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Ben (Inquiry) is in the hospital :(


diana_eva

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Late to the thread, but pleased to hear of what sounds like encouraging news. Ben, you are truly a valued contributor around here and we all look forward to hearing from you once you are up and around again. Best wishes.
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Ben, I know you will tackle this just like you do in tuff hands to play. Good luck and best wishes. http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif

 

See you soon my friend.

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He posted yesterday and said,

 

"I am. Up in a chair. They are considering moving me out of ICU if I can pass the barium swallow test. I made history on how badly I failed the first one a week ago. I'll eventually will write about what I ve gone through. Still plan on NABC in Vegas.

 

Thanks for the thought and prayers.

 

Ben "

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He posted yesterday and said,

 

"I am. Up in a chair. They are considering moving me out of ICU if I can pass the barium swallow test. I made history on how badly I failed the first one a week ago. I'll eventually will write about what I ve gone through. Still plan on NABC in Vegas.

 

Thanks for the thought and prayers.

 

Ben "

You really need to figure out a way to let us upvote posts from moderators.

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I am back among the living. I got released from the hospital. What I appear to have developed is an atypical form of Miller Fisher syndrome, which is itself often considered a varient of Gullien Barre syndrome. It was hell on wheels there for a while. When I feel a little stronger, I will write a description of what I went through. It include 5 MRI scans, 4 CT scans, 6 swallow test, lumbar puncture, four different ways of providing oxygen, including a mechanical ventilator, 10 days with nothing by mouth, 7 different ultra sounds, Foley catheter, five IV-IG treatments and some great and not so great treatment by nurses. My wife stayed by my side the entire time including sleeping in a not so comfortable chair.

 

Thanks for all the well wishes.

 

Ben

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Whew!!!

It is absolutely great to hear that you are recovering. We really live in an age of medical miracles and while it is not so great to need them, it is wonderful to have them when needed.

Welcome back!

Best wishes to your wife. I'm sure it has been tough.

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I am back among the living. I got released from the hospital. What I appear to have developed is an atypical form of Miller Fisher syndrome, which is itself often considered a varient of Gullien Barre syndrome. It was hell on wheels there for a while. When I feel a little stronger, I will write a description of what I went through. It include 5 MRI scans, 4 CT scans, 6 swallow test, lumbar puncture, four different ways of providing oxygen, including a mechanical ventilator, 10 days with nothing by mouth, 7 different ultra sounds, Foley catheter, five IV-IG treatments and some great and not so great treatment by nurses. My wife stayed by my side the entire time including sleeping in a not so comfortable chair.

Sounds like an episode of House that I missed.

 

Welcome back.

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Sounds like an episode of House that I missed.

 

Welcome back.

 

That depends....did someone break into his home while he and his wife were at the hospital? If so...then, yes, it was House :D

 

But....a big welcome back to Ben!

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So happy to hear you are doing well. (A friend) had Guillen Barre a few years ago (knocking over bidding boxes; stuff like that) but came through ok. Glad this is over for you.

 

See you in Vegas.

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So happy to hear you are doing well. (A friend) had Guillen Barre a few years ago (knocking over bidding boxes; stuff like that) but came through ok. Glad this is over for you.

 

See you in Vegas.

 

If I had Fisher Syndrome (well Miller Fisher), the typical recovery to get out of hospital is a couple of weeks. I recovered somewhat faster. I missed a lot of the normal MFS symptoms but had some of the major ones. My tongue became paralyzed, I lost the ability to talk, to spit, to wrinkle my forehead, to swallow,to close my eyes, to whistle, to keep fluid in my mouth (leaked out between my lips), couldn't protect my airway, and eventually to breathe on my own.

 

MFS usually is preceded by the a staggered gait when walking, I never had that, and lost of eyesight or at least blurred or double vision, Inever had that either. Also, like Guillen Barre, it often has some weakness in the arms and legs, etc, that shows up as failed nerve conductance test, I never had that -- and I passed all the nerve conductance test they ran on me other than for facial nervers.

 

So the doctors are not really sure what I had other than some autoimmune neuropathy with major findings similar to the major problems associated with MFS. They still are waiting for some of the immunochemistry results to return. The major one is to see if I had antibodies to ganglioside G1qb (most commonly of the IgG class). Not sure why this is taking so long, as some of you know, I am a retired immunochemist who among other things taught immunology to first year medical students. I could have done the testing for this in my lab in no tjme at all. Sigh.

 

In addition to the normal MFS mentioned above, I was producing an extraordinary amount of very viscous mucus which combined with the inability to swallow or spit was compromising my airway really, really badly, even before I completely lost the ability to swallow. Anyway, I seem to be getting better everyday, and slow I am beginning to increase my daily activities. Soon I should be back full strength. I do hope to see you in Vegas, maybe BBO might hold a meet-and-greet (I am not saying they will, but at a couple of nationals I attended they did) and we can all gather there.

Edited by diana_eva
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