As some of you know, since December of 2014 I had been battling some type of a lung ordeal. At first I thought it was a cold, but it persisted so long I got it checked out. Immediately my local Dr's around Lima knew something wasn't right, and referred me to the top guy in the Lima area. After tons of testing, biopsies, and other stuff, he concluded I had something called Interstitial Lung Disease. That diagnosis covers a wide array of prognisis' and types of diseases. The worst being Fibrosis, which is a death sentence. They immediately pulled me off work from the grain elevator I worked at and started me on aggressive steroid treatments which helped me get over the bronchitis like symptoms. But all follow up tests show a good amount of damage to my lungs, and they weren't healing properly. Being that he never seen someone my age with something like this, he referred me to the best in the state down at OSU. Since then its been repeated test's, and a wait and see type plan. After awhile the Dr pretty much told me since I wasn't getting better or worse, he wanted to get invasive and do a V.A.T.S, which involves a camera going in 1 hole in my lungs and a robot in another hole to take a chunk. I finally agreed to it. This surgery was hard to agree to because it wasn't gonna fix me, but more or less give a definitive prognosis and a plan going forward. I had the surgery on Friday, February 26th and got out from the James center at OSU on Monday the 29th. Talk about pain. Damn I swear a bomb went off on my right shoulder. No amount of meds helped the first night. And on top of that the nausea was like the worst case of sea sickness you could imagine. I laid in bed with a chest tube and catheter till Sunday evening, which was when I could finally keep something down other than water. Since I was released it's been a lot of rest and pain pills. Actually, they gave me 90 OxyContin to go home with. I think I used about 20 of them over the first few days before I realized I hated them and just switched to heavy dose of Tylenol. For a guy who poops 3 times a day, being constipated for 4 days wasn't fun, haha. Anyhow, feeling a ton better now, as it's been almost 2 weeks since the surgery. I go the 16th to get all the staples and stitches from my ribs and back removed.
The good news was my Dr. called me yesterday and let me know that the biopsy results showed the least progressive form of the disease and I will start medicine when I visit him the 28th of this month. He says it is usually a pretty good prognosis and most the time the lung will heal up good and my breathing will improve. One thing I will have to watch is getting sick and not getting in to doctors because the meds will suppress my immune system. He did say however that I can resume my normal indoor and outdoor activities as long as I avoid stuff that could irritate my lungs. Eventually I will be allowed to get another job. Speaking of which: Fucking insurance companies are assholes. My job old employer immediately gave me 13 weeks short term disability back in July when the Docs pulled me from work. Their policy then states that I get terminated and apply for a 2 year, long term disability with their insurance carrier. Those dickheads rejected my first claim, basically saying there was no reason I couldn't work since I had worked from December through June when I first had the symptoms. Since then I appealed and my Doctors at OSU have helped me file paperwork and gave me a load of help preparing paperwork, so I'm praying they approve it. Sucks to go from 2 incomes to 1 and have a new addition to the family along the way. One thing I wouldn't trade through all this is the time I have got to spend with my 2 kids. And not to get to churchy, but I couldn't have made it this far without my faith. It's no Coincidence I found God shortly before all this happens. So many things have happened to help us get through this that no one could ever convince me otherwise that their is not a grand plan. Oh, and I have to admit that my hatred for OSU is now only with their sports teams. Hard to hate people that you are praying will help you watch your kids grow up. Another couple weeks and I will be cleared for fishing and can finally get out of the house. Thanks for reading and sorry about writing a book, haha
The good news was my Dr. called me yesterday and let me know that the biopsy results showed the least progressive form of the disease and I will start medicine when I visit him the 28th of this month. He says it is usually a pretty good prognosis and most the time the lung will heal up good and my breathing will improve. One thing I will have to watch is getting sick and not getting in to doctors because the meds will suppress my immune system. He did say however that I can resume my normal indoor and outdoor activities as long as I avoid stuff that could irritate my lungs. Eventually I will be allowed to get another job. Speaking of which: Fucking insurance companies are assholes. My job old employer immediately gave me 13 weeks short term disability back in July when the Docs pulled me from work. Their policy then states that I get terminated and apply for a 2 year, long term disability with their insurance carrier. Those dickheads rejected my first claim, basically saying there was no reason I couldn't work since I had worked from December through June when I first had the symptoms. Since then I appealed and my Doctors at OSU have helped me file paperwork and gave me a load of help preparing paperwork, so I'm praying they approve it. Sucks to go from 2 incomes to 1 and have a new addition to the family along the way. One thing I wouldn't trade through all this is the time I have got to spend with my 2 kids. And not to get to churchy, but I couldn't have made it this far without my faith. It's no Coincidence I found God shortly before all this happens. So many things have happened to help us get through this that no one could ever convince me otherwise that their is not a grand plan. Oh, and I have to admit that my hatred for OSU is now only with their sports teams. Hard to hate people that you are praying will help you watch your kids grow up. Another couple weeks and I will be cleared for fishing and can finally get out of the house. Thanks for reading and sorry about writing a book, haha
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