Checking in and a health update....

[J.R.E.]

Checking in and a health update....

I was hospitalized on  Thursday May 26th through Tuesday May 31st, a total of 6 days. First of all I want to let everyone know that I am now doing great. But for a while there, it was pretty treacherous. I had no appetite for food, and as a result lost about 12 pounds in 10 days. I will try to give details to the best of my recollection

I had a few serious issues going on. They were:

1-Acute respiratory failure with Hypoxia

2-Acute Sepsis

3. Community Acquired Pneumonia

4. Hypertension

5-Hypercholesteremia

6-Syncope/ Near syncope

7-Type 2 Myocardial Infarction

8-AFIB

9- Urinary track infection UTI
================================

On May 26th, Ed and I went to the pool as we normally do, to do our laps. It was difficult that day, as I had no energy what so ever, it had been building up, over the past week.

I did about 10 laps, and proceeded to get out of the pool. I climbed up the steps of the pool, in the shallow end on my hands and knees, and got onto the concrete pool deck, where I gently laid myself down, and placed my right arm under my head. ( This is a community pool)

I had been feeling quite weak for at least  7 days prior to hospitalization. I had fallen twice, once outside the house ( No Injury),
And once inside the house. I got out of bed, and went head first into the corner of the dresser, I then went into another direction, and hit the same area above my right eye again, on the night stand.


I was sleeping in the small bedroom that Monday night, so Ed heard nothing.

When Ed woke me up on Tuesday Morning, ( 2 days before going into hospital,.. I heard a loud gasp, and "what the heck happened to you:

There was blood all over the bedspread, sheets, pillows. I went to the guest bathroom, there was blood over the sink, walls, toilet.

I do not remember going into the bathroom.

But I cleaned up OK, and put a bandage over my right forehead, and across the bridge of my nose. Never got a black eye.

Ed already knew at this point , that there was something wrong, but stubborn me said I will be fine.

After getting out of the pool, I already heard Ed speaking with 911.

They were there quite quickly, The fire station is just a half mile away.

I remembered how comfortable I was, laying on the pool deck. I was in no pain, I could hear the EMS workers, saying that I am slipping in and out of consciousness. I remember thinking at one point, that my defective Mitrol valve, had finally given out. I actually thought, that this could be the end, but I wasn't afraid.

At one point, I heard one of the EMS saying, they think they need to shock me, because I was in AFIB.

They were talking to me, and I was responding some, but otherwise, I just wanted to sleep.

Finally, I heard them say " Ray we're going to roll you over on your back. I said OK. I also heard them say, they were going to check my glucose.

They then loaded me on the stretcher, and place me in the Ambulance.

We did not move for probably 10 minutes or so. I think they were placing an IV in my arm. I never saw any of the EMS workers I could only hear their voices, But I was very calm. I don't remember ever opening my eyes.

Finally I heard one of them say that my heart was back in rythm. I was not shocked.

We got to the hospital, which is about 3 1/2 miles from where we live.

There was a lot of activity going on  in the emergency room, but once again, I did not feel as though I was in any kind of distress.

The first two days were rough, and I was very incoherent until probably day 4.

They did a covid test, and it was negative. They did a flu test, same thing ... Negative, They did a legionella test also negative, and they did one other virus check, also came back negative.

I had a lot of blood drawn, especially on the first 2 days. They did an MRI of neck and brain,immediately, they did an ultrasound of abdominal area, Pancreas, kidney, and liver. They also did a chest xray. ( that's when they found the pneumonia in the right lower lung.)

The nurse asked me if i could urinate but I couldn't urinate. so the nurse had to put a catheter in me. She got quite a bit out of me, She needed that  sample to test. after the 3 day or so, I couldn't stop urination, and had the bottle right by my side. In fact, I had 2 bottles hanging on the side of the bed rail.

I had very high readings in my AST and ALT liver readings, and the doctors were quite concerned.

Back in the room, I had what seemed like an endless amount of IV bottles, That didn't stop, until my last day in the hospital.

I was on antibiotics, Zithromax, and I cant remember what else. I was also on plenty of oral pills as well along with my HIV medications. They also placed me on Cardizem ( diltiazem) and that wonderful blood thinner, Eliquis


Ed had to bring from home, my Nevirapine, the hospital could not get it, they did have the Epzicom though.

