#Lung Disease

[idyllghost]

Outside of having that eldest daughter syndrome and The Guilt™️, Arthur Morgan and I share the fact our lungs do NOT want to work. Do with this information what you will.

[sickficideas]

we don't have any evidence that Beast Akutagawa is also suffering from a lung disease and i have my own suspicions about that but my suspicions aside...the slow burn whump as Beast Akutagawa's symptoms start to manifest. The fatigue and shortness of breath come first, Kunikida scolds him for not getting enough sleep, Oda is concerned it's unrelated so he keeps a close eye on him. The cough isn't noticed immediately because it's not constant, just every now and then, like his throat is dry. Junichiro always offers him water and Akutagawa takes it even when it doesn't help, so Junichiro is the first to notice it isn't going away. Junichiro is there the first time Akutagawa coughs up blood and he immediately knows something's wrong, when he calls Yosano for help she won't say it but she knows it too 💔 Akutagawa is so out of it, just staring at the bright red in his palm. He knows that's not right, he's hearing Gin in his head telling him it's because he never took good enough care of his health, he always put the group first. And now something's really wrong and he doesn't know where she is, he can never tell her 💔

[bpod-bpod]

Driving the Damage

Patients with mutations in a gene called STING suffer lung disease. This study reveals cells that line vessels (endothelium) bearing the mutation are initiating the lung pathology and could be exploited as a potential treatment target

Read the published research article here

Image from work by Kevin MingJie Gao and colleagues

Division of Innate Immunity, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution – NonCommercial – NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Published in Cell Reports, April 2024

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[fanartandfanfiction]

The good news: physically, my lungs are fine.

Bad news: no one knows why I’m ridiculously sick. They can all just agree that SOMETHING is wrong.

My birthday is Saturday and I was hoping I’d be healthy for this one. I’m just having a pity party

[skimbradsteen]

The end of fighting

Lost in disbelief Of what has happened Doing great beneath The stars that show compassion

I hurt myself in ways That no one else could do I let myself become sick So I would be close to you.

Leaving is a gift and curse Thinking it would be better Now I know it's so much worse Leaving just a letter

All the letter said Was I love you and goodbye When I arrived to the ER they rushed me to a bed Then said he might just die. The signs were in the red

I didn't intend to die They did all they could But I didn't make it in time No one understood

My heart stops beating The doctors work hard The couldn't stop the bleeding I must have died for I was in Asgard

Warrior they called For fighting for so long I never gave up Then they song the fighting song

[queer-and-tired-vampire]

Sometimes my breathing exercise feels like a whole damn exorcism

[whumpookies]

Aşk-ı Memnu 60. Bölüm Başır continues to suffer with his illness..

[serenitypoetry]

Lung Disease

within my lungs drags on a drought.

my throat is raw from coughing fits.

this is the worst of many bouts

that I have had for several years —

a dizziness consumes my head

and there is ringing in my ears.

a stream of tears falls from my face

and still I barely notice it,

distracted fully by the pace

at which the air is forced from me.

and even through the scare, I think —

I fear that soon, I'll cease to breathe.

[ember-rose]

November 3rd, 2023

Today was an adventure.

I got breakfast with my social worker; and I actually ate despite feeling sick… though mostly to please my worker and show them I can actually try to feed myself.

I blame my anti-epileptic drugs. Yet another reason I curse epilepsy - a day without feeling so sick I’m not hungry or don’t need a naproxen… I guess I might call that a good day.

I went around to several laptop places, looking for someone to buy my laptop off me… but they didn’t want to give me much because of the defect to the fan… kind of like the defect to my brain.

My negative thinking made me compare myself to the laptop; defective, cheap, and in need of expensive repairs… though the laptop wasn’t beyond repair yet.

However, the positive part of me thought “this laptop still has some life left in it, despite a few flaws - ones I don’t even notice.”

Which brought me back to the concept of how friends can be - I still have life left in me, despite being sick, and there are people in my life who won’t notice that.

They’ll treat me like a normal kid ~ which in others words, is all I can ask for.

Just like I felt tonight going for food, except for the part where I couldn’t finish my meal because I felt so sick.

But aside from that, my friend didn’t judge me.

We need more people like that in this world, honestly lol.

~ Ember Rose

[frenchygv]

Today is Rare Disease Day. Rare Disease Day is observed every year on 28 February (or 29 in leap years)—the rarest day of the year.

