I've been calling a lot of you guys and gals "my family" for some time now so here goes. I've been having a bad cough since I was down in June and over the fourth in phoenix it got worse, that along with some shortness of breath. I finally got my but in for a x-ray late last week and it shows something that's not good, but they don't know what and we'll be taking a closer look at tomorrow with a CT scan. I've gone 60 years with nothing more than self inflicted wounds and a few by others, wish me luck.
:sunny:
Good luck ken, i am thinking positive and guessing due to your activity level and health that is wont be the worst case scenario. there has been a nasty lung infection going around this year so if that is what they find make sure and get plenty of rest and beat it and be back to fishing for the fall season.
Good luck, kenny ! Will be sending good thoughts your way. Your situation is starting off like mine did a few years back. My arm went numb so I went to the doc, after shocking the heck out of me and finding nothing he sets me up for an MRI. The day after the MRI my wife gets a call from the doc saying I need to be at his office later that day for a consultation. The doc informs me I have brain tumor and I need surgery immediately but wants to do a CAT scan. After the CAT scan was done he tells me it was nothing more then an abnormal bone growth off my spine. Needless to say I could have killed the SOB on the spot for all the anxiety.
It all turned out well as will your situation. :D
I don't post often but had to say - you will be in our prayers. I also put a call out to my friends for prayers and good thoughts in February. All is well now and you will be too! Good Luck!
Hey Kenny,
Think positive. My brother had a cough and tickle in his throat for a couple months before going to the doctor and it was just an infection. A few antibiotics did the trick. I here am pulling for you.
Best of luck, Kenny! I went through a scare close to that a few years ago. Turned out I had a bad infection and there was some scar material the size of a dime on my lung from having Valley Fever at some point, actually fairly common for us outdoors Southwestern types. They monitored it for a year or two and no change in size or anything before they reached that conclusion. I wasn't up for them doing a lung biopsy!
Keep us posted, hope all turns out well!!
:sunny:
Stuart
Hey Kenny, I look at chest Xray reports all the time. Most likely you have an infection, but on the Xray they found a granuloma which is old scarring (basicly) from past infections like Valley Fever. A radiologist is always going to CYA. So they recommend additional testing to confirm what the suspicious area is. Then they'll follow for awhile to make sure it's stable. Keep positive thoughts.....
I don't know what your risk facts are...but if you smoke....quit. No good comes of it.
Good luck Kenny....."attitude" can get you through a lot. I went thru my own scare earlier this year....fortunately minor surgery took care of it. Also haven't had anything serious all of my years...and I'm your age. Makes you ponder your "mortality"....again...wishing you the best!
Kenny my friend, we, Alicia and me are keeping you in our thoughts, we wish you the best and know that you will be back to normal in no time fishing again!!!! :sunny: ;)
You guys are great.. :sunny: I knew I could count on you guys.. :D
I had the CT Wednesday and was hoping for the results yesterday. I just got home from work and I'm still waiting. :roll:
I have great insurance at the college but my deductible went up to $300 this year. I've never used my insurance in the 4 years I've been there and I didn't even know it was coming and when I told them I couldn't pay them because I needed the money for my quest for a world class (BIGFISH!) Pinto with my fishin buddy Ric, they just :lol: Anyway they got their money but my sock drawer $ is still intact for my next trip down. ;) You know I've been looking for that BIG Pinto Ric, this year we'll get em. I have the patience and the perseverance, and Captain Ric LOL.. 8-)
Thank you all for the positive vibes and prayers. I'll let you know when I know.
Hi Kenny. The fact that no one has called and said they need to see you right away is a good sign. If the CT was bad, the radiologist will often times fax a prelimiary report or call the referring physician. You should hear something by Monday. If not, make sure you have an appt with your Dr., go into the office, and get the results. Don't sit around and wait for them to call you!
Hi Kenny. The fact that no one has called and said they need to see you right away is a good sign. If the CT was bad, the radiologist will often times fax a prelimiary report or call the referring physician. You should hear something by Monday. If not, make sure you have an appt with your Dr., go into the office, and get the results. Don't sit around and wait for them to call you!
Have a great weekend!
I received a call from the nurse/receptionist and she said basically the same thing. She said he had received the scan this am. I asked if he'd looked at it. She said she assumed he had, it was lined up with the others that came in this morning and since he gave her no directions that was a good sign and just come in for my scheduled appointment August 4th.
I already know I have some damage from smoking and my different work environments throughout the years from the previous xray but this is good news as far as the big C is concerned. It's been a long 9 day's!... I know, stop smoking a** hole. :roll:
Kenny, we also tried the patch and for us it work the best of all the things out there for quiting, sometimes you heavy smokers put two or three, I've seen it, one is more than enough unless you like to be comfortably numb!!! mmmmmmmhhh hey let me know when you get them!!!! will have a party!!!!! :lol: :o
PS: conserning the Dr. you know what they say "no news is good news" bring on the patches!!! :mrgreen:
I smoked for 50 years. Talked to the doctor and asked for any ideas on helping me to stop smoking. He tells me to stop buying them by the carton. Buy single packs.
