Another five months have gone by without a post. A lot of things have become much clearer. The election is over and Donald Trump will soon be inaugurated as our 4th president. This past week the funeral for President Jimmy Carter was held. I finally know what's been responsible for my "neverending" shortness of breath. But before I get into that, I want to talk about my family.
This past week we got about 11 inches of snow over a two-day period. Compare this to last year's total of 0.9 inches. We have a driveway that has a fairly steep grade. One of our neighbors helped shovel us out, but we left the lower half of the driveway and my car pretty much buried. In addition, the bottom inch or so turned to ice.
My cousin, Patty, just wrote a facebook post on how hard it is to ask for help. It must be a "Jones" thing. Luckily, my brother, Don, offered to help. In addition, he contacted brothers Tim and Dan to see if they were willing to assist. Yesterday, the "three amigos" showed up with shovels, leaf blowers and rope in hand.
Health Update
On September 2nd, Bill had to take me to the ER. I was short-of breath just sitting in my chair. They ran multiple tests including a CT scan, blood tests, etc. I was diagnosed with NSTEMI, a type of heart attack usually characterized by partial occlusion or temporary disruption of blood flow. My cardiologist ordered several tests, including a lung function test and angiogram, that were basically normal.
I asked for a referral to a pulmonologist because of ongoing shortness of breath. After several tests, he suggested a bronchoscopy. Imagine my surprise when he said, "We found something." I was diagnosed with EDAC (Excessive Dynamic Airway Collapse). My two mainstem bronchi collapse upon exhalation -- so I can breathe in oxygen but my airways collapse when exhaling. I have a predicted 91% blockage which falls into the "severe" category. That explains my ongoing shortness of breath.
Next Steps
I have an appointment with an interventional pulmonolgist at the Cleveland Clinic on Friday the 17th. These are the next steps:
- Go to the Cleveland Clinic for a "dyanmic CT" which will confirm the EDAC diagnosis.
- Meet with their interventional pulmonogost.
- If diagnosis is confirmed, I will be scheduled for a "stent trial." Stents will be placed in my trachea and bronchi to see if my beathing improves.
- If the results are positive, they will determine if the next intervention will be a robotic surgery (tracheobronchoplasty) that will not be easy. Warning: If you want to know the specifics, click on this link:
The Bottom Line
I am feeling good but feel very limited in what I can do. I've hired someone to clean the house as it was becoming more and more difficult. I'm enjoying being warm and comfy in my house, especially if I can find a good series on a streaming service. We will make it through, thanks to the support of friends, neighbors and family when needed. I'm thankful.
Kathy
