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Ben Stein's Diary
Breathless
Above the fresh ruffles of the surf -- a selection from Ben Stein's monthly Diary.
(Page 2 of 3)
Then, back to the glorious Seasons resort where I have my condo. I am actually in the process of buying another one there so my sister can live next to me when we're both really old. I took a brief nap, attended to some e-mail, and then Phil and I headed off in our rented Cadillac to the Sandpoint Marina.
There we met our pal Tim Farmin. He is a boat mechanic and an expert on all things nautical. I like to have him with me when I set out on the lake. He and Phil and I have become great pals. We talk about boats and weather. I call it "Playing Gentile" and I like it a lot. Tim is amazingly smart. His great-grandfather founded Sandpoint and the local elementary school is named for him, and lots of other stuff, too. When I am pulling into the dock in rough water he always gives me short, polite guidance so I can park. You might think it's easy to park a boat but it's not, at least not for me. Boats have no brakes and it's not that easy to make them go into reverse....Well, anyway, I like to have Tim with me.
We headed out past the upsetting freeway construction and then past the kids lolling on the beach, and I thought, as I always do, of Hart Crane, a truly great poet of the 1920s and 1930s.
Above the fresh ruffles of the surf,
Bright striped urchins flay each other with sand,
They have contrived a conquest for shell shucks,
And their fingers crumble fragments of baked weed
Gaily digging and scattering.And in answer to their treble interjections
The sun beats lightning on the waves;
The waves fold thunder on the sand;
And could they hear me, I would tell them:O brilliant kids, frisk with your dog,
Fondle your shells and sticks, bleached
By time and the elements, but there is a lineYou must not cross nor ever trust beyond it
Spry cordage of your young bodies to caresses
Too lichen-faithful from too wide a breast.
The bottom of the sea is cruel.
Poor Hart Crane. Masochist, gay, suicide at a young age. But what a talent. And what great advice.
Anyhow, we passed the no-wake zone, threw the Thompson into hyperspace gear and got up on plane with our super Michigan Wheel steel propeller, and off we zoomed. My boat is only 20 feet but it is fast, fast, fast.
We sped across the waves and wake and lake and soon were in Bottle Bay. We pulled up at the gas dock ("Put it in reverse and hard to port...") and hopped out of the boat while a lovely girl put gasoline into the beast.
Then we sat amongst the bees and the trees and ate our Bottle Bay burgers -- hamburger, chutney, cheese, bun, Thousand Island, heavenly, and talked about boats and engines and weather and the future of the region, and then went back to the boat. We looked at the boats and the water for a long time. "Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy..."
Under slate-blue skies, bluish gray, with a fine breeze, we zoomed like Kennedy's PT-109 across Contest Point and then under the long railroad bridge and then under the long highway bridge, and across to a restaurant next to the bridge, but someone was having a party there, so we just turned around and headed back to the marina, past the bright striped urchins.
Then to our car and Tim to his motorized bicycle that he made himself, and then back to First Street, the main street, to just sit in a chair and look around. People are friendly in Sandpoint, except for one woman from Brooklyn that I might have already mentioned. She does not belong here.
Then, to the beloved Wal-Mart to buy huge quanta of fiber for my poor old intestines. And then a second nap, and then dinner at Trinity at the Edgewater. Truly incredibly good Korean short ribs, salmon, and carrots. What a meal, right on a lawn next to the water. This may be about as good a restaurant as there is.
Then, out to the Dairy Depot for milkshakes. It is a combination gas station, convenience store, and fast food stop. They make each milkshake painstakingly by hand. I always get chocolate ones because when my father was in the hospital for his final illness, once and once only could he get solid food, and he asked for a milkshake. The chef at the hospital cafeteria said he could not make one. I gave him a hundred dollars to make one and my father loved it and said, "Life is short. Eat as many of these as you can." He was dead about a week later.
About the Author
Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes "Ben Stein's Diary" for every issue of The American Spectator.
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Appleby| 10.22.09 @ 7:06AM
My beloved Daddy died a year ago October 7, and one of the things that he suffered was shortness of breath that ultimately required oxygen full time. He had a build-up of fluid around his heart and had special medication (Lasic, I think) to deal with it. This may come and go. Ask your doctor. God bless you.
Armand Croft| 10.22.09 @ 8:05AM
Mr. Stein--What is the sensation of your shortness of breath? If it's feeling that you can't fill your lungs, or that they're only half-filling, or if you need to take ever deeper breaths, it might be psychogenic dyspnea, stress-induced shortness of breath. If so, a sure-fire cure is the relaxation response, the non-ritualistic cousin of transcendental meditation. Websites abound.
Be well.
melvin| 10.22.09 @ 8:43AM
Then again Ben, it just might be a case of, Gas. A bit of Benifiber, (they didn't pay me for this) and you'll right as rain.
Life has gotten so hectic and mechanical now, we must never ever forget and force ourselves as need be to stop and appreciate those and life around us.
My bit of paradise is the swimming pool at Camp Johnson in Jacksonville, NC, where I go swimming, not so much for the physical exercise, but for my little group of friends who are 50 to 60 something and we tread water and solve all the worlds problems in a span of hour.