Rare Disease Day is the globally-coordinated movement on rare diseases, working towards equity in social opportunity, healthcare, and access to diagnosis and therapies for people living with rare diseases.

Over 6000 rare diseases are characterised by a broad diversity of disorders and symptoms that vary not only from disease to disease but also from patient to patient suffering from the same disease.

72% of the diseases are genetic and almost 1 out of 5 cancers is rare.

Relatively common symptoms can hide underlying rare diseases leading to misdiagnosis and delaying treatment. Quintessentially disabling, the patients quality of life is affected by the lack or loss of autonomy due to the chronic, progressive, degenerative, and frequently life-threatening aspects of the disease.

The fact that there are often no existing effective cures adds to the high level of pain and suffering endured by patients and their families.

Though Rare Disease Day is patient-led, everyone, including individuals, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, clinicians, policymakers, industry representatives and the general public, can participate in raising awareness and taking action today for this vulnerable population who require immediate and urgent attention. How can you take action? You can visit: rarediseaseday.org, globalgenes.org, and/or thelamfoundation.org, to learn more and donate. You can also help by reposting and sharing this post, thank you.

Hoy es el Día de las Enfermedades Raras. El Día de las Enfermedades Raras se celebra todos los años el 28 de febrero (o el 29 en años bisiestos), el día más raro del año. El Día de las Enfermedades Raras es el movimiento coordinado a nivel mundial sobre enfermedades raras, que trabaja por la equidad en las oportunidades sociales, la atención médica y el acceso a diagnósticos y terapias para las personas que viven con enfermedades raras. Más de 6000 enfermedades raras se caracterizan por una amplia diversidad de trastornos y síntomas que varían no solo de una enfermedad a otra, sino también de un paciente a otro que padece la misma enfermedad. El 72% de las enfermedades son genéticas y casi 1 de cada 5 cánceres son raros. Los síntomas relativamente comunes pueden ocultar enfermedades raras subyacentes que conducen a un diagnóstico erróneo y retrasan el tratamiento. Incapacitante por excelencia, la calidad de vida del paciente se ve afectada por la falta o pérdida de autonomía debido a los aspectos crónicos, progresivos, degenerativos y, con frecuencia, potencialmente mortales de la enfermedad. El hecho de que a menudo no existan curas efectivas se suma al alto nivel de dolor y sufrimiento que soportan los pacientes y sus familias. Aunque el Día de las Enfermedades Raras está dirigido por pacientes, todos, incluidos individuos, familias, cuidadores, profesionales de la salud, investigadores, médicos, legisladores, representantes de la industria y el público en general, pueden participar en la creación de conciencia y tomar medidas hoy para esta población vulnerable que requiere atención inmediata. ¿Cómo puedes tomar acción? Puedes visitar: rarediseaseday.org, globalgenes.org y/o thelamfoundation.org, para obtener más información y donar. También puedes ayudar reposteando y compartiendo esta publicación, gracias.

[valentinepills]

A Miracle for World PH Day 2023

TRIGGER Warning: Mention of Miscarriage in this post and unflattering photos of myself.

in December of 2019, I noticed a significant difference in my health. Shortness of Breath, even when walking a short distance, heart palpitations, cough & wheezing, chest pain and occasional nose bleeds. Untreated Anxiety and Depression associated with my Bipolar Disorder, Uncontrolled Diabetes and Intermittent Asthma were believed to be the cause of these symptoms despite my growing concerns. Each year my symptoms worsened. In February 2022, it had gotten so bad that I could not walk from my bedroom to my kitchen without feeling like I had just ran a marathon. My pulmonologist agreed that my condition was rapidly worsening and begged me to give a CPAP another try. I was also switched to the highest dosage of Advair and regular use of my emergency inhaler. My PCP told me to get my A1C down and consider weight loss surgery to expedite my weight loss journey. I was determined to do everything they advised, this way I could prove to them that something more serious was occurring. At this time, I had already quit smoking and began lowering my A1C.

To my surprise, June 30, 2022 it was confirmed that I was pregnant. It shocked me because a couple years ago in 2020 I suffered a miscarriage at 16 weeks. I was advised to consider birth control because my body could not hold a fetus. Well... they were wrong about that one! The doctor confirmed a healthy fetus made it’s way and there was a heartbeat. It was a miracle and I knew God had other plans for me. I prayed every day and every night, thanking my heavenly Father and thy Earthly Mother for all the blessings they bestowed upon me; also asking for guidance, clarity and strength to lead me in the right direction.

