Oh, this news is so promising!
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Oh, this news is so promising!
I will keep hoping and praying that he improves more and more. How awful for all of you. I know it's zapping all the strength you all have. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}
The latest news is very encouraging. Your son being young has not much experience with the frailties of the human body, hence his impatience with his current condition. I do hope that you can convince him to give his body the time it needs to heal and do whatever it takes to assist in that healing.
Thanks for the great update. I'm so glad to hear that your son's condition it improving.:) Now hopefully you'll be able to relax.:)
I can see both sides of this one. Viral myositis makes sense to me. But on the other hand, I can see a doc wanting to pursue it further since your son is young, healthy and it would make sense to make sure his symptoms were not part of a condition other than viral myositis. Also good to know he can go to the MD clinic if that should be necessary.Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
Hug,
Elyse
It isn't that I don't understand why the dr. wants to do further testing. I just didn't like that she so flippantly blurted out what it could be. Until she knew for certain, she could've said "Let's just wait and see and not panic right now. We've got further testing to do." To put those words into his head (and mine) was terrifying and not easily erased.Quote:
Originally Posted by cassiesmom
I just spoke w/my son and he feels that he's at 40%. He can now open the door w/his left hand, although not as easily as w/his right. He said he could take the cap off his pen but when he was talking w/me, he tried and couldn't do it at first, then he managed to do it. He washed his hair for the first time in a week but he wasn't able to scrub it the way he likes to but so far all he had been able to do is let the water run over his head. He said washing dishes is tricky. He can't hold the dish w/his left hand, he has to put it in the sink and wash it w/his right. He goes back to the walk-in clinic tomorrow for more blood tests and the results. He won't relax until he hears good news, even though the neurologist ruled out ALS, MS and many other too scary diseases to even mention. But as I said earlier, those words stayed in my mind and I haven't been able to erase them or the fear that goes w/them since that dr. said it and I know my son hasn't been able to either. So. Will you all please continue and even bump up your prayers for my son, that all will go well tomorrow and that we'll have some more good news so that we can exhale? I'm so tense that I can't even go to the bathroom.
Hey, progress is good! A little better each day is all we ask, right? :)
More Prayers on the way...they won't stop.
For you it seems an eternity for the progress, but from here it really sounds good that he has improved by that much.
Continued prayers are very important! You have mine.
You and your son have been and will continue to be in my thoughts.
I'm glad to hear he is starting to feel better. Slowly but surely. :)
I spoke to my dr. who is also a family friend and he told me that he feels that my son's progress is good news and that he has seen cases where it took 3-6 weeks just to see the results that my son has seen. He also said that the dr. who freaked him out about what it could be unfortunately just had her own "style", as he put it. He said "I wouldn't have said that but sometimes patients do push you for a possible diagnosis and then they regret it later". I said "Well, my son didn't push, she volunteered the info and then she added insult to injury by laughing when he freaked out about it". He also said that he feels my son will be back to 100% and not have a recurrence of it if it is indeed "acute viral mysositis". Tomorrow's blood tests will tell us more.
So I called my son to tell him what my dr. said and he said "Well, I actually have the strength to pass gas. My abdomen was so weak before that I couldn't do it. You know me, Mom. I'm a farter." That really made me laugh and that made him laugh and that's what we both needed, a good laugh. (He would absolutely kill me if he knew I was posting this.) He was carrying in a couple of bags of groceries and he said "Let me call you right back, Mom. I've got to put these groceries down." So he had strength to do that and he said that his arms didn't feel as weak or tired and they weren't burning from carrying the bags. But he still has the weakness in his left arm and hand. He was worried about it possibly having been a stroke but my dr. reassured me that, if the neurologist thought that, he would've ordered an MRI because he'd be able to tell whether there were tell tale signs just from the examination.
So. All good signs. Donna (moosmom) told me to call her if I need to and I did (before I talked to my son) and I had a meltdown. I needed that, too. I've been wound tighter than a drum for over a week now, feeling like a lousy mom for not being w/my boy. But he keeps reassuring me that there's really nothing I can do for him anyhow. Yeah, except hug him. A lot. But I'll get to do that again this spring when he comes home for another visit. Am I ever gonna cook up a storm for that boy!
Anyhow, just thought I should post something positive since I've been crying so much on PT. Thanx for listening and all the reassuring words, friends. I owe ya. And I'll report again tomorrow after I hear the results of his blood work. Now if I can just get a good night's sleep under my belt.
