We're back from evaluation

Liza

New member
Hi, We are back from my daughter's evaluation. I have to say we had a nice trip. Everyone was really super nice. All the tests went smoothly and quickly. Except for the lab, it seems there's always a wait there even if you are second in line when they open the door. All other appointments seemed like they were there just waiting for us to come. I don't think we waited more than 5 minutes at any appt. and even at those that didn't require an appt. like the x-ray.

Our final day was with the doctor in clinic. Here's where the question arises, was it good or was it bad? He said he did not think Anna was ready for transplant. Everything looked too good. He did say that eventually she would need one just not now. Yea, I know. You don't want to do it too early, you want them to be healthy enough to survive but sick enough to need it. Your second life starts from that point on. Anna kind of expected it she said. Her pft's were at 40 the day they did them, her six minute walk was good. Her o2sat was at 98 and even after the walk it was 99. HIGHER than it ever is or has been in a long while, years. We told them that it was highly unusual. Reminded them that she had just gotten off IV antibiotics 4 days earlier. I mentioned her constant hospitalizations since August 2005. I think if we count up the days in hospital alone, it would probably be more than her being out of hospital, not to mention the number of days on IV antibiotics vs the number not on antibiotics. He mentioned that was a concern. So... they will continue to watch her, follow her, and will see her again in three months.

Too many emotions on my part I guess. We haven't really discussed it too much. Her feelings, other than she kind of expected it after her pft's and 6 minute walk. I want to think, like I do after every hospitalization and round of antibiotics that this is the one. The one that will rid her of what ever bug it is that keeps bringing her down. The one that will keep her well for a while. Each time a goal set, 3 months... just let her be well for 3 months, a semester, a semester would be good. She could at least get through one semester of school. A school year, a school year would be wonderful. My husband says we have to just take one day at a time. That this is good. We don't want her to have a transplant too early. I know that too. Hell if she didn't have to have one at all that would be ideal. As it is with everyone here. But it's not reality and there are those that need it. There are those out there that need it more right now, so it is good that she doesn't.

I guess that we have to just take it one day at a time and hope that she is still feeling well tomorrow.

I just want to say thanks for all the info you guys have given me. It really helped me to be prepared.

Liza
(mom of 2teen girls w/CF)
 

Liza

New member
Hi, We are back from my daughter's evaluation. I have to say we had a nice trip. Everyone was really super nice. All the tests went smoothly and quickly. Except for the lab, it seems there's always a wait there even if you are second in line when they open the door. All other appointments seemed like they were there just waiting for us to come. I don't think we waited more than 5 minutes at any appt. and even at those that didn't require an appt. like the x-ray.

Our final day was with the doctor in clinic. Here's where the question arises, was it good or was it bad? He said he did not think Anna was ready for transplant. Everything looked too good. He did say that eventually she would need one just not now. Yea, I know. You don't want to do it too early, you want them to be healthy enough to survive but sick enough to need it. Your second life starts from that point on. Anna kind of expected it she said. Her pft's were at 40 the day they did them, her six minute walk was good. Her o2sat was at 98 and even after the walk it was 99. HIGHER than it ever is or has been in a long while, years. We told them that it was highly unusual. Reminded them that she had just gotten off IV antibiotics 4 days earlier. I mentioned her constant hospitalizations since August 2005. I think if we count up the days in hospital alone, it would probably be more than her being out of hospital, not to mention the number of days on IV antibiotics vs the number not on antibiotics. He mentioned that was a concern. So... they will continue to watch her, follow her, and will see her again in three months.

Too many emotions on my part I guess. We haven't really discussed it too much. Her feelings, other than she kind of expected it after her pft's and 6 minute walk. I want to think, like I do after every hospitalization and round of antibiotics that this is the one. The one that will rid her of what ever bug it is that keeps bringing her down. The one that will keep her well for a while. Each time a goal set, 3 months... just let her be well for 3 months, a semester, a semester would be good. She could at least get through one semester of school. A school year, a school year would be wonderful. My husband says we have to just take one day at a time. That this is good. We don't want her to have a transplant too early. I know that too. Hell if she didn't have to have one at all that would be ideal. As it is with everyone here. But it's not reality and there are those that need it. There are those out there that need it more right now, so it is good that she doesn't.

I guess that we have to just take it one day at a time and hope that she is still feeling well tomorrow.

I just want to say thanks for all the info you guys have given me. It really helped me to be prepared.

