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My mother has had a terrible year. Last fall, about this same time, she started coughing up small amounts of blood but still a small enough amount that she was able to hide the evidence. Come January, she finally told me since she was scheduled for a bronchoscopy. The pulmonologist came out and explained that the tumor(s) were too far in to be able to get a biopsy and she would have to be referred for surgery. Move forward to February, she goes inpatient for a partial lung removal (removed the left lung all but the bottom lobe). She was diagnosed with lung cancer but they surgeon said that the surgery removed all traces. Mom was inpatient for several days but was finally released home and slowly started making progress. Pathology did return a positive CLL diagnosis but we're not terribly concerned with that diagnosis at this time. No issues and she sees the oncologist very regularly. (Oncologist and pulmonologist are wife/husband and work actively together to ensure wonderful care.)
Over the course of this year, she has had multiple issues, some related to the lung issue, some not. Since about July, she has been battling pneumonia in the right lung and over the course of 3 months and 3 rounds of antibiotics, she was still not cleared. Que another bronchoscopy. Turns out that the antibiotics were doing no good since it was a fungal infection, not bacterial. She finally got insurance approval for the appropriate anti-fungal medication the physician wanted her to take.
For nearly 2 weeks now, she still feeling pretty rough. Slightly elevated fever, cough with bloody mucous, and aches/pains under the shoulder blades. She finally got a call back yesterday from the doctor for her to get another chest x-ray and appointment with him. Apparently, the x-ray didn't look good so he sent her back over this time for a CT scan and than back to his office again. Turns out that she has now developed another pneumonia, much larger and in a different area of the right lung than that caused by the fungus. So now a 10 day round of medication that is normally 3 days.
She finally told me today that she also dropped off/turned in her rental CPAP machine as she can no longer afford it. I just about fell out of my chair. I'm actively looking locally for a new/new in box unit we can just purchase. I feel like she can probably afford the mask/tubing it's just the machine she can't fit into her budget. She has to have a unit. She had trouble restarting her breathing coming out of anesthesia. One of my wonderful friends was her nurse that day and is actually a former ICU/ER nurse so Mom was lucky to have this gal by her side. Nurse made it clear that her apnea was severe.....
I just wish Mom could feel better. She has had to miss events her grandsons have participated in that mean a lot to her. She still goes to work and still stays with her parents in 'the holler' just about every weekend, but she just feels sick all the time. If I could take part of it from her, I would....
Not looking for pity or advise (although I do take you all serious when you post) just wanted to vent a little. I'm sure my coworkers are sick of hearing me talk about Mom.
Over the course of this year, she has had multiple issues, some related to the lung issue, some not. Since about July, she has been battling pneumonia in the right lung and over the course of 3 months and 3 rounds of antibiotics, she was still not cleared. Que another bronchoscopy. Turns out that the antibiotics were doing no good since it was a fungal infection, not bacterial. She finally got insurance approval for the appropriate anti-fungal medication the physician wanted her to take.
For nearly 2 weeks now, she still feeling pretty rough. Slightly elevated fever, cough with bloody mucous, and aches/pains under the shoulder blades. She finally got a call back yesterday from the doctor for her to get another chest x-ray and appointment with him. Apparently, the x-ray didn't look good so he sent her back over this time for a CT scan and than back to his office again. Turns out that she has now developed another pneumonia, much larger and in a different area of the right lung than that caused by the fungus. So now a 10 day round of medication that is normally 3 days.
She finally told me today that she also dropped off/turned in her rental CPAP machine as she can no longer afford it. I just about fell out of my chair. I'm actively looking locally for a new/new in box unit we can just purchase. I feel like she can probably afford the mask/tubing it's just the machine she can't fit into her budget. She has to have a unit. She had trouble restarting her breathing coming out of anesthesia. One of my wonderful friends was her nurse that day and is actually a former ICU/ER nurse so Mom was lucky to have this gal by her side. Nurse made it clear that her apnea was severe.....
I just wish Mom could feel better. She has had to miss events her grandsons have participated in that mean a lot to her. She still goes to work and still stays with her parents in 'the holler' just about every weekend, but she just feels sick all the time. If I could take part of it from her, I would....
Not looking for pity or advise (although I do take you all serious when you post) just wanted to vent a little. I'm sure my coworkers are sick of hearing me talk about Mom.
We've plenty of ears to listen with.
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