Here's a good scare for today!

[chloesmom]

Was told that one of the custodial staff where I work had lung cancer. Several people who know both of us told him he should talk to me about treatment, hospitals, etc. (We don't have very good hospitals, etc. in our city but are less than one hour from Chicago). Last Friday, while he was in our offices emptying wastebaskets, etc., I talked to him at length about all that.

He was coughing and hacking all the while, and he has been like that for the past few weeks. Monday, he collapsed while at work and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. There, they did another chest x-ray and told him he doesn't have cancer, he has pneumonia. (See what I mean about our local healthcare?) Early this morning, a co-worker in whom he confides, said she called him at the hospital to see how he was doing, and now he is saying that the doctors think he may have TB!!!!!!! (Again, our healthcare around here).

Now, this guy has been all over the building, in every office, in every bathroom, with his hands on every doorknob, and, like I said earlier, coughing without covering his mouth for two weeks now. Man, oh, man--I went straight to my boss with the story and told him that I hadn't survived cancer twice to get TB in my own workplace, and on and on and on--

Boss said he would contact Human Resources immediately as find out about it--turns out that if the hospital gets a positive TB test, they are to contact the person's employer immediately, and coordinate with the Health Department to get everyone who has been exposed tested and on medication.

For now, the hospital says everything is negative, but I think I will be running this by my chest surgeon next appt which is in 3 weeks...anything like this ever happen to any of you?

It got my pulse racing today.

[karen335]

Prayers for you that this is not TB and only a bad cold or pneumonia for him. Don't want to wish illness on anyonebut of the choices this is waht I would choose. Prayers for you that this is what it is...

Blessings and prayers,

Karen

[-Cheryl-]

I work with an indigent population and have had a scare or two. My doctor thought I might have had TB when first being diagnosed with LC, but it turned out adeno-BAC after the bronchoscopy and biopsy. I have since learned that BAC is a virus!!! The patient I saw was a carrier and not active herself. The other time my client had a wound on his neck with TB, but forrtunaely not contagious. The wound was covered with a bandage. TB is usually an airborn disease and highly contagious. I sure hope you wee not exposed!

Cheryl

[Haylee_38]

I just had something similar happen to my husband. He had problem

with a lymph node on his neck getting to the size of a baseball.

In the past 8 weeks we have been told it may lymphoma, mono, dental

related, TB, was told after a doctor stuck him with a 19 gage needle the

mass was solid. Then after they found the nodule on his lung. He only

then got tested for TB { was negative} and told small chance could be

lung cancer or another type of cancer. Finaly found a surgeon who

knew something and it was an infection. He drained the mass and filled

three containers of gunk. This is after being told it was def. a solid mass.

I am in Ohio but think the health care system can be bad anywhere.

My sister in Las Vegas and my brother in South Carolina both had some

very bad medical care and mis diagnosis last year. { sad } Haylee

[chloesmom]

I was just afraid--last thing I need is an exposure to TB. Guess that's pretty much been ruled out.....

Latest is that a heart surgeon has been in to see him and he has a "gel" around his lungs that needs to come out and it can't be drained, so they are going to do it surgically????? Is that pleural effusion????

Thanks eveyone for 'listening'--