Liza
(mom of 2teen girls w/CF)
 

Liza

New member
Hi, We are back from my daughter's evaluation. I have to say we had a nice trip. Everyone was really super nice. All the tests went smoothly and quickly. Except for the lab, it seems there's always a wait there even if you are second in line when they open the door. All other appointments seemed like they were there just waiting for us to come. I don't think we waited more than 5 minutes at any appt. and even at those that didn't require an appt. like the x-ray.

Our final day was with the doctor in clinic. Here's where the question arises, was it good or was it bad? He said he did not think Anna was ready for transplant. Everything looked too good. He did say that eventually she would need one just not now. Yea, I know. You don't want to do it too early, you want them to be healthy enough to survive but sick enough to need it. Your second life starts from that point on. Anna kind of expected it she said. Her pft's were at 40 the day they did them, her six minute walk was good. Her o2sat was at 98 and even after the walk it was 99. HIGHER than it ever is or has been in a long while, years. We told them that it was highly unusual. Reminded them that she had just gotten off IV antibiotics 4 days earlier. I mentioned her constant hospitalizations since August 2005. I think if we count up the days in hospital alone, it would probably be more than her being out of hospital, not to mention the number of days on IV antibiotics vs the number not on antibiotics. He mentioned that was a concern. So... they will continue to watch her, follow her, and will see her again in three months.

Too many emotions on my part I guess. We haven't really discussed it too much. Her feelings, other than she kind of expected it after her pft's and 6 minute walk. I want to think, like I do after every hospitalization and round of antibiotics that this is the one. The one that will rid her of what ever bug it is that keeps bringing her down. The one that will keep her well for a while. Each time a goal set, 3 months... just let her be well for 3 months, a semester, a semester would be good. She could at least get through one semester of school. A school year, a school year would be wonderful. My husband says we have to just take one day at a time. That this is good. We don't want her to have a transplant too early. I know that too. Hell if she didn't have to have one at all that would be ideal. As it is with everyone here. But it's not reality and there are those that need it. There are those out there that need it more right now, so it is good that she doesn't.

I guess that we have to just take it one day at a time and hope that she is still feeling well tomorrow.

I just want to say thanks for all the info you guys have given me. It really helped me to be prepared.

Liza
(mom of 2teen girls w/CF)
 

jfarel

New member
Her stats sound fantastic! I know you've been through a horrible year though. But maybe she will stay well longer. My stats (pft, 02) have never improved that much. Its just amazing. I hope and pray she will stay well this time. She must be feeling much better at this point as well. Best wishes.
 

jfarel

New member
Her stats sound fantastic! I know you've been through a horrible year though. But maybe she will stay well longer. My stats (pft, 02) have never improved that much. Its just amazing. I hope and pray she will stay well this time. She must be feeling much better at this point as well. Best wishes.
 

jfarel

New member
Her stats sound fantastic! I know you've been through a horrible year though. But maybe she will stay well longer. My stats (pft, 02) have never improved that much. Its just amazing. I hope and pray she will stay well this time. She must be feeling much better at this point as well. Best wishes.
 

Joanne

New member
Liza,

Sounds like the testing went well, and they gave a fair evaluation of her situation and truthful, honest and upfront about her health.

I know that the hospitalizations are stressful and seems that is all she does. Is there anyway she can do IV's at home? I think every 3 years I would do my IV in patient, but the rest was at home.

40's for an FEV1 is highish to get tx'd, unless there are other problems, like major hemoptysis.

You are right, you don't want her to have tx too soon. The surgery, drugs will only get better and that is what you want.

Keep us updated.

Joanne Schum
 

Joanne

New member
Liza,

Sounds like the testing went well, and they gave a fair evaluation of her situation and truthful, honest and upfront about her health.

I know that the hospitalizations are stressful and seems that is all she does. Is there anyway she can do IV's at home? I think every 3 years I would do my IV in patient, but the rest was at home.

40's for an FEV1 is highish to get tx'd, unless there are other problems, like major hemoptysis.

You are right, you don't want her to have tx too soon. The surgery, drugs will only get better and that is what you want.

Keep us updated.

Joanne Schum
 

Joanne

New member
Liza,

Sounds like the testing went well, and they gave a fair evaluation of her situation and truthful, honest and upfront about her health.

I know that the hospitalizations are stressful and seems that is all she does. Is there anyway she can do IV's at home? I think every 3 years I would do my IV in patient, but the rest was at home.

40's for an FEV1 is highish to get tx'd, unless there are other problems, like major hemoptysis.

You are right, you don't want her to have tx too soon. The surgery, drugs will only get better and that is what you want.

