Pneumonia November 6, 2019 (and a view of a modernized 36 Fernbrook Crescent November 27, 2019)

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Risk factors
"Most pneumonia occurs when a breakdown in your body's natural defenses allows germs to invade and multiply within your lungs. To destroy the attacking organisms, white blood cells rapidly accumulate. Along with bacteria and fungi, they fill the air sacs within your lungs (alveoli). Breathing may be labored. A classic sign of bacterial pneumonia is a cough that produces thick, blood-tinged or yellowish-greenish sputum with pus.
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause pneumonia." (Google)

This is a serious issue in which I thought worthy to post. I had been feeling a very slight tightness in the upper chest area as well as a slight shortness of breath for about two weeks. On November 1, 2019 I was registered to play golf in our BGC's 'Men's Hole In One' Tournament and Banquet. That day was particular cold at around 4 degrees Celsius with a fourty mph wind - a day that I would not normally play - but I teed off anyway because a commitment was a commitment. My foursome consisted of two thirty and two late seventy year olds. We didn't play very well, and I tightened up and just couldn't swing a club around the thirteenth hole. I 'picked up' and finished the round in the golf cart. At the end of the day I was fine; I was also fine on November 2, 3 and 4, but, on the 5th (which began without issues) around 5:00pm I was beginning to cough and feel irritable. That night I couldn't sleep due to the coughing and would decide in the morning to see a doctor in our neighbourhood whose first words were "You should have called 911." With her referral in my pocket Terryl and I drove to Trillium Hospital to begin their exploratory procedures. After blood pressure, blood samples, EKG, chest xrays and a few other examinations the young doctor diagnosed Pneumonia and prescribed 100mg Doxycycline and plenty of liquids for a week. In my medical history there has never been any issues like asthma or allergies that could have caused these symptoms. My knowledge of Pneumonia was weak and could be improved quite easily with Google close at hand: 
"Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. Bacteria, viruses and fungi cause it. The infection causes inflammation in the air sacs in your lungs, which are called alveoli. The alveoli fill with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe." There is plenty more on google.ca if you are as curious as I am.  With information as well as the answers to frequent questions I concluded my ill-advised decision to golf in the cold was not the culprit - but to be that uncomfortable for that period of time was not the smartest thing to do for this 78 year old.
After two days of medication I feel better, the cough is still there, and I feel well enough to write this post. Additionally, I will need to be considerably better to continue on our wonderful cruise beginning December 17, 2019 in Dubai and ending January 21, 2020 in CapeTown South Africa. My fingers are crossed.
It's November 11, 2019 and after five days of medication I am better still, I spend the days in my chair with laptop and cozy desk exploring world literary and photographic exploits of which there is no discernible end. Currently it's The Kennedy Men and podcasts on all manner of subjects that lead to extraordinary sights and sounds. I make notes, I wonder if my health will be satisfactory soon enough to make our journey a pleasure, or one that challenges the wisdom of travel that may include medical assistance in unknown countries half way around the world.
It's November 15, 2019 and after two days of a new prescription of antibiotics and two inhalers from a new local doctor the condition continues to improve. The cough continues but the choking reality is practically gone. The easy chair and desk is my place of choice instead of a horizontal position on the couch. This medicine also prescribed for seven days will take me back to see Dr. Wahba on November 20 to get more or less of the same or different medicines. I asked this physician if she thought I'd be okay to fly and cruise by December 12. She said we've got plenty of time to find out.
On November 20 Dr Wahba states that I am doing very well and takes me off the antibiotics and inhalers. She wants a chest X-ray and a follow up visit on November 26 to discuss the results and my current condition. The cruise is looking good, and the possibility of a Mozambique hospital in my future is doubtful if not completely out of mind. On November 26 Dr. Wahba examines the X-ray, shoots a pneumonia injection of Prenar 13 into my left arm and smiles stating that I am fit and ready to go on the cruise. Also, I have chosen to have her as my family doctor after thirty-three years with Dr. Langer in Brampton. I could have stayed with him very easily but his practice has been sold to another Doctor and several pieces of relevant communication to specialists have fallen through the cracks, as they say, on two separate occasions which caused my loyalty to wane. So it's done, my files will be altered to give Dr. Wahba my healthcare. Furthermore I like her and her advice has worked wonders for me. Thank you

Totally off topic but I found something in an old email regarding my residence of 31 years in Brampton from 1986 to 2017. I clicked on a link that was used to sell the home and it revealed photographs both static and moving of the renovated version of my house six months after I sold it. Incredible; please have a look:
http://www.andrewtamburello.com/listings/36-fernbrookcrescent

Comments

  1. So happy to read about your *new* family doctor's seal of approval for the cruise.

    ReplyDelete

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