I began to communicate with my Perinatologist more as I learned to trust her. During an appointment in September 2022, I opened up and told her,

Doctor, something is wrong with me and I need someone to listen to me. I can’t do my seated exercise anymore and that concerns me. I can’t even walk in place but for 4 minutes, then I have to stop and lay down. I think something is wrong with my heart. I’ve been having these issues before I was pregnant. Please help me. I want to live.

She asked me had I seen a cardiologist. I explained to her that after an urgent care visit in May I was put on a heart monitor for a few weeks but no results were communicated to me. She fought to get my referral to a cardiology approved. My visit with the cardiologist in October is when I was told, I have Pulmonary Hypertension. An ultrasound of my heart confirmed that I had heart disease and heart failure.

My breath was too short for a sigh of relief. The weight on my chest applied pressure instead of being lifted. I was in my third trimester of pregnancy, when a right heart catheterization confirmed my diagnosis in November 2022. Then, the cardiology team with my healthcare provider advised for my care to be transferred to out-of-network team that can provide the care that I needed. I had gained over 40lbs in fluid due to heart failure and my new health team was confident that we could reverse it before labor.

My mother was in fear that she would lose her only daughter. I was in fear that I would never get to hold my daughter. My love was afraid that he would lose me and be alone. My father was scared and speechless. Everything made sense in these moments and everything mattered. It mattered who was there and who wasn't. It mattered where I was and where I was going. It mattered how and why.

3 weeks away from my due date, a team of 20+ assembled in the cardiac care unit to bring Zenobia in to the world. My father waited at home by the phone, my mother waited alone in the labor & delivery room and my love was by my side as they tilted me back and began to operate. After 4 hours of pre-op and 45 minutes of surgery, it was a success. My daughter was born, healthy and strong. Doctors, Nurses and many people stopped by to visit me when I left ICU, curious to meet the miracle baby and her parents. A nurse who was not in my station came to visit and said, 

"I hope you don't mind that I came to visit. Although I'm not your nurse, I was on call when the entire floor heard that you were being transferred to the cardiac operating room. Every nurse gathered and we prayed for you. Everyone is celebrating you, a miracle." 

My eyes filled with tears and joy. Other doctors and their students came to visit and were glad to see me. Another nurse encouraged me to tell my story and document my journey because it will inspire others. The doctors that worked directly with my care and surgery were impressed, proud and says that I'm their model story.

That was almost 4 months ago in January 2023 but also when my journey began. My team was honest with me, that labor and delivery was the least of their concern. Surviving postpartum, preparing for cardiac therapy and rehabilitation was top priority. I would be lying if I said it is easy. Most days I am sad. Learning to adjust to my new way of life has been challenging and difficult to accept. I promised myself to do all that I can to live, to change and to never give up. Meeting people who have PH and joining the association has been a great help to me and how I learned of World Pulmonary Hypertension Day on May 5, 2023. 

One thing I have learned since giving birth with Pulmonary Hypertension is how much time and creating memories mean to me. Also, how important it is to talk about how you’re feeling no matter how that looks for you or how it makes anyone else feel. It’s easy to look down and frown when you’re faced with this challenge. Make the conscious decision today, right now to look up and forward. Be good to yourself and your body. When you need to rest, do so and don’t feel bad for not being able to push through on bad days. You’re a survivor, a PHighter.

I have so much to look forward to. Raising my daughter, therapies and rehabilitation and none of it will be easy but I give praise to the Most High for this blessing. Thank you Lord for blessing every hand that was laid upon me. Thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for every person who prayed for me. Thank you for those who have been there and rooting for me. Thank you for giving me the strength and bravery to share what you have done for me and what you will continue to do. Thank you to everyone following me, befriending me and joining me. I got you. Let’s live, let’s fight for a cure.

[ella10pythonissam]

I think you've already figured out that I have a thing for illness/disability fanfics, so do you know any?

