<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646077922728.png" alt="Former U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford of Omaha (Courtesy of U.S. House Office of Photography)" />
 <figcaption>Former U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford of Omaha (Courtesy of U.S. House Office of Photography)</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRAD ASHFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/28/my-four-year-personal-health-journey/">Courtesy Nebraska Examiner</a>Recently
 a friend asked me to record my personal health journey. I was hesitant 
to do so until I realized it might help others seek the medical help 
they need.I have always tried to be healthy — watched 
my weight, participated in sports like basketball and rugby from high 
school on, never smoked, and ran every day. I ran in marathons, not with
 the expectation to win but as a challenge to myself. I always kept a 
very active schedule, including extensive travel for both work and 
pleasure.For my term in Congress, I traveled back and
 forth between Washington and Omaha almost weekly and traveled with 
congressional delegations to the Middle East and Europe as part of my 
position on the House Armed Services Committee. I did not experience any
 health problems as a result of all those activities.In the summer of 2017, I started 
experiencing shortness of breath during my regular runs and a persistent
 cough. I made an appointment with my primary care physician at 
Methodist Physicians Clinic. My internist ordered a chest X-ray, which 
showed a small lesion on one of my lungs. That lesion ended up saving my
 life. It was old scar tissue, perhaps from a childhood illness, but it 
provided the indication that further scans should be done.<h2>Blood thinners</h2>Further diagnostic scans showed blood clots 
that were described a heavy load in both lungs. That started me on the 
journey to where I am today. We immediately started blood thinners and 
set upon a course of treatment. I saw a hematologist who was consulted 
for treatment recommendations, as well as for tests to determine if they
 could identify the cause of those blood clots.&nbsp; The cause never was 
determined, which in my understanding is true for about 75% of people 
with blood clots.The treatment was proceeding and was 
successful enough to begin busting and shrinking some of the clot load. I
 did not go back to running, but switched to walking and biking. I was 
feeling and doing well enough to go on multiple-day bike trips and get 
back to working a full schedule.In April 2019, the effects of the blood 
clots became emergent. I ended up as an inpatient at Nebraska Medicine 
for about a week. The blood clots had led to pulmonary hypertension 
which, in turn, produced right side heart damage. I was seriously ill. 
My heart was out of rhythm, with atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation.
 It was affecting my other organs, as well. They performed a 
cardioversion, which worked to shock my heart into normal rhythm. I also
 started a new regimen of drugs to address the pulmonary hypertension as
 well as the heart problems.The new regimen worked for a while. In 
addition to medication, I went on a low-sodium diet and shed the extra 
fluids in my body that were making my organs have to work too hard. I 
was thin but felt well enough to again lead a normal life.<h2>Strength training helped</h2>In October 2021, my family and I went to 
Disney World for a long weekend, and that is when I first seriously 
experienced any significant weakness on only one side of my body. I 
immediately went in to see my cardiologist at Nebraska Medicine, who 
leads the team taking care of my heart and lung problems.We determined that one of the heart 
medications I was taking was probably not the best medication for me, 
and we halved the dosage. In addition, I began physical strength 
training sessions with a trainer who has extensive experience working 
with heart patients. The combination of the medication adjustment and 
training was working. I was consistently improving my pulmonary 
function, rarely if ever getting out of breath. I concentrated on 
bringing back the strength in my legs.I continued long walks outside with my old 
running partner through Christmas and noticed some issues with weakness 
in my legs when I left the concrete path and got onto uneven ground. My 
wife, Ann, and I went to Charleston, South Carolina, in the middle of 
January for a few days to seek some warmth. Since beginning blood 
thinners, I had been unable to tolerate the cold. Charleston ended up 
being chillier than normal, and I started listing to one side again. The
 weakness was back and made it difficult to walk any distance. I had to 
lean heavily on Ann when moving around and was very unsteady. We arrived
 back home in Omaha on a Tuesday, and on Wednesday I was at the doctor’s
 office. They did a CT scan of my head and found nothing. (Feel free to 
point out the double meaning of that statement.)After an EKG, it was determined my heart was
 in atrial flutter, and my heart rate was very low.&nbsp; We scheduled 
another cardioversion to get my heart back in regular rhythm and stopped
 one of my heart medications, as its side effects include possible 
weakness in the limbs.<h2>Fell through glass door</h2>I was still able to walk on my own, a little
 unsteady with some weakness in my limbs, but I asked for and got 
medical clearance to go to California with my daughter for a few days 
beginning on the upcoming Sunday, Jan. 23. I was still seeking the 
warmth since I was constantly cold.The first night Ellie and I were in Palm 
Springs, I was unsteady getting up after dinner. There was a threshold 
in the floor that I missed, and I ended up falling through a glass door.