Absolutely!Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
Definitely more prayers. (and a lot of happy smiles at the progress so far)
sounds like things are looking up for him.and yes...more prayers going your way.everyone here cares so much for you and your son now.
i'm sure he'll get 100% better.i mean...all these prayers :) how could he not get better ;)
That's exactly how I feel.Quote:
Originally Posted by catfamily
Bumping up my prayers for tomorrow.:)
*Sigh of Relief*. Glad your son is feeling better. Gotta hate that prednisone, but love how it helps so many ailments. I hope he feels good enough to go to Sweden. That should help with the cure. I think it;s time to use your spa certificate! Hugs
Lots of prayers for good news tomorrow!
I'm so glad to hear that your son is doing much better. Lots more prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way.:)
Did I mention you don't look old enough to have a son aged 40????
You two are still in my prayers. You've got my number, Mary. Call ANYTIME!!!
(((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))
Donna
Thanx, Donna. I appreciate that. I feel as though I've aged a lot in this last 10 days or so.Quote:
Originally Posted by moosmom
First things first ..... ((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))) ))
You poor, sweet thing! I would be so beyond myself and yet you have somehow held it together! You have more strength than you realize! I am so thankful to hear that your son is showing definite signs of improvement. That has to be very encouraging and a big relief to both of you! I know there is always that inner fear that it's something worse, but please try to keep Faith that the improvement is definitely a POSITIVE!
I cannot believe the gall of that one doctor and then to laugh at his response? She ought to be repremanded for that! :mad:
Well, please know that I am praying for you and your dear son!
Love and Hugs,
Kim
Just checking in to see how you and your boy are doing.....we are all with you
Just to know that I have my PT friends all across the globe is a tremendous comfort! You have no idea!
My son called me on his way to the clinic and he said that he's up to 50%. He said "I could actually press the cap on my hairspray bottle. Not all the way but a little." His sleep is so-so. I asked him if he stores things under his bed and he said "Here comes the feng shui!". I said "Humor me and remove anything that's under there. If you have books there, all those written thoughts are under there. And if it's anything electrical, it can also interrupt your sleep patterns. And cover up your TV when not in use." "Sigh. Ok, mom, whatever you say" was the reply. He's in better spirits but I can hear the reservation in his voice. He'll feel better once the dr. tells him that his CPK is lower, I'm sure. I've been praying for him, of course, and one of the positive affirmations that I've been saying on his behalf is "God is now dissolving and removing all illness from Glenn's body, quickly, easily and in peace." He said this morning "Mom, you would not believe the stuff that came out of my nose when I blew it this morning. I haven't had the strength to really blow my nose but this morning I finally did and the vilest, brownest stuff I have ever seen just kept coming and coming." I didn't even tell him the prayer that I had been saying. I just said "Well, it appears that the illness and infection are wanting to get out of your body as much as you want it to leave. So let it." He at least agreed w/that statement.
So when I hear his report from the clinic, I'll post again later. Thank you all so much for being there. Just logging on and seeing replies to this thread is a healing balm for him and me.
When each day the news gets better and better I am sure you are beyond relieved.
I can just imagine how terribly worried you have been all of this time.
We will keep the prayers continuing for sure.
My son called me after his clinic visit. They took 7 more vials of blood and he asked them to at least switch to the other arm because his left arm was sore and bruised. He said he has so many needle tracks that it looks like he's a heroin addict.
Good news: all the drs. seem to agree that it's viral and not chronic and they're pleased somewhat w/his progress in certain areas. They're pleased that he can get up off the exam table on his own and shower, wash his hair, etc. But his reflexes aren't what they should be. They had him hold his hands out in front and link his fingers together and pull. He did it fine. But when they hit his knees w/the little reflex hammer, not good. He told me that on the way to the clinic that his knees were bothering him and he wasn't sure why. But since his other reflexes were working ok, they're not too alarmed. However, his CPK went from 500 to 700 to 1050 which I don't understand, since he's at 50% progress. So. He goes back March 7 for more blood work and a nerve conduction test to "be sure this doesn't come back" as the dr. put it. The dr. told him not to worry, that it isn't chronic, that he doesn't want him to lift anything today or tomorrow and that he can do light exercise. My son felt relieved when the dr. said that it isn't chronic. He said that as long as he continues to improve, he's ok. He just doesn't want to regress.
Btw, remember the dr. that I told you scared my son so badly and then laughed? As it turns out, he actually has grown to like her. He said that she at least smiles. The other drs. are very serious and he doesn't like that.
So I'll continue to update on his progress which I'm hopeful will continue and for sure I'll post after his next visit to the clinic on March 7. He doesn't need to go back before then unless he gets worse, which we're pretty hopeful that he won't.
More thoughts and prayers going out from Florida. This is one of the scariest things I've ever read. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to experience it first hand. Again, I just think of one of my kids calling with this kind of news. I would have to be hospitalized.