[sickficideas]

imagining Akutagawa feeling so sick and out of it that he finally takes Higuchi up on an offer to rest at a hotel for a while while they're out on a mission 💔 She books the most nearby one, knowing he must really not feel well if he's accepting help, she needs him to rest as soon as possible because she's seen gim get really bad recently when he works too much without a break...she goes up to the room with him and says she'll get waters for them downstairs, and when she comes back, he's curled up on one side of one of the beds, shivering and feverish and half asleep. she takes the comforter from the other side and lays it over him, and she lays beside him and watches him sleep for a while out of concern. his breathing sounds strained and she can hear a rattle in his chest. she knows his lungs aren't good, but go what extent, she has no idea. eventually, she starts to fall asleep too 💔 a moment of peace shared between them 💔

[phawareglobal]

Scott E. Olitsky, MD - phaware® interview 486

In this episode, Dr. Scott Olitsky, the Global Center of Excellence Outreach Director for Cure HHT, discusses hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a genetic disease characterized by abnormal blood vessel development. HHT can cause bleeding in various parts of the body, with nosebleeds being the most common symptom. In some cases, HHT can lead to the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Medications that dilate blood vessels can worsen bleeding in HHT patients. Dr. Olitsky shares his personal connection to HHT and PAH and highlights the efforts of Cure HHT to improve diagnosis and treatment options for patients.

My name is Dr. Scott Olitsky. I am currently the Global Center of Excellence Outreach Director for Cure HHT, which is the International Foundation for Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia. I also happen to be an HHT patient and a caregiver to someone in my family with pulmonary arterial hypertension. HHT is a genetic disease. It's autosomal dominant, which means that statistically 50% of all children born to a parent with HHT will have the disease. It's a disease of abnormal blood vessel development. So normally, arteries connect to veins in the body through a system of capillaries, very fine blood vessels. In HHT, the capillaries are missing, so the arteries connect directly with the veins. Because of this connection, the area where they do connect is prone to bleeding. So we see bleeding in certain sites where these abnormal blood vessels form. Typically, they form on the skin, on the mucosa of the lips, the mouth, the tongue, the nose most notably, the GI tract. Larger tangles of blood vessels can also occur in places like the lung and brain. So because of these abnormalities, we tend to bleed. The most common sign or symptom of HHT is nosebleeds. About 90% of patients have nosebleeds. These nosebleeds can range from anything from a minor inconvenience to being life-threatening. There are two forms of PH that tie into HHT. By far, the most common type occurs when these arteriovenous malformations, AVMs, form in your liver. Because of this, we can have shunting through our liver that shunts blood back to the heart before it has a chance to go to the rest of the body. This overflow of blood back into the heart is also pumped into the lungs. This can lead to secondary changes in the pulmonary artery system, which leads to pulmonary hypertension. That occurs in about 20% of patients with HHT. Far less common is the 1% of HHT patients who develop PAH, precapillary pulmonary hypertension, which behaves just like idiopathic or other forms of hereditable PAH. So as anybody listening this knows PAH is a difficult disease. Some of the drugs have some side effects that are potentially very problematic for patients, but for HHT patients in general, at this point, most but not all of the PAH drugs work by dilating blood vessels. This is problematic in HHT patients, because these blood vessels that are dilated include these abnormal blood vessels that we have. So most patients with PAH related to HHT see a significant increase in their bleeding, whether it be from their nose or very likely their GI tract, which causes iron deficiency and anemia. Of course, anemia on top of an already stressed heart is very problematic for a patient with pulmonary hypertension. By far, the most common problem patients with HHT have are nosebleeds, and they tend to run in families. Now, 90%, as I mentioned, have nosebleeds, but 10% don't. So the fact that a family member with known HHT in the family doesn't have nosebleeds, absolutely does not mean that they don't have HHT. That's very important, because these tangle of blood vessels that occur in the lung or the brain make people susceptible to stroke. We know that if you're properly screened, this risk can be maybe not entirely eliminated, but very close to it. So screening for people with HHT and these developments is very