Keep us updated.

Joanne Schum
 

Liza

New member
Hi Joanne, she usually does home IV after about a 7-10 day stay in the hospital. They have never let her just start up at home or even start up two or three days in house then go home on IV. There have been times where she was on for five weeks. That was this summer when she was trying to get geared up for taking another shot at going to school. That was the longest she went between hospitalizations. Her cycles been that she is in the high 30's in pfts, sats usually about 93-95, feeling less ill than when she went in but never really feeling "good". That's just after finishing up IV. Anywhere from two to three weeks later she starts feeling bad again. With two weeks being the shortest. If she makes it to her one month follow-up, which she has once or twice, she will usually start feeling badly within the week after her follow-up. She used to try and wait it out and see if she would get to feeling better, but by the third day she goes in only to be hospitalized again.

She's had to withdraw from classes and come home again. This is her second year in college but she hasn't been able to complete a single class. That really bums her out. I just don't know how others have done it. I know not everyone is as sick. This is one reality that hits really close as there is another CF'er at her university that lives in the dorm and is doing great, last we heard. Which is wonderful but I still can't help but think, how nice that would be for Anna to be able to do that too.

But if she can stay at 40 or 42 (what her pft's were when we brought her home Monday before turkey day) and feel relatively well, that would be good.

I have a question though, When they did her whole pft thing, they did a blood gas. Is it usually done on the wrist? That's where they did it. That was Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning she started complaining that her hand hurts, right in the middle area of her palm. Today it seems to hurt worse, closing it to grab her nebulizer, to pull off the tubing, that kind of stuff. To grab a glass etc. Do you think it may have anything to do with the draw from that blood gas? We just have no idea why it would hurt.
 

Liza

New member
Hi Joanne, she usually does home IV after about a 7-10 day stay in the hospital. They have never let her just start up at home or even start up two or three days in house then go home on IV. There have been times where she was on for five weeks. That was this summer when she was trying to get geared up for taking another shot at going to school. That was the longest she went between hospitalizations. Her cycles been that she is in the high 30's in pfts, sats usually about 93-95, feeling less ill than when she went in but never really feeling "good". That's just after finishing up IV. Anywhere from two to three weeks later she starts feeling bad again. With two weeks being the shortest. If she makes it to her one month follow-up, which she has once or twice, she will usually start feeling badly within the week after her follow-up. She used to try and wait it out and see if she would get to feeling better, but by the third day she goes in only to be hospitalized again.

She's had to withdraw from classes and come home again. This is her second year in college but she hasn't been able to complete a single class. That really bums her out. I just don't know how others have done it. I know not everyone is as sick. This is one reality that hits really close as there is another CF'er at her university that lives in the dorm and is doing great, last we heard. Which is wonderful but I still can't help but think, how nice that would be for Anna to be able to do that too.

But if she can stay at 40 or 42 (what her pft's were when we brought her home Monday before turkey day) and feel relatively well, that would be good.

I have a question though, When they did her whole pft thing, they did a blood gas. Is it usually done on the wrist? That's where they did it. That was Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning she started complaining that her hand hurts, right in the middle area of her palm. Today it seems to hurt worse, closing it to grab her nebulizer, to pull off the tubing, that kind of stuff. To grab a glass etc. Do you think it may have anything to do with the draw from that blood gas? We just have no idea why it would hurt.
 

Liza

New member
Hi Joanne, she usually does home IV after about a 7-10 day stay in the hospital. They have never let her just start up at home or even start up two or three days in house then go home on IV. There have been times where she was on for five weeks. That was this summer when she was trying to get geared up for taking another shot at going to school. That was the longest she went between hospitalizations. Her cycles been that she is in the high 30's in pfts, sats usually about 93-95, feeling less ill than when she went in but never really feeling "good". That's just after finishing up IV. Anywhere from two to three weeks later she starts feeling bad again. With two weeks being the shortest. If she makes it to her one month follow-up, which she has once or twice, she will usually start feeling badly within the week after her follow-up. She used to try and wait it out and see if she would get to feeling better, but by the third day she goes in only to be hospitalized again.

She's had to withdraw from classes and come home again. This is her second year in college but she hasn't been able to complete a single class. That really bums her out. I just don't know how others have done it. I know not everyone is as sick. This is one reality that hits really close as there is another CF'er at her university that lives in the dorm and is doing great, last we heard. Which is wonderful but I still can't help but think, how nice that would be for Anna to be able to do that too.