 No visible signs of injury but the paramedics were called, and they 
took me to the local emergency room to monitor for signs of bleeding on 
the brain, since I was on blood thinners. At the Palm Springs hospital, 
they did another CT scan of my brain, and again, nothing was found to 
identify a problem. I was released, used a cane for the rest of my time 
in California, and arrived back in Omaha on Jan. 27. I was getting 
progressively weaker, and so the next day, I was checked into the 
hospital to move up my cardioversion.During my stay at Nebraska Medicine, I also 
underwent a right-side heart catheterization, which identified more 
serious issues with my pulmonary hypertension and perfusion. Long story 
short, my extremities were not getting enough oxygen. After the 
cardioversion, I was released to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in 
Omaha to build back my strength to a point where I could return home 
with a walker. We considered that the issues with weakness, especially 
those affecting one side of my body more than the other, might be 
neurological in nature. But my pulmonary hypertension and cardiac 
issues, on top of the two negative CT brain scans during a one-week 
period, pushed that idea to the side.At Madonna, I made some progress using a 
walker — until I didn’t. On Monday, Feb. 14, Madonna ordered another CT 
scan of my brain, and this time something showed up: a lesion or 
abnormality that had not been visible two weeks prior. We were able to 
find an inpatient bed at Nebraska Medicine, and I was transferred there 
that night.<h2>Glioblastoma diagnosed</h2>The MRI of my brain showed clearly that 
there was a mass in my brain. I was checked for other signs of cancer 
throughout my body and, thankfully, no others appeared.&nbsp; On Wednesday, 
Feb. 16, I had a pacemaker put in to get my heart to beat fast enough. 
And on Friday, Feb. 18, I had a biopsy of the lesion in my brain. We had
 hoped it would be an abscess caused by an infection, but it is a 
glioblastoma. As of this writing, we are waiting for our appointment on 
Monday to tell us exactly what type of tumor it is and what the course 
will be to treat and manage this disease.I share this because I hope some will benefit from the lessons I have learned:<ul>
 <li>Make sure you have a primary care physician who knows you and your medical history.</li><li>Don’t be too proud to call your doctor and describe what you are experiencing. You don’t want to have to call 911.</li><li>Be your own health advocate. You know your body better than anyone and know when something isn’t right.</li><li>When people offer to help, take it. Our community is incredibly generous, and every outreach is greatly appreciated.</li><li>The health care resources in this city are unparalleled. I 
personally am part of the Nebraska Medicine system and spent time at 
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha, and both deliver on their 
health care promises.</li>
 </ul>There are no words to describe the 
commitment of our health care professionals, from the caregivers to the 
environmental service workers and everyone else. They have been through 
so much these last couple of years and continue to work selflessly for 
the benefit of us all.Finally, my health care journey is but a 
small part of my life story. I am strengthening myself to get back to 
work urging all of us to adopt a New Attitude. We must come together; we
 must care for one another; and we must actually accomplish that which 
we need to do to move us forward.Brad Ashford is a public servant and attorney. He served four terms in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature and one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Brad's focus now is bringing a New Attitude to all involved in governance — to work together without regard to labels. He lives with his wife, Ann, in Omaha.

COLUMN: My four-year personal health journey