Plowing Through on All Fronts With Gratitude
By Diane Barry Preston
Diane Barry Preston
It’s fair to say that I’ve been a rule follower most of my life. I am an oldest child, after all.
I’ve always valued and safeguarded my health, making sure that I eat healthy food and get lots of my favorite exercise -- like hiking, yoga, swimming, and cycling. I have been grateful for good health.
So, I was dumbfounded to learn at age 61 that I had quite serious osteoporosis. I learned this after pleading with my primary care physician to order a DXA scan. She said I had none of the risks to justify the screening. I argued that I have a small frame, which puts me at risk. Finally, she relented three years after my original request.
After the shock of the diagnosis and anger about the lack of prevention wore off, I had to do something – fast, I thought. My numbers were that bad. Two endocrinologists told me I needed to get on an anti-resorptive medication right away, and my doctor gave me a 25-year-old book on building bone.
Surely, I needed more than this. Surely, there was someone who could help me approach this on all fronts. I’ve never been one to believe in just taking a pill. But this search proved futile for quite some time.
I took the medication, feeling lucky to not have side effects. But I was plagued by doubts about whether and how to live an active life. How was I supposed to do yoga now? What about gardening; lifting my luggage, and most importantly – my grandchildren? How was I supposed to live my life? I hated thinking of myself as fragile.
So many questions, so few answers. It was apparent that the specialists I consulted didn’t have a holistic approach.
A search of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation website led me to answers that made sense to me through a newly formed monthly virtual support group more than three years ago. Called OsteoBoston, it is led by a skilled facilitator who arranges for expert presentations in all aspects of wellness to improve bone health. Over time I have learned so much about the latest research and how nutrition, bone-building exercise, dietary supplements, and medication can work together to improve this condition. Just as valuable is the second hour of our Zoom calls, where the 30+ people (mostly women) learn from and support one another. And while I never did get a one-stop-shop approach in one place, OsteoBoston has been a salvation.
Reflecting on my journey over the last six years, I realized that it wasn’t my doctor’s fault that she didn’t give me a baseline DXA screening. She was only following protocol. The same way baseline mammograms at age 40 detect and treat breast cancer caught early, why is this not done for bone health? If it is common for women to lose significant bone in the years following menopause, shouldn’t they receive a baseline DXA scan before menopause to detect bone loss, treat it early, and prevent needless suffering and mobility loss caused by fractures?
So today, I am still a rule follower, but I listen to a variety of sources and the wisdom of experience to determine which rules I follow. I know where to find the latest research. I have an endocrinologist that I trust. I do bone building exercises most days and eat a variety of calcium-rich foods. I am confident that I am doing as much as I can to manage this condition. The medicines that I have taken have improved my bone strength. And I am also content that this learning journey has given me the tools to prevent further bone loss. I am eternally grateful to this OsteoBoston support group, which includes people from all over the country. Thanks to the dedication of the leaders, we now have a YouTube channel that shares recordings of 25+ recorded presentations and a website to share our resources at osteoboston.org.
Finally, I now accept that this is a lifelong condition that must be managed. And while I am doing that, I want to focus on advocacy for early screening and education to help others to become aware of how important bone health is to our wellbeing.
I hope to be around for a long time, and I want a body to support my dreams.
This story is part of a support initiative of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation called Voices of Osteoporosis: Stories of Hope and Inspiration. If you have experienced osteoporosis as a patient or caregiver, we invite you to share your story. Your story could inspire others to learn how to protect their ability to live their best life and stay bone strong. Click here to learn more.