Giant hugs to your son and to you too, Mary!! {{{{{HUGS}}}}}
Prayers being said!
I'll be keeping you all in my prayers for a speedy healing for Glenn. :)
Hugs and Love,
Kelly and Kits
Mary, we are all so happy to hear that things are improving for Glenn! We continue to pray and send good, warm wishes and healing energies.
Love, hugs, and purrs,
Pat and cats
Thanks for all the updates, Mary. This has indeed be a scary one for us here, but the improvement he has had is impressive and encouraging. I'm sorry Dr. K. blurted out all the things she had been considering...but at least she considered them. She was trying to rule out everything she could possibly think of. I'd rather have a good diagnostician with a poor bedside manner than the other way around. I hope that your son will take things slow and gradual and not try to do too much, especially with the exercising. The last thing he...or you...or us...needs is a setback.Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
I certainly don't want to appear argumentative, especially after everyone has been so kind to me throughout this ordeal. And ordinarily I would agree w/the above statement. But she began with "I've never seen this before. It could be Lou Gehrig's disease". So, if she'd never seen it before, how could she make a statement like that?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rachel
Doctors and people in general who are not aware of the power of words are behind the times. Words can harm and words can heal. Far be it from me to be preachy and get biblical but even the Bible states that "the power of life and death are in the tongue". If this doctor couldn't think of anything encouraging to say, she would've done less damage by just keeping quiet until there was a diagnosis. I think if doctors could see just how their words truly affect their patients, they'd choose their words more carefully. My son went into a tailspin and because he did, I did. Stress management plays such a large part in healing and that one simple sentence halted his progress. However, both my son and I realize that she meant no harm, that her intentions were only the best and that she simply lacks grace and communication skills. It's been a learning experience for everyone involved, including this doctor.
I looked this up, because I had a suspicion about why it was still rising but I just wanted to check.Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
Creatine phosphokinase (CPK or CK) is an enzyme found in the heart (muscle), skeletal muscle and also in the brain. CPK goes from the muscle to the bloodstream after an injury to the muscle (such as myositis or a heart attack, or even having multiple blood draws). It should start trending back down as the myositis continues to resolve.
Mary, I hope your son is doing better and better each day! I'll keep praying!
Go, Glenn!!!
Are you getting some sleep these days, Mary?
Glenn is doing better physically. He feels that he's at about 85%. He lost 5 lbs. and he has no appetite now, which concerns me because he's always been a voracious eater. But his girlfriend broke up w/him so I think that's contributing to it all. Nice, huh? She actually said "Am I going to have to take care of you for the rest of my life?" Such compassion. If that's the way she felt, she could've waited. She saw that he was improving and she could've waited til he was back to 100%. My heart aches for him right now. He's been through enough and didn't need this.
I haven't had a computer since Saturday and I'm currently waiting for replacement parts. My computer may quit before then, so if I don't post, you'll know why. This has just been an awful month, mentally, emotionally, physically and financially. I'm ready to have a breakdown myself.
She broke up with him just because of this? Wow he can do better anyway poor guy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
The "no appetite" thing could be due to the Prednisone. Prednisone makes me completely starving all the time, but my brother - Lady's Human - ends up having to reminded to eat - his appetite goes away completely. It's not much to worry about, when he's off the Pednisone entirely, it'll be back to normal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
It was so strange for me, my body saying "hungry! hungry! hungry!" when my brain knew I had just eaten my fill, and I couldn't possibly eat more.
I forgot to mention that his dr. took him off the Prednisone. He was only on it for 4 days. He said that Prednisone masks other diseases so he felt it wouldn't do him any good. Funny but when he was on it, he didn't get any better. When he went off it, he started to improve. His dr., my dr. and my friend who is a nurse, all say that his comeback has been remarkable. It usually takes 3-6 weeks before you see improvement and he's almost back to normal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Karen
His "girlfriend", for lack of a better word, says she still has feelings for her ex-boyfriend. She was just looking for an out and she found one. Better that he find out now than when he was in deeper but I still think her timing was awful. My Mama Tiger claws have definitely come out on this one.
I have to say that I am really upset and angry at His Girlfriend.What kind of person is she anyway?
One great thing is...he'll learn to pick the RIGHT one next.He'll see through everyone and their faults before giving his love again.
He'll be a better man and find a perfect wife and have a great family later on.
Don't worry...it's best for him to find out now about her.
The feeling of loss from her will pass,right after another lady starts flirting with him :) ;)
He'll be fine,don't worry.
Mom's love is forever...and THAT is what counts :)
He'll have his own family later on...he's still young.
He's VERY lucky to have you.