important. The most common issue that families will find is that multiple members of the family have nosebleeds. In many families that is a source of worry, but in HHT patients, we live with nosebleeds every day, multiple times a day. So many HHT patients don't really think of these common nosebleeds as being a problem. They don't think of it as being a potential sign of a disease. So one family member may have more nosebleeds than the other, but they've grown up for generations seeing this. But it's an important point because we know many patients with PAH may be on anticoagulants, they may be on oxygen, which makes their nasal mucosa more prone to bleeding, and so they may have nosebleeds, and that's not uncommon in the PH community. However, in those patients whose family members also experienced nosebleeds, this might be a warning sign that you should be looked at with a thought that HHT may be running in your family. HHT's diagnosis is made clinically, something called the Curacao criteria. There are four criteria. If you meet three of them, you have definite HHT. Two criteria, possible HHT. There's also genetic testing that can be done, which a mutation can be found in about 90 to 95% of patients. So generally what we suggest is that if a patient is concerned about potentially having HHT, they should see somebody who's familiar with the disease and see if a clinical diagnosis can be made. Generally, once the diagnosis is made, or if the diagnosis is possible, genetic testing is done. There are several mutations that cause HHT. There's one in particular which has a higher risk to develop PAH, then the genetic testing can be performed, confirm the diagnosis, also confirm the actual mutation. This is important because that mutation can then be checked for another family. So what we recommend and our international guidelines recommend is that a patient with a clinical diagnosis be tested, the mutation be found, and then all members of that family should be genetically tested for that mutation. HHT does not skip generations. If you have the gene, you have the disease. So it's important to know that. I've been involved with CureHHT for about two decades. I've been on their board for many years. I've known about my own disease since the time I was four or five. Didn't really think much about it. There wasn't a whole lot of treatments when I was younger. When I was in medical school, I remember going through the pathology textbook and seeing this disease and remembering this is what runs in our family. So I've been involved with HHT for a long time. As I mentioned, I have a personal connection to PAH. About 20 years ago, I had a cousin who was running marathons, Ironman races, and then all of a sudden started losing her exercise tolerance, misdiagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. At one point, couldn't walk down a city block. I'm sure a story that's very familiar to many PAH patients searching for that diagnosis. She was given the diagnosis, was given a very grim prognosis at the time, was put on some of the only medications available at the time and has done very, very well. That brought my awareness to what pulmonary arterial hypertension was and how it's tied to HHT. Fast-forward to about six years ago, I have a daughter who was experiencing similar symptoms and was eventually diagnosed as well. So I've seen the delays in diagnosis. I've seen the issues with some of the medications and how they affect people with HHT. At CureHHT, we talk about three goals, find, treat, cure. So we're trying to find patients with HHT so we can help treat them and eventually come up with a cure for the disease. We've been getting some terrific medications on board for patients. We're doing clinical studies to help nosebleeds, bleeding in general. We've set up international guidelines, so we really feel like we're getting places, but still, we estimate only 10% of patients with HHT are diagnosed. My personal connection, of course, comes into play here. I know that there are patients. I've helped identify patients with PAH who have HHT, and as I mentioned, their nosebleeds were thought secondary to their anticoagulants, maybe the oxygen they were on. So in order to help find those patients, help treat those patients and come up with some new therapies for patients with HHT, whether that be the best PAH medication in light of their HHT, or helping to get them on medications to control the bleeding that occurs because of the medications they're on for their PAH. We want to find those patients, and I think it's very important. Again, patients who are experiencing nosebleeds with PAH, don't just chalk it up to your medication or your oxygen therapy. Think about is there somebody in your family who has frequent nosebleeds, GI bleeding, history of an early stroke? These could all be signs that you may be a family member with both HHT and PAH. Thanks for listening. My name is Scott Olitsky, and I'm aware that I'm rare.

