The following is edited from a column that I wrote over 20 years ago, and although much has changed in those years – much has remained the same. Although I had re-posted the original column in July of 2023 – it is the early part of said column that has now come back to haunt me – due in part to a number of columns relating to Agent Orange that I have recently published. Can ya’ dig it? I can’t, but my fight will not cease.
Oh – and in case you are wondering about the title of this column? It was taken from a book about Dr. Tom Dooley that was written by James Monahan. Tom Dooley??? – Well just who in the hell was he? Thomas A. Dooley M.D. was an American physician who worked in Southeast Asia at the outset of American involvement in the Vietnam War. I became aware of the Dr., his work AND his books in 1961 – the year that he died at the age of 34. As time went on – it would appear that we had a few things in common. ~ Editor
January 24, 2003 ~ I guess that I’ve felt this coming on for several months, continual headaches, accelerated heart rate after eating, multiple naps throughout the day, anger, frustration… you know the routine.
Did I have cancer, heart disease or just old-fartitus disease? I didn’t know, yet as with most men of my age bracket, I guess that I didn’t really want to know. By last Thursday night, I was so ill that I couldn’t sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time. My whole body was sore with muscular contractions, aching stomach and lower back pain – diarrhea was now becoming an hourly occurrence.
Last Friday morning at about 3:30 a.m., my wife called the family physician, who immediately sent me to the emergency room of our local hospital. I told him that I would shower first, so that I might wash the stench of sickness from my body. I did so, then went to lie down on cool sheets for a few minutes to relax before we left for the hospital. I then slept for four hours – the longest period of rest I had had all night.
My daughter and wife had to work the next morning but my son was off, so it was decided that he would drive me to the hospital. I arranged for a rebroadcast of Chapter I of All The King’s Men with WWCR to carry the program through the Friday hour – and promptly went back to sleep. My wife came home to check on me between classes and saw that I was worse. She became insistent that I was to get ready to go – RIGHT NOW! – and so, in my turtle way of moving in that condition – I packed and we left.
As we arrived – they brought out the wheelchair, which I promptly declined. I may be ill – but I’m not ready for geriatric care – yet! After a battery of tests including pokes, pricks, a series of blood pressure tests, x-rays (oh, joy of joys) and more, the prognosis included: lungs full of crud, overall dehydration and physical exhaustion due to overwork, lack of rest, poor nutrition and too damned much stress. “Go home, drink lots of clear fluid (vodka is clear), get plenty of rest, take time off from your workload and stay out of brothels” The last one I have no problem with, haven’t had vodka in years, so I had to take the advice on the other two – even though it was not going to be easy… BUT the story wasn’t over yet.
June 1, 2024 ~ After all of the above at the hospital, something else was (in their opinion) may in fact have been affecting me – but no-one was willing to share it with me, so they chose to transfer me to another hospital over in Scottsdale, where I spent the night. The next day I was introduced to a man who would be my Doctor for the next few years – specializing in what he believed was my issue.
But – as with my own ‘illness‘, most Americans don’t wish to know of the nature of the illness, but it was at this point in time that I was informed that I had Hypothyroidism – which meant absolutely NOTHING to me.
The doctor explained (in simple terms) – that the thyroid gland can’t make enough thyroid hormone to keep the body running normally. People are hypothyroid if they have too little thyroid hormone in the blood. Common causes are autoimmune disease, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, surgical removal of the thyroid, and radiation treatment.
As of the date of the update of this column – 21 years have gone by – I have subsequently learned of other causes of Hypothyroidism – including something that MAY have first affected me by my time being stationed at Fort Ord in California in 1966 – along with my time in ‘Nam from 1968 into early 1970. Just a little thing called ‘Agent Orange‘!
OH – and the doctor who first diagnosed me with Hypo… well – a few years later when my wife and I lived across the Valley… He sent me a termination letter by Registered mail. You see… I had given him both of Dr. Kelley’s books to read and consider – Victory Over Cancer: Without Surgery, Chemotherapy or Radiation and Dr. Kelley’s Self Test for the Different Metabolic Types – but the Doc didn’t approve of “alternative” health.
Am I stressed? Am I ill? You betcha I am – and yet my armor is too strong to give up the fight just yet – and you had better be prepared to join – for we are at war – spiritually, physically, financially and morally. The time cometh to take the medicine and kick a little azz ~ for I have miles to go ~ Before I Sleep!
Life ain’t easy – but somebody’s got to do it!
Without Apology I am,
~ the Author ~
A veteran of Viet Nam, student of history (both American and film), Jeffrey Bennett has been broadcasting for over twenty-eight years as host of various radio-satellite and internet based programs and has been considered the voice of reason on the alternative media – providing a unique and distinctive broadcast style, including topics such as your Financial, Physical, and Spiritual well-being, education, news, Federal and local legislative issues, which will affect our future, political satire (with a twist), and editorial commentary on current events through the teaching of history. Bennett has published numerous books on American History – TRUE history – not re-worked, altered history. Kettle Moraine Productions has also published books for unknown authors, whose dedication to truth – stands alone. He is also the authorized publisher of Dr. William Donald Kelley’s books on cancer and metabolic typing.
Jeffrey is the founder and CEO of Kettle Moraine, Ltd. Publications, which is the host and developer of numerous websites, including the Metropolis.Café, Dr. Kelley’s Victory Over Cancer, Sierra Madre Precious Metals (previously published under a group of different names) and The Federal Observer – a daily on-line publication, which co-authored and spear-headed a petition, which ultimately caused new legislation to be signed by President Bush within 450 days of the events that rocked our world on September 11, 2001. In addition, Kettle Moraine, Ltd., continues to produce Perspectives on America, a Tuesday though Thursday, two hour broadcast on the Republic Broadcasting Network Network.