Tenth Hospitalization -- MG Crisis

Here is what has happened since Wednesday 

Wednesday Morning (08/20/14)

I am not feeling great today. My vision is bad and I have a pressure feeling in the sides and back of my head. Just another fun day with MG!

Lunch

Cathy called and canceled my therapy appointment and I took a shower around lunch time. My breathing became really bad in the shower. My arms basically stopped working and I had to sit on the ledge in the shower because my legs became very weak. I burst into tears because of the pseudobulbar affect; Cathy heard me crying. She came and helped me out of the shower, get dried and dressed, and finally to the bed. I put on my bi-pap and she called Kerrell. They decided I needed to go the ER. I don't remember much after that.

Evening

Update by Cathy on Kerry: We took him to the ER today at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN. His breathing was bad, pressure in head, along with a bad PBA attack (pseudobulbar affect). He was in a myasthenia gravis crisis.

They took him back quickly. The ER doctor decided to admit him almost as soon as he saw Kerry. He called in a hospital internist and neurologist, all three seem to be very good doctors. The neurologist was the last to arrive. His first question was, "And why is he not intubated?" Kerry's answer, "Because I really don't won't to be, please!" Kerry was within a "hair" of being put on a ventilator.

They admitted him to the ICU overnight. The neurologist has him scheduled for five plasma exchanges. They will insert a vascular catheter sometime on Thursday and afterward he will have his first treatment. Kerry had thought he might be back in the hospital sometime within the next month or so because of how he was feeling, but the crisis came on quickly today.

Thursday (08/21/14)

It was a long, sleepless night. The monitors kept alarming because heart rate kept dropping into the 40's (that is normal for me). I am waiting for interventional radiology to do my vascular catheter and then it is off to plasma exchange. It looks like I will be in the hospital through Tuesday of next week. I still fell bad this morning.

Evening

This was my second night in ICU. Today is over; the vascular catheter and the plasma exchange went well. I had an ultrasound of my legs to look for blood clots. Don't expect any. Tomorrow brings another plasma exchange and a cardiac ultrasound. I think they are checking for pulmonary hypertension. Will check and see why. Thanks for the prayers. P.S. Cardiac enzymes were elevated...probably from stress on breathing muscles during crisis.

Friday (08/22/14)

I had a good sleep last night. Breathing better at rest this morning. Still hard to breath with activity.

My problem is a myasthenia gravis (MG) crisis where my breathing muscles became so weak breathing became very difficult. The doctors almost put me on a ventilator to rest my breathing muscles so they could recover from the MG. But, they waited to see if the plasma exchange would help. It did. I have had two so far. I have three more to go. I will be in the hospital through Monday. I was in ICU to monitor my breathing because I could need a ventilator at any moment until the