Susan Guidry
It all started in October 2009 when I kept dealing with this dry hacking cough. Eventually I went to the doctor and he said it was a touch of bronchitis. He prescribed meds and I began immediately taking them. In a matter of 4 days things had worsened. I just was not feeling good. I woke up on a Saturday morning and of course we all have to go to the restroom. Well when i sat up I felt really light headed. I managed to get to the restroom and nearly passed out there. But I kept telling myself I had to get back to my bedroom. Well I did get to the bedroom just in enough time to grab onto the foot of my bed and then passed out.
When I came too I was on the side of my bed. How I got there is still a mystery. Still have no idea how long i had been out. But anyway my phone rang and it was my best friend Bonnie and she then came to my rescue. I asked her to call the ambulance to get me to the emergency room.
While in the emergency room and doctors checking me out, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. I remember that evening and a little of the next day and that is it. When I came too again I was told I was in ICU for nearly 3 and a half weeks on a vent. I was then moved to another room and and remember staff from therapy coming in to try to get me up and out of bed. Well at that point I could no longer stand nor walk.
A few days later i was transferred to a nursing home for therapy/rehab. I was there nearly 3 weeks before I was able to take my first step. All in all my stay at the nursing home was a total of 7 weeks.
From there I was transferred to another rehab hospital in order to ween me off the oxygen and to remove my trach. In a matter of 4 days I was off the oxygen & no more trach.
I was at that hospital for a total of 3 more weeks and finally discharged in February 2010.
So all in total I was hospitalized for 3 and a half months. My family was told way back in November when I was in ICU that they had done everything and there was nothing more they could do for me and that I probably wouldn't make it through all of this.. Well sir here I am and able to talk about it. Apparently God wasn't ready for me and he has given me this second chance at life and I am so grateful to it all. So you see the doctors do not have the last word, God does!!!!!
So in the process I have been diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis.. A lot has changed in my lifestyle. I have lost 51 pounds to the day. Have lost some of my hair and no longer have hair under my arms. hehe. My taste buds have been off, as i still do quite a bit of spitting, gagging and at times don't keep the little of what I do eat. Just trying to adjust to it all. It has been quite an ordeal for someone like me who didn't have a care in the world.. I loved traveling, hanging out at the pool or the beaches to get my sun, & watching my grandbaby gurls play softball. Well a lot of that I kinda play by ear now depending on the weather & how i feel. I get quite tired from hardly doing nothing..
I continue to deal with that hacking cough. Just about everyday I get these headaches, not too sure what that is all about, but I will look into that as well. My joints hurt like hell. It doesn't matter what I do or don't do, the joints hurt. I rest a lot.
They still cannot give any answers to what caused all of this. Maybe they have no clue, but it sure is puzzling to me and my family. There are just so many questions with no answers.
According to my last doctor's appointment he told me I have a very large amount of scar tissue on my lungs. He recently ordered another CT scan so they can now compare it to the last one. I go for the results of the test next week, so I am patiently waiting for that day to get here.
Thank you,
Susan Guidry