But if she can stay at 40 or 42 (what her pft's were when we brought her home Monday before turkey day) and feel relatively well, that would be good.

I have a question though, When they did her whole pft thing, they did a blood gas. Is it usually done on the wrist? That's where they did it. That was Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning she started complaining that her hand hurts, right in the middle area of her palm. Today it seems to hurt worse, closing it to grab her nebulizer, to pull off the tubing, that kind of stuff. To grab a glass etc. Do you think it may have anything to do with the draw from that blood gas? We just have no idea why it would hurt.
 

Liza

New member
Hi Jfarel, Thank you.

You say your stats didn't improve much. Do you mean they didn't improve after having a transplant?
 

Liza

New member
Hi Jfarel, Thank you.

You say your stats didn't improve much. Do you mean they didn't improve after having a transplant?
 

Liza

New member
Hi Jfarel, Thank you.

You say your stats didn't improve much. Do you mean they didn't improve after having a transplant?
 

jfarel

New member
No, I haven't had a transplant. Mine improve a couple percentage points after IV's, but that is all. I assumed if she was being evaluated her's must have been pretty low. And 40 fev1 is actually okay if she can stay there and feel well.
 

jfarel

New member
No, I haven't had a transplant. Mine improve a couple percentage points after IV's, but that is all. I assumed if she was being evaluated her's must have been pretty low. And 40 fev1 is actually okay if she can stay there and feel well.
 

jfarel

New member
No, I haven't had a transplant. Mine improve a couple percentage points after IV's, but that is all. I assumed if she was being evaluated her's must have been pretty low. And 40 fev1 is actually okay if she can stay there and feel well.
 

Marjolein

New member
High 39's, or 40 sounds well to me too. Or at least, too well for transplant. Overhere they start evaluation at 30 or maybe low 30s. I think i had my first talk at the tx clinic when my fev1 was 32%. I was 12. My sats were always, 91/92 and i had o2 at night. My fev1 never really changed, wheather i just had iv's or not. After about 2 years on the list my fev1 was between 26 and 28% i think. And i was so stable that i didn't want a transplant then. But the tx clinic kept following me and my fev1 went back very slowly. To about 20% 1.5 years ago. I started thinking i would go back acitive on the list (knowing i was high on the list already). I needed more o2, most hours in the day too. And used my wheelchair more and more. Practically for everything the last few months before my tx. With my second eval in november 2005 my fev1 was 17%. After that i didn't do them anymore, we knew the numbers were bad and i was just getting too tired when i had to do them. I was back active on the list on dec7th 2005. And my health declined more and more. IV's didn't make me feel better anymore. And now, after i've had my transplant a few people have said that they were getting really scared for me...

I know, and in my heart i've always known, that i made the right choice in 'delaying' my transplant. I'm happy about that, knowing i have those extra years. Who could have known i could have almost 10 years extra before my tx...

I'm glad to hear Anna has another appt in 3 months. It's good they keep an eye on her. And i'm sure her CF clinic will let them know what's going on if needed too?.. I hope Anna will feel well for a little longer now.

Keep us updated.

Marjolein
 

Marjolein

New member
High 39's, or 40 sounds well to me too. Or at least, too well for transplant. Overhere they start evaluation at 30 or maybe low 30s. I think i had my first talk at the tx clinic when my fev1 was 32%. I was 12. My sats were always, 91/92 and i had o2 at night. My fev1 never really changed, wheather i just had iv's or not. After about 2 years on the list my fev1 was between 26 and 28% i think. And i was so stable that i didn't want a transplant then. But the tx clinic kept following me and my fev1 went back very slowly. To about 20% 1.5 years ago. I started thinking i would go back acitive on the list (knowing i was high on the list already). I needed more o2, most hours in the day too. And used my wheelchair more and more. Practically for everything the last few months before my tx. With my second eval in november 2005 my fev1 was 17%. After that i didn't do them anymore, we knew the numbers were bad and i was just getting too tired when i had to do them. I was back active on the list on dec7th 2005. And my health declined more and more. IV's didn't make me feel better anymore. And now, after i've had my transplant a few people have said that they were getting really scared for me...

I know, and in my heart i've always known, that i made the right choice in 'delaying' my transplant. I'm happy about that, knowing i have those extra years. Who could have known i could have almost 10 years extra before my tx...

I'm glad to hear Anna has another appt in 3 months. It's good they keep an eye on her. And i'm sure her CF clinic will let them know what's going on if needed too?.. I hope Anna will feel well for a little longer now.

Keep us updated.

Marjolein
 
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