Paul Larsen. Paul suffered a severe heart attack and had triple by-pass surgery with several grafts. A short time thereafter, he had several stints implanted. “I was told I had a limited life expectancy,” he recalls. In addition to his cardiovascular health problems, Paul suffered from sleep apnea, Bells Palsy, a detached retina with floaters in both eyes, Type II diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, vertigo, depression, insomnia, high and low blood pressure, back pain, nervousness, panic attacks, prolonged clotting time, cravings, anxiety, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, fainting, fatigue, night sweats, weight issues, digestive issues, stomach and intestinal pain, tinnitus, and eczema. He was prescribed some twenty-two to twenty-eight medications a day that he was required to take for survival, costing him about $2,385 per month, excluding monthly charges for diabetes medication, lancets, and strips. After a move to Salt Lake City, Paul found that he had to be admitted to the emergency room some six times over the course of a few months because of severe angina pain. Each time he was admitted for a few days and given morphine. Paul had had it. He explains:
After several such visits lying in my hospital bed the head doctor of the cardio unit came to me to see how I was doing. I asked, “What can you do for me?” “I’m not interested in becoming addicted to morphine. Fix me please.” After a long silence, the doctor told me, “I am sorry. There is nothing we can do for you, except try to manage the angina pain when it comes.”
Paul was fed up with the routine and lack of help. He told the doctor, “disconnect me from the monitors and release me. I am going home.”