I think it was on day 3 one of the doctors asked me about temp stopping my HIV medications. I said no way, I've been on these same drugs, and I don't believe that they are causing the issues with my AST and ALT . I was later proved correct on this on day 4, 5 and 6, the AST and ALT levels were coming back down in range again. ANd on labs this past week, they were still fine.


They took me off my blood pressure medications, which were, Amlodipine, and hydrochorothozide. They also took me off Simvastatin.

Once again my new meds are Eliquis ( Blood thinner) and Cardizem ( Heart and blood pressure medication, and my regular HIV medication.

I am doing very well on both. I check my BP about 4 time a day, and there is no issue with that.

My last cd4 count, several months ago was around 686, in the hospital  it went down to 275, quite a drop but not unexpected.


So, how am I today you ask,.... My appetite is back in full swing, I've gained about 4 pounds since being released from the hospital.

We've been back to walking down to the pool, and doing out 20 laps a day. I have no problem walking, although I am being careful as the nurse told me, being on blood thinners changes a lot of things, and warned me about falling.


I've had a lot of appointments ( Face to face) with Infectious disease, cardiology, and my primary care doctor, since I was released from the hospital.

I have never had an issue with AFIB, the Cardiologist believes, this episode was brought on by the Pneumonia, UTI, and the elevated liver at the time.

There may be a possibility, in 8 months, that I could possibly be taken off the blood thinner.


I spoke with 4 Doctors at the Hospital, and my doctors the VA, and looking at the timeline and retracing everything I had done previous to getting sick, they made a determination, as to what may have happened.


It was the Jacuzzi at the swimming area. About 10 days to being hospitalized, we went to to pool, and the Jacuzzi was absolutely filthy.

It smelled strongly of perfume, cologne, deodorant, and other things and stupid, stupid me, decided to go into the jacuzzi. ( Remember, this is a community Jacuzzi, that can seat about 10 adults comfortably.

The doctors asked me, if I turned the bubblers on, I said yes.

They all agreed the with the bubblers on, I was then breathing this filthy contamination that was in the jaccuzi, right into my lungs, and as a result pneumonia !!

Believe me I have learned a valuable lesson, and I will never go into that jacuzzi again. And the doctors warned me as well to avoid it.



Anyway !...  I am doing great, and I feel like I am back to my old self again. My energy levels are back again,  But what a friggin ordeal that was. Lesson learned !


Ray 

[Jim Allen]

Firstly, I am glad to hear that you are feeling better and on the mend.

It's shocking to hear that you got so extremely sick from the jacuzzi and how fast things went from bad to f*&cked.

[leatherman]

wow! Glad to hear you're doing better; but what a terrible experience.



I've always been grossed out by public pools; but I've still used them. We have had a running joke for years with all our friends about the most probably disgusting water in the amusement park's wave pool. Can you imagine how many hair products, skin salves, various ointments, and bandaids - much less bodily fluids, oozes, and emissions - are stirred up in the water?!?! egads! Needless to say we don't get pool water in our mouths

[J.R.E.]

It's shocking to hear that you got so extremely sick from the jacuzzi and how fast things went from bad to f*&cked.

I hear ya !! The infections were like a wildfire going through me, fueled by 80 mile an hour winds. The symptoms one after another just developed so quickly, and went right through me. I think it was the UTI, that drove me to delirium. Ed is always honest with me, he stated that for about 3 days, in the hospital, I wasn't making to much sense.  I understand that bad UTI's can cause that.

Strange though, never had any coughing issues with the pneumonia.

I'm Good !!


Thanks---Ray 

[J.R.E.]

wow! Glad to hear you're doing better; but what a terrible experience.



 Can you imagine how many hair products, skin salves, various ointments, and bandaids - much less bodily fluids, oozes, and emissions - are stirred up in the water?!?! egads! Needless to say we don't get pool water in our mouths

  I can easily imagine that now !! Must have been the other smells that day ! I reported an individual to the office the other day. He treats the Jacuzzi, like his personal bathtub, He washes his hair and lathers up with a bar of soap, while in the Jacuzzi.

This is the 4th time we've seen him do this,.....This time I video taped it on my phone, and showed it to the office. That worst part is, he is an employee here, that unlocks the pool and amenities on Sat, Sun and holidays.

This guy has been a pain in the ass, for a long time, we've butted heads a few times, on his racist rants while he is there, and I've told him to shut his mouth at least half dozen times. He's a year older than me, (71) and I think he has mild dementia issues, or he's just  a plain idiot.

Thanks--Ray