BB-10-d-8
10/4/78
Phyllis –
I thought I would give your Department a brief rundown on my situation, for whatever you all may be able to do about it. I have a lot of the same symptoms that I had last year, but not as severe. My weight has got as low recently as 128 (which is a 20 year low for me) and as high as 134. It is now about 132. I do not feel that is a dangerously low weight. I have little energy and fatigue very easily – this is constant. I still get a lot of major muscle spasms, internal irritation, and followed by sudden sleepiness (which we have in the past attributed to low blood sugar, and corrected by increased protein – which worked well). My balance is very poor and I have some difficultly knowing just where I am putting my feet when I walk. My vision is blurred at distances closer than about 18” to 2’, and I have almost constant dull ache in my eyes. I get sudden emotional imbalances which are of short duration – wanting to cry usually. I get chilled easily and frequently, constantly nervous.
I had my eyes checked recently and need a new prescription. That will take care of the blurring, I am sure, but I don’t know about the pain which is associated with fatigue.
I saw Larry [Schacht] about 6 weeks ago, I guess, and recited the above liturgy. They did a couple of tests. He said that the sedimentation rate is still high – he did not know what to make of it and would get back to me, but of course never did.
I am functioning fairly well, though at perhaps only about 50% of my maximum healthy capacity. I am in no acute distress, and do not want to make any big issue about whatever isn’t just right with me. As a practical matter I think that if my weight and sed rate is monitored regularly, that will give some notice if things start to get too far out of balance. Additionally, from experience I know that I do better with a balanced diet with meats, greens, and starch, and that the high starch diet I get is contributive to some of my problems. Even the milk shake is full of sugar and probably is of assistance only because it has or should have a raw egg in it. I do not think that high starch snacks do help, although eating several times a day, 5 or 6, is much better for me than 3 times. I am also on the so called “high protein diet” but it is not substantially different than the regular diet, and at times actually has less protein than the normal diet.
I appreciate your concern.
Gene
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[Editor’s note: Pages BB-10-d-1 – 7 and d-9 – 35 are medical notes for Eugene Chaikin and were not transcribed.]