I told him if I ran out of cigarettes in the middle of the night and it was 40 below and we had a snowstorm I would walk to the nearest store barefoot to buy them!
He said, I guess my idea is not too good!!
He gave me a script for Zyban. I picked a date 30 days away (my birthday) and took I think two pills a day and just kept smoking. On the 30th day I got up in the am had my coffee without a cigarette. Have not smoked in 5 years, not one drag!
Have to say that was on a Monday and on Friday night we were out with crowd for happy hour and I sat at the bar drink in hand and no cigarettes, did not have a single craving for a smoke.
You can do it, but I knew I needed more help - no will power. Zyban does not work for everyone but you may want to discuss it with your doctor
we talk about quitting smoking - have yet to stop.
we never smoke at work, only on our own time, but still know that it's the worst habit we have.
smoke and a beer, they just go well together dammit.
Yeah, a smoke and a drink. When I was quit before, that's when I missed it the most! :cry:
Maybe we could all quit and use this as a support group. :idea:
Support group? If I keep reading post's like the last two I'll start drinking again before I quit smoking.. :lol: :lol:
I have some gum on the way, I found it much cheaper on Ebay and that's the easiest to start with. I'm also going to see about drugs, 8-) I mean Zyban tomorrow at the college's clinic as well as the patches. I think my insurance should cover the Zyban if not both. Hypnotherapy is not out of the question as well.
I've cut way back but, :oops: At least I haven't needed to use the nebulizer today. :D
Hey Ink, if I get all that going along with a pot of coffee, I'll be ready to party all night long.. :sunny:
Hey Kennny!
"Doggone", took my breath away when I read the posts. :shock: Sure glad to hear everything is going well. Anything I can do to help you quit, just drop me a line.
Hey Kennny!
"Doggone", took my breath away when I read the posts. :shock: Sure glad to hear everything is going well. Anything I can do to help you quit, just drop me a line.
Thank's Don, I'm looking forward :arrow: to our next fishing :fish: trip, maybe we'll get the inflatable :boat: out the next time.
Hi Kenny. I may have missed it somewhere on this site, but I was just wondering about the results of your CT scan. I'm assuming things went well????
Thanks, but not quite finished yet. They wanted a better look again at what's in there, so on Wednesday I had the IV with the CT that makes it show up even better. I'll see the lung specialist for the first time tomorrow and I'm sure he I won't have all the answers, not from just scans. I love the summer but man, was that a long July or what? LOL
Well lets see, as I suspected some COPD has started, that's emphysema. It's in the early stages but it's still going to be a problem in the future. I also have two lymph node's that are bigger than they should be and a small opaque area in my right lung as well. We’re hoping that the size of the node's will go down or stays the same because the location makes a biopsy very difficult and three months won't make a difference, if you catch my drift. He gave me some antibiotics, maybe I've had a chest infection and they have reacted. We'll have another scan again in 3 months. It's going to feel like 3 years..LOL So, all in all I didn't learn a thing and we're not speculating, just hoping.
In the meantime we’re going to do some test's and see where my COPD stands and what direction to go there. I feel fine except for the stress. :? I'm breathing much better and my cough has subsided substantially. I'm working on and doing better about the smoking. I've cut way way down and I'm smoking like a 5th grader who doesn't inhale when I do ..LOL.. I'm using the gum and Zyban and setting goals.
Thanks everyone :) and hope to see ya soon. :sunny:
Jeez Kenny I've gotten more exact info than they gave you from a fortune in Bazooka Bubble Gum.
It was like the Magic 8-Ball saying"ask again latter" Boy it is good you have functional health insurance.
Hi Kenny. I'm going to disagree with Jerry. I think you got some good information. To know EXACTLY what is going on would mean cutting in to you and taking a looksee. Who wants that??? By your note, you already knew you were dealing with early COPD. And, yes, that sucks. But it could have been a whole lot worse. Apparently, no one has looked at the films and said you have lung cancer. Praise the baby Jesus. :D
I only know you from reading your posts on this site. But I get the feeling you enjoy a certain amount of freedom in your life, and have some good fishing buddies. You also seem to have some wonderful memories of the old Rocky Point, as do I. The good news is it's not too late to slow the damage. Work on stopping the cigarettes, and enjoy every sunrise/sunset on the water.
Thanks guys :sunny: I've talked with some friends in the medical field and they all said I should get a second opinion. I guess it certainly wouldn't hurt anything, so I'll see about it tomorrow.
Hey Jerry, I think the next Corvina hunt should be in early October instead of later in the month like last year. I think the warmer water will produce more fish. I'm still looking for that big hermit Permit :fish:
Kenny at the 17th street market in Tucson Corvina was selling for 6 bucks a pound this morning.They were about the size of the biggest ones you were catching in your streak.
Early October sounds good. hopefully I'll have my canoe motor by then
Kenny, go to: http://www.emphysema.net/ It's the website for EFFORTS. It's an organization that provides information and support for all types of COPD. Buenos suerte
