instance, bacteria would be released into his body that could/would reinfect his heart. Dr. K told us to wait at least six months after the date of the surgery (That would be August 9th .) before Tim’s has any dental work done. And even then he would need to go on anti-biotics before he sees the dentist, JIC (just in case).
This weekend Tim had a filling fall out. He needs a dental appointment. He has not seen a dentist for a lot of years. I called the office in Sequim. I needed to fill out a new patient form for Tim. Part of that was to write a history of what happened to Tim this year.
Here is the story I wrote, first person, as Tim. It is a summary of the long blog I kept in the beginning of this crisis.
Tim’s story for the dentist.
Written for him, with his approval, by me
“I woke up on February 17, 2026 with an inflamed ankle. I thought I had sprained it. I went to the chiropractor. Later I thought it might be gout. Started home remedies for gout.
Four days later my knee was also inflamed. I went to the emergency room at Olympic Medical Center hospital in Port Angeles. I was immediately taken to triage with dramatic atrial fibrillation. Literal alarms were going off. I was admitted to the hospital.
I did not see a heart doctor at OMC. After several days, my wife asked why not and was told “We don’t have a heart doctor here.”
The problem in my knee and ankle was diagnosed as septic arthritis. I went through surgery to flush the infection out of them.
Blood work also told us I had a PSA score of 189.
Nine days after admission, I was released from the hospital. I decided not to do anything about the PSA test score until all the rest of my troubles settled down.
The next day I could not breathe. Went back to OMC in an ambulance. It was determined that I had edema around my lungs. I was given, and prescribed, diuretic drugs, and sent home.
The next day I still could not breathe. A friend took me to the emergency room in Saint Michaels hospital in Silverdale.
There, it was quickly determined that I had congestive heart failure, my aortic valve was leaking and I had an aneurism on my aorta that could burst at any moment.
That night, before midnight I was airlifted via helicopter to Virginia Mason hospital in Seattle.
The next morning I underwent open heart surgery. My heart valve and a portion of my aorta were replaced.
I spent nine days at Virginia Mason hospital.
Presently I am recovering from the heart surgery. My knee is better but still painful. I can walk only with a walker or a cane.
Several weeks ago I had a PET scan to determine if the prostate cancer had spread, i.e. metastasized. According the PET scan, cancer had spread to several places including bones and lymph nodes.
My wife and I decided not to go any further with the “standard” responses to metastasized prostate cancer. I am taking lots of supplements, Ivermectin and Fenbendazole. I plan to have another PSA test in six months.
As a faith-based man, I know that the LORD has my days numbered. I trust him to guide my treatments, recovery and life to come.”
Tim and I are so thankful for your love, support and prayers. You have all heard me say, “I am blessed, beyond measure—no matter what.” That goes for both of us.