Learn more about pulmonary hypertension trials at www.phaware.global/clinicaltrials. Follow us on social @phaware  Engage for a cure: www.phaware.global/donate #phaware Share your story: info@phaware.com @curehht

Listen and View more on the official phaware™ podcast site

[doctube123]

Beyond Gender: The Fight Against Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a serious health threat affecting both men and women. Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving outcomes. Regular screenings, healthy lifestyle choices and quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk of lung cancer. For further insights, follow DocTubeTM.

[ajourneybecomesme]

8-12-24: The Call Back

Hello all, My name is Greg (skimbradsteen) Thompson. My main goal on Tumblr is and shall forever be to inspire people and help people feel less alone. I created this specific blog entity to express and explain my life. See I have always loved to write, and over time I've gotten better but I still am my worst critic. I don't always like what I like and must continue to edit the work several times before I am slightly happy with it. My writing pen name and immense creaitivity flourished when I was twenty. I was going through some unbelievably bad mental issues that inspired a whole book I wrote of poetry. I have about 3 unpublished books I have written that I hope to one day be published. My main goal with my writing is to help people. That is all I have ever wanted. I just want people to know they are not alone. That is why I write on many topics.

Now to the reason I created this blog. In 2015 I became ill with breathing difficulties. I went to my primary doctor, and he kept telling me I needed to lose weight when I only weighed about 10lbs over my overweight. I was like 5'9" 145. Apparently, that's overweight but I digress. I went to him two times and he told me to lose weight, then he gave me an albuterol inhaler the second time, and the third time I told him I stopped breathing at night that my gf told me that I did stop breathing on several occasions and I snored loudly. He then FINALLY sent me to a pulmonologist who in turn listened to me and did an x-ray, ct scan, and pft's. I had my gf and daughter who was only a month old at the time with me when I got the devastating news that I had a lung disease with only 33% lung function at the age of twenty-five. He told me there were treatment options and we went through them all. None of them seemed to have any effect on treating my lung disease. Towards the end of all the treatment options that he had with all the inhalers, and medicines he put me on. He sat me down and told me what he believed was the disease. At first it was assumed to be severe asthma but then it was discovered that it was a lot worse. I was diagnosed with "Constrictive Bronchiolitis or Bronchiolitis Obliterans". He said he was going to have to send me to a center about 2 hours away for a workup for a lung transplant.

So, he sent the referral to the center. They set me up with a pulmonologist who did more tests to conclude that, yes, I did have "Bronchiolitis Obliterans" which is a small airway disease. It's a very progressive disease and ultimately, it's a death sentence unless you get a lung transplant. I was told I had to stop working and then apply for Social Security Disability, which was approved immediately due to the nature of the disease. I hated having to quit a job I was finally happy at. So, anyways when I was at home the pulmonologist called me with all my test results and she told me to sit down and that I needed someone there with me when she told me the news. Thankfully, my mom was there. The news: "I am so sorry to have to tell you this, but you need a lung transplant and if you don't agree to go through the process and get one you are going to die". I sat in shock, and devastation. My life at that moment changed forever and thus began the 8 years of hell I went through. I had subcutaneous emphysema which is air that gets under the skin, and you swell up all over your body. It's rare and it happened to me twice. When you touch the swollen skin, you can hear rice crispy pops lol. I had Costochondritis which is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects your ribs to your breastbone (sternum). It is a very painful thing to have. Then in 2020 I became extremely sick and ended up in the hospital for a month and a half with Histoplasmosis(Fungal infection in the lungs), RSV, and Pneumonia all at the same time. They nearly had to put me on a ventilator because I could not get up, walk around, eat, and I had so much trouble breathing I couldn't lay down either. I was put on antifungals, and broad-spectrum anti-viral medications through the IV. I barely got through that but thank the lord I did.

On May 25, 2022, I was finally put on the lung transplant list and then October 31, 2022, I got the call as I was playing a game on my computer that I was getting new lungs. I packed up, called family and friends, and then headed up there to the center to have my transplant. I didn't expect the hell I woke up to. The nightmares were the worse part of it all. The hell I went through. After surgery I got an infection in my sternum and with having osteoporosis the surgical wires to wire my chest shut went right through the bone and my chest broke back open. I was delirious for an entire month with them working around the clock to find out what was going on. They found the infection and treated it. Once it was being treated, I woke up and was finally coherant again. They came in and said we must do another surgery to put your chest back together. So plastic surgery came in and they put a muscle flap over the sternum to hold it together. Then came the fun part. Rehab. This was the most challenging because they had me laying in a bed for a month without getting up. I had no strength in my arms or legs. I had to relearn how to walk and use my arms. Then another thing happened while i was in the rehab center. My kidneys were failing with only about 15% function left I was put on dialysis for two months. With some of my strength back and me on dialysis I was well on my way to recovery. Kidneys recovered but i have kidney damage that will always be there. So, they keep a close watch on them to make sure they don't fail again.

Fast foward to now. I'm going back into inpatient care because something has gone terribly wrong. My lung function is declining rapidly by day and I'm having trouble breathing once again with severe impairment seeming to be congruent with small airway disease again. I'm devastated once more and more scared for my kids because I don't want them to lose me. I can't die. I just can't. They need me and whats more, I need them. I am very afraid to leave them fatherless. That is my worst fear...

Anyways, this blog I will keep things up to date on everything that is going on and fill in the blanks of the past the best I can with what memory I have from what was taken because of transplant...

Thanks for reading,

God bless,

Greg