Flyman35 Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 So.... The Pulm is going to step down the prednisone again and see what happens. He has been on 40 mg for a week and then we will go with 30mg for a week starting today and then 20mg etc, etc. When they first hooked up the pulse/ox he was at 87. He of course did not have his O2 with him, it was in the car. He was without the O2 for about a 1/2 hour before he was hooked up. So he obviously needs the O2 when he goes out. I asked the Pulm if he was doing more harm than good by being on O2 while he's home but not while he's out. The Pulm said he knows it's a pain in the a$$ but he should at least be on while he is out walking around. Tom gave me the mean face for asking but hey he needs to hear it from the doc or he wont do it. Although he most likely still wont do it until he gets to like he was last night after we went out for my birthday dinner. He got back in the car and couldn't breathe. We had the O2 in the car and he put it on but his nose was stuffy and he couldn't get any air and we had no tissues for him to blow his nose. Luckily the restaurant is only about 2 minutes from the house. We got home and hooked him up and he laid down in bed where he stayed until 7 this morning. Tom still has crackling sounds in the bottom of both lungs and will go for a follow up x-ray tomorrow. Then on Monday he sees the cardiologist to follow up on the blood clot and see how we are going to treat that. On Tuesday he will go for an O2 titration test. Can life get any more hectic? Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Nope, I think that is hectic enough Denise! My goodness. Best of luck in keeping him on his oxygen. And for tests etc that help to get him back on the right track. Getting off prednisone can be very nasty business. So watch out for those mood swings and remember that it is the drugs. Take good care Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shineladysue Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 (((Denise))), I know you have had more than your share of worries lately. I thought I would share what Mike's pulmonologist told him about the oxygen use. We asked about the benefit of it and if he might be stronger to try to make it without it and his response was " if a person needs oxygen, they do better and live longer if they use it rather than try to do without it because it is much harder on the heart to go without it when you need it. " Perhaps you could pass that opinion on to Tom. I know what a pain it is and my mom tries to go without hers too, but I try to tell her the same. It's easier on the heart and on the body as a whole to not be oxygen deprived. It's rough going off prednisone... my mom is still suffering from withdrawal from hers. Hugs, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Denise, I hope they get Tom feeling better soon and that he becomes, as my daughter the nurse would say, more compliant with doctors' orders. So sorry you missed that birthday dinner. If I were you, I'd collect on it as soon as he's feeling better. Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Tom's not stubborn is he????? It may be her doesn't want people to know he is sick when he is out (The oxygen is a giveaway). I know mom is very sensitive about that so maybe that's why Tom won't use the O2 when he is out. Best of luck to you--stubborn men are the worst (well, after stubborn women). Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyman35 Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 Thanks everybody. Sue - I ran it past Tom and we shall see if he folllows along. Judy - I did get to go for my birthday dinner as it was Monday. He started having the problems with O2 as we were leaving. Tuesday I wanted to meet for dinner and he said he needed to go pick up his prescription at the pharmacy so just swing by and pick him up and we would go. I called him as I was nearing the house so he could get ready. When I got there he called from inside the house and said that he could not go as he could not get enough oxygen. I went inside and he said he felt weaker than a b@$%h. Then he proceeded to tell me that he has not had his oxygen on for the last 3 hours!!! This of course is WAY before I read and told him what Sue wrote. Anyway.... I went with him for the x-ray this morning and they told him right away that the pneumonia was still there but not as prevalent as when he was admitted to the hospital. This is of course the opinion of the x-ray tech. We will need to hear it from the doc most likely on Friday. I am assuming that he will be on another course of antibiotics. Which is fine as long as it keeps him out of the hospital. He asked me this morning if we were going to go do anything for New Years like go to dinner or something. I told him it depends on how he is feeling when I get home. I said if you would keep your damned oxygen on all day maybe we could actually go out. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Well I hope he keeps his darn oxygen all day today then and whether you go out or stay in, that you have a happy new year. Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 (((((Denise))))) Hope Tom feels better quick. Can't really make any remarks about him being stubborn because he may be the most stubborm man but believe me, I think I am the most stubborn woman in the world. Give Tom and big hug and kiss from me and tell him to PUT THE DARN OXYGEN ON!!!!!! Love ya, girlfriend - if you need to talk you got my number!!! Hugs - Patti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Denise, I hope you and Tom have a fabulous New Year--with the oxygen on!!!!!!! Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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