October 2023, I am still off of the prednisone but I’m just getting over an upper respiratory infection. My first test is the echocardiogram to check on the pulmonary hypertension. The cardiologist changed my medication back in May in hopes of avoiding a heart cath right now. This is done on Oct 12th. I’m not very well versed at cardiac stuff and quite honestly I haven’t done a lot of research about it either. Figured I would cross that bridge if I needed to because you can’t really diagnose pulmonary hypertension without the heart cath anyways, the echocardiograms just give estimations. He is mainly looking at the RSVP number as far as I can tell, in April it was 45 which was considered mild PH. Today is was 29!! PTL – prayer number 1 answered!
Second test came on the 17th, PFTs, the lung function test I have been concerned about since I’ve been sick lately and no longer taking the steroids. And I hate these tests, they are so hard. I don’t think I’m an anxious person but these past few months have become more than I can bear sometimes. I did not take today off of work as I asked for the lung tests to be done at the hospital where I work. On my desk I have the “Jesus Calling” devotional and this is for October 17th and I am reminded that I am not in control and I need to hand my anxiety and worries over.
I complete the PFTs, I still hate them but my FVC number is stable and my diffusion number is BETTER! PTL, prayer number 2 answered!
CT of the chest is on the 27th, unfortunately, those results weren’t as impressive as the first two tests, but it only showed slight progression in fibrosis, however, it showed mild bronchiectasis. ??? Again, a term I’ve never really encountered as a nurse, probably should have but you see I’m not your normal “went to college for four years in a nursing program, bachelor’s of science in nursing” kinda nurse. I was an LPN for six years in a nursing home then went to the hospital for two years, studied on my own thru an at-home program before they were a “big thing” and took tests at a testing center to gain credits for an associate degree. In order to sit for an RN license I had to pass a weekend clinical down in Columbus where I had to pass several clinical stations then work with and pass two adult patients and one pediatric patient under the direction of clinical nurse instructors that I had never met. I don’t have the same education most nurses have, mine came more from patient experience in the nursing home/hospital while learning the book stuff on my own. So some of this medical stuff is even greek to me even though I’ve been a nurse for over 25 years. I guess I will have to see what the lung dr says, maybe it’s nothing to be concerned about.