I never knew any of these wonderful people until last year, and I wouldn't trade their friendship for all the gold in the world.
I guess this happens when one gets older, we tend to look for each other when one of us doesn't show up to see if we are all right.
It is a reassuring thought to know, that just maybe there is hope for humanity after all.
Darla| 10.22.09 @ 8:58AM
My sister-in-law had something called "Red Sea" which caused problems breathing. It was caused by a red algae that grows in the ocean and puts out spores that can get into the lungs and cause lots of problems. She had been riding a bicycle along a beach just before she came down with symptoms. We were on a vacation at the time. Unfortunately, the doctors in the Midwest had never dealt with this condition so it took some time for her to be diagnosed and treated properly. Ask your doc about "Red Sea". And, God be with you Ben Stein. I love your writings and your humor.
Darla| 10.22.09 @ 10:47AM
I told you wrong. It is called "Red Tide", not "Red Sea".
S.L. Toddard| 10.22.09 @ 9:31AM
Mr. Stein, ask your doctor for an albuterol inhaler. If it alleviates your next attack (or whatever you choose to call it), it's either asthma or at least something that the inhaler alleviates.
Grock| 10.22.09 @ 9:45AM
As a former mouth breather, {Asthma} I have tried to breathe through my nose in my own quiet sessions, if dust is in the air this seems to help.
Eric Cartman| 10.22.09 @ 10:10AM
Hi Ben. Just a thought here. But could it be from the Obama Administration? He's been in office 8-months, you have had this for 6-months and for the first 2-months he was doing nothing much. But as time has gone by, he has really been screwing things up in the economic realm. It maybe tension! In your subconscious, you may be always thinking about the trillions we are never going to be able to repay and how most of D.C. just doesn't care. I know I'm worried as hell. Keeps me awake at night. Like I said, just a thought - God bless.
Ned| 10.22.09 @ 11:03AM
Ben, more bacon, cheeseburgers, milk shakes, women in bikinis, lots of full speed ahead, and you will be fine.
Eric Cartman| 10.22.09 @ 11:36AM
Cheeseburger, shmeezeburger! Ben, forget Ned's wimpy cheeseburger. Get your hands around KFC's Double Down Chicken Sandwich! Two deep fried chicken breasts used as the bun for another deep fried chicken breast and topped with bacon and cheese! Cheese, Ben, Cheeeseeee! You'll be so happy, they'll have to scrape you off the ceiling with a greasy spatula!
lehrue stevens jr. m.d.| 10.22.09 @ 11:31AM
Tried to find Seasons Resort, Edgewater and Libery rest. No luck-are they fictitious to protect you from the adoring hordes?
Dr Gregory Young| 10.22.09 @ 11:41AM
Dear Ben,
I am a retired (from practice) neuroscientist. May I offer an over-the-counter suggestion? I believe I am familar with what you are experiencing. I would recommend to you the following:
L-Cysteine
N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC)
Glutathione (tripeptide)
These 2 amino acids and 1 tripeptide (in capsule form) will effectivley and harmlessly aid the immune system from overresponding to debris within the air that you are now subject to inhaling, subject to growing older and the inevitable decline in the abilities of our Immune Response. As dietary supplements, these amino acids work directly within the tissues of the lungs, strengthening the Immune Response while fostering deeper, unencumbered breathing throughout the day and night for those prone with your symptoms. I recommend you obtain these from JoMarLabs.com, with whom I have dealt with personally 30 years. Good luck and Better Health!
Dr. Gregory Young
heidi| 10.22.09 @ 12:54PM
Bet the doc is right. Building up the immune system should always be the first line of defense since the body was designed to heal itself.
Ben, I think you are adorable and hope you enjoy every minute of every day! I am sure you will because you have the gift of gratitude for all that you have been given.
May God Bless.
Joe| 10.22.09 @ 12:54PM
Here is a side question. Have you notice the rise in Oil prices again with no reason. Our supplies are increasing not decrease. Maybe it is time for another article to WSJ.
John Hudock| 10.22.09 @ 12:54PM
Ben,
Please follow-up if you find any of the suggestions to have been helpful. I've had a very similar condition that comes and goes, but I have never had asthma, but I have had a few occasions of a cold turning to serious bronchitis and then to pneumonia, so I, too, have wondered if it could be caused by some leftover bacteria. I have also noticed that I don't get it when I am at home for extended periods (N. Westchester, mostly wooded suburbs) but that it comes when I travel into work in the city, so I have considered it might be caused by some allergen. I may try Dr. Young's suggestion to see if it does any good, but please let us know if you find anything that helps.
Ed| 10.22.09 @ 2:19PM
Hi Ben -- What you want to get is a portable spirometer so you can test your vital capacity when you get your bouts of shortness of breath. Vital capacity is the total volume of air (in liters) that you can breath out in one continuous expiration. If you are indeed having asthma attacks, the drop in vital capacity will be measurable. I have a Ph.D. in Physiology (not an M.D. degree). Check with your doctors for what would be appropriate (electronic ones run in the thousands of dollars and mechanical ones run in the hundreds of dollars). Good luck and God Bless.
TennesseeVolunteer| 10.22.09 @ 3:45PM
Ben, thanks for a little break from the stress and worry that so many people are having to deal with now. A simple life with simple pleasures is to be cherished. My favorite place is to sit on my deck overlooking Lake Sequoia in Cherokee Village, AR. There are bigger and more ostentatious places but for my wife and I, it is our Fortress of Solitude. Be well my friend.
larry v| 10.22.09 @ 5:13PM
ben,i recently got a pneumococcal vaccination which protects from pneumonia for 10 years.if you get one and the problem persists,it would seem you could eliminate that diagnosis.hoping this will be of some help.also hope all of our prayers for a national treasure will be helpful as well.
Sam G| 10.22.09 @ 5:30PM
from a cardiologist - episodic shortness of breath, especially if exercise-induced, can be a symptom of coronary disease. An anginal equivalent, if you will.
If I were seeing you, I would consider an exercise stress test with imaging - either echocardiography or a nuclear scan.
Of course, this is based on very limited information. And to a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail
Robert| 10.22.09 @ 5:32PM
Shortness of breathe really could be anything, from asthma to something very serious. Talk to your doctor.
http://www.clean-pool-and-spa......istry.html
Tina Hummel| 10.22.09 @ 6:39PM
Ben - thanks for sharing a lovely day - it made mine.
E.A Schill| 10.22.09 @ 10:45PM
eh, your fine. Life is Beautiful
Martin Owens| 10.22.09 @ 11:43PM
For shortness of breath, beware of congestive heart problems. When I was diagnosed, I was shocked- I too thought it was childhood asthma redux. But I started taking serious water pills, like Lasix, and exercising like a fiend. I got my life back. Didn't realize how close to the glue factory I had drifted... Ask your medicine man about that retained water angle.....
Hugh| 10.23.09 @ 4:01PM
Ben,
Bacon, butter, cheeseburgers, milkshakes, senior citizen. You are a prime candidate for cardio-vascular blockage. Shortness of breath was one of my symptoms; chest pressure, the other. I really recommend the stress test that Sam G. proposed.
DukeD| 10.23.09 @ 6:19PM
Yo Ben. Join the club. I had this occasional shortness of breath that kind of came and went away. Finally went to the Doctor and the thing is.... they really can't tell a lot until they shoot you with the dye. Went to hospital for a stent (you know... little tube in your artery to open it up) and ...oops.... lets make that a bypass. In my sixth week of recovery.... but not short of breath anymore. Check it out... listen to the cardiologist with the hammer!
GAM| 10.24.09 @ 5:55PM
Hope you find a cure. I loved, loved, loved you in Fredericksburg this week.
Mike ZB| 10.24.09 @ 11:30PM
Advice from my experience:
1. Stay regular - histamines in your gut add to the allergy load just as histamines in your lungs.
2. Handle carbs with care.
I endured bronchial asthma symptoms as a child, during a time when canning fruit with sugar was popular. Decades later, I read a book (published in the year of my birth) that noted the relationship between hypoglycemia and asthma - one sensitivity feeds another. This was why the military didn't want me ...
3. Keep your stamina built up. A long bike cruise will do more for that than a short vigorous workout.
Hope this helps.
Linda F| 10.25.09 @ 8:07AM
I also had breathing problems in my youth - chronic bronchitis, multiple colds. I probably had undiagnosed asthma; when in my early 40s, a physician diagnosed asthma, and put me on meds. I struggled to achieve a stable medical condition, but was hospitalized about once every 2 years.
I've found that even as little as 10 pounds lost makes a huge difference in breathing. Other things that help: building up the immune system (other commenters are spot-on with that), avoiding allergens (particularly aspirin, salicylates, red wine and aged cheeses, and, most importantly, MSG), and taking long-term meds religiously.
allie a| 10.25.09 @ 9:47PM
Ben, you are such a mensch...a deep mensch, and I've loved you for it for years. Good writer, too!
God bless you, your wife, your son, your friends, your country, and your readers like me too.
We are all held in Love.....
Jim Coleman| 10.30.09 @ 8:07PM
Hey Ben...I'm a retired neurologist and I have no idea what's bugging you and I have exactly the same thing bugging me...go figure. I think you and I are a lot alike in another way...we like to eat and likely that's where some of this comes from. As to bacon....the very best is from Benton's in Madisonville, TN (Google Benton's Hams) and tell Allan Benton I sent you...you'll never eat any other bacon.....ever....and it might cure what ever is ailing you....or maybe not.
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Shanghaiescort| 10.28.10 @ 9:27PM
That's a breath taking story or very useful to read.
Attractions| 11.9.10 @ 1:16PM
Hope you find a cure. I loved, loved, loved you in Fredericksburg this week.
EdgeMan| 11.19.10 @ 8:36AM
Cool blog with interesting material. I'll be back.
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Car| 11.21.10 @ 11:22PM
I have had maddening shortness of breath, too. How can i do?
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