If you pray...
Please pray for my cousin Kevin... I have just received a letter from him. Kevin has CF and has been around 30 years! Longer than anyone expected for him so far. He has had 2 long transplants in the past and I always remember him going in and out of the hospital... these last few years he has been doing great! Traveling and enjoying life... but now something again.. oye... poor kev...
from my cousin....
Greetings once again in the Lord Jesus!
After not having heard anything for the past two weeks, I decided to call
my transplant coordinator at the hospital in Pittsburgh to find out the
results of my bronchoscopy. Apparently she has been on vacation, and was
just getting back up to speed and was planning to call me. Anyway, she
told me that it is not bacteria or a virus that is causing the infection
in my lungs, but a fungus, Aspergillus, similar to common bread mold. In
some ways this is worse than bacteria or virus in that the fungus can
entrench itself into the tissue (like you see in bread mold) and can be
difficult to eradicate. This is the reason that I have fluid in my lower
right lung. The coordinator also told me that during the bronchoscopy,
the doctors could see nodules from the fungus, so I have mushrooms
growing in my lungs!
Interestingly, I already take an anti-fungal medication since the doctors
first found Aspergillus in my lungs about 8-10 years ago. Although
subsequent bronchoscopy procedures did not turn up any more aspergillus,
the doctors told me at that time that once this fungus is found in the
lungs of people who have had transplants (and are immune suppressed),
previous experience has taught them that you can never be sure of
completely getting rid of it. Like most types of fungus, it produces
spores that can lay dormant for years until conditions are right for it
to grow again.
I would very much value your prayers. The doctors propose to start me on
a stronger anti-fungus medicine for two weeks, and after that I will have
a repeat CT scan at the local hospital, then the doctors in Pittsburgh
will determine if the medicine is working or something further is needed.
I'll up date on my weekend later! (I'm currently dogsitting at my sister's)
Peace and thank you for your prayers,
*freed
from my cousin....
Greetings once again in the Lord Jesus!
After not having heard anything for the past two weeks, I decided to call
my transplant coordinator at the hospital in Pittsburgh to find out the
results of my bronchoscopy. Apparently she has been on vacation, and was
just getting back up to speed and was planning to call me. Anyway, she
told me that it is not bacteria or a virus that is causing the infection
in my lungs, but a fungus, Aspergillus, similar to common bread mold. In
some ways this is worse than bacteria or virus in that the fungus can
entrench itself into the tissue (like you see in bread mold) and can be
difficult to eradicate. This is the reason that I have fluid in my lower
right lung. The coordinator also told me that during the bronchoscopy,
the doctors could see nodules from the fungus, so I have mushrooms
growing in my lungs!
Interestingly, I already take an anti-fungal medication since the doctors
first found Aspergillus in my lungs about 8-10 years ago. Although
subsequent bronchoscopy procedures did not turn up any more aspergillus,
the doctors told me at that time that once this fungus is found in the
lungs of people who have had transplants (and are immune suppressed),
previous experience has taught them that you can never be sure of
completely getting rid of it. Like most types of fungus, it produces
spores that can lay dormant for years until conditions are right for it
to grow again.
I would very much value your prayers. The doctors propose to start me on
a stronger anti-fungus medicine for two weeks, and after that I will have
a repeat CT scan at the local hospital, then the doctors in Pittsburgh
will determine if the medicine is working or something further is needed.
I'll up date on my weekend later! (I'm currently dogsitting at my sister's)
Peace and thank you for your prayers,
*freed