OT: One darned thing after another!

Sorry to hear that Pat. It seems to be a time for bad news - early yesterday (Thursday) evening I heard that my 87 year old uncle had suffered an heart attack in hospital

Pat I hope that Andrew and Jane both feel better soon!

Caryn

Hope he's doing better now!

Caryn

Seems to be this time of year when it starts to get depressing and things start going wrong - I think that February is the very worst month for that! Of course it`s darker for even longer up your way. I hope your uncle gets over this and makes a good recovery.

I think it was last February I seriously considered getting one of those lamps for S.A.D. - still wondering about that, in fact, after a particularly gray and dismal day yesterday!

I hope you keep your Orkney Diaries coming - I really enjoy them.

Pat

Pat P said

I've got one of those lamps and it's not all that effective. The ambient light still has a light gray tinge as opposed to spring and summer bright white or yellow. Years ago before winter depression became S.A.D., I used to tell people that my ancestors in Russia must have cohabitated with bears because all I wanted to do in winter was to put on weight and sleep.

I personally know *two* young men that has happened to in our neighborhood. Apparently it's not uncommon. VERY scary - involves quite invasive surgery. Strikes young men with very slim build in adolescence/young adulthood, very suddenly, when there's a pinhole in the lung for no obvious reason and it deflates.

Both young men that I know are fully recovered....except for the medical bills! One was young enough to still be on his parents' coverage, but one was early 20s, uninsured, and has spent several years covering the bills (gave up his apt. to move back home). Thankfully your DGS won't have that residual problem!

sue

Mrs PP, Best healing wishes for your grandson , They say that 3 bad things happen and than it stops ,,,, thus now you must start the BETTER times , mirjam

AND two ribs! I told her we weren`t supposed to be competing!

Pat

Ouch, sorry to hear that - glad he's doing okay, though. Yup, very slim, or tall, very thin body types are prone to a collapsed lung. Called a spontaneous pneumothorax when it just happens.

ellice

Once it`s happened is it more likely to occur again or leave a permanent weakness? Yes, he is very tall and slim and only 23.

Pat

Perhaps. Not much of an answer. I'll do a little reading up in my reference books. It's one of those things that we're supposed to know for the initial differential diagnosis when doing emergency med things. While I'd like to say that there may be some exercises to strengthen the thoracic cavity (build up musculature in the area) I'm not sure that helps. Was he referred to a Thoracic specialist?

I will follow up.

ellice

Mrs PP, your family needs some GOOD wishing you all well ,,, TFu tfu Tfu , Salt over the shoulder [ forgot which one ] knock on wood etc,,,, mirjam

PAT!!!! You'd better do something to get rid of those gremlins attacking your family! Good grief! Maybe an offering of Thornton's would do it??? :)

Gentle hugs to all of you......and *take care*!

Joan

Thanks Joan - My ribs are getting a bit easier now, but poor old Jean is really suffering. We`ve both decided that there`s no pain quite like broken ribs!!! Her arm doesn`t hurt half as much as her ribs do!

John actually believes me now - I think he thought that just because they don`t do anything for them they weren`t painful!

Thanks for the GENTLE hugs!

Grandson #3 is still in hospital with his punctured/collapsed lung - they found that the tube was blocked today, so he will be in a for a few more days. That`s the third thing so I`m hoping that that`s our lot for now!

Pat

Hi Pat,

We have a kid (19 years) in our karate class who had a collapsed lung. No reason for it, but the Dr. said it happens when the lungs don't grow as fast as the rest of the body so the lung sometimes tears. They reinflated his lung at the hospital, but when they took the stitches out, it collapsed again, this time collapsing the second lung as well. The Drs. said this too happens often, they reinflated both lungs, and this kid was back to karate in less than a month. But it's scary stuff all the same!

Maureen

Hi Pat, I was talking to the father of the kid from karate about his son's lungs, and he said the Dr. told him that although this is a common, but scary happening, it doesn't mean it will ever happen again. In other words he said, the lung is not weaker because of the collapse.

Also, get yourself on an airplane and head for California or Florida for a couple of weeks! I hear the sun's shining and the temperatures are quite warm down there! Sounds like you could use the respite!

Maureen

Not this part of California. We're having a damp, grey week with temperatures in the 50s.