4th of July ER Visit

[DJS]

On Wednesday, my wife went to bed early with an achy body, fever and chills. She didn't sleep well with several bouts of the shakes. In the morning on July 4th she says that she needs an antibiotic and there wasn't any Doctors available so she asked me to take her to the ER in Maple Grove. We got there at 7:00am and after she described her symptoms, they did a chest X-ray followed later by a CT scan. This revealed a mass in the upper part of her right lung so they said that they were going to give her an antibiotic and some pain medicine and then keep her in the hospital. Yesterday she felt like a sick dog all day but one of the lung Docs stopped by to tell her that she would have a Scope down her bronchial tube to get a look at what it was and then to flush out a sample to culture. I asked them to not treat for Wegeners until they knew what it was because it could be something else. This afternoon she was a lot better and feels better so we'll see how long they need to keep her. The problem with this dang disease is that by the time they turn off the immune system, you become victim of every thing else that comes along. And in my wife's case, she doesn't know how to read what her body is telling her.

[drz]

On Wednesday, my wife went to bed early with an achy body, fever and chills. She didn't sleep well with several bouts of the shakes. In the morning on July 4th she says that she needs an antibiotic and there wasn't any Doctors available so she asked me to take her to the ER in Maple Grove. We got there at 7:00am and after she described her symptoms, they did a chest X-ray followed later by a CT scan. This revealed a mass in the upper part of her right lung so they said that they were going to give her an antibiotic and some pain medicine and then keep her in the hospital. Yesterday she felt like a sick dog all day but one of the lung Docs stopped by to tell her that she would have a Scope down her bronchial tube to get a look at what it was and then to flush out a sample to culture. I asked them to not treat for Wegeners until they knew what it was because it could be something else. This afternoon she was a lot better and feels better so we'll see how long they need to keep her. The problem with this dang disease is that by the time they turn off the immune system, you become victim of every thing else that comes along. And in my wife's case, she doesn't know how to read what her body is telling her.

Learning about your body and how the Wegs is affecting you, seems to get easier over time as the control of the disease process seems to improve with treatment. We empathize and sympathize with you and her and know how stressful it can be. It tends to be a life long thing that we slowly get more used to but the issue never goes away since there is no cure for Wegs. Hope she feels better soon.

[Alysia]

Hi DJS,
it was prob scary to you and to your wife. good decision to go to ER.
good that you are insisting on exact diagnosis.
I have always a referal to blood tests and whenever Im feeling something wrong Im doing it, so my doc got information at the same day. that is important to "catch" things asap.
I hope your wife will soon feel better.

[DJS]

Got her home today. A strong antibiotic fixed up what ever her weakened immune system couldn't do.

[Debbie C]

What about the mass in her lung ?

[annekat]

I'm glad she's home and doing better. Like Debra, I also wonder about the mass in her lung. Was that an inflammation that went down with the antibiotic, or is it still there?

[mishb]

Sorry DJS, I think I must have missed something.

Has she been officially diagnosed with WG or are you still awaiting a confirmation?
Is she getting treatment for WG yet or are you still waiting?

I am glad, however, that she is home and feeling a little better.

[DJS]

I'm glad she's home and doing better. Like Debra, I also wonder about the mass in her lung. Was that an inflammation that went down with the antibiotic, or is it still there?
They took a sample on Thursday and now the lab has to grow the culture to figure it out.

[DJS]

Sorry DJS, I think I must have missed something.

Has she been officially diagnosed with WG or are you still awaiting a confirmation?
Is she getting treatment for WG yet or are you still waiting?
she was diagnosed a year ago and now off the strong stuff. Just zero immune system so she can get anything.

[Debbie C]

What is she on ? Hope everything comes back fine from the biopsy

[DJS]

What is she on ? Hope everything comes back fine from the biopsy
She is on 75 mg a day of Azathioprine (50 MG tablet in the morning and 1/2 a pill in the afternoon)

It will be interesting to see what comes back from the culture, but the bronoscope wasn't as bad this time as it was last year when her lungs were full of Wegeners globs.

[DJS]

Just saw her bill for the ER and hospital stay, $15,600. All except $150 copay is covered. But it is a sad commentary that she could have prevented this if she could have reacted to her body and got a antibotic earlier than the holiday of July 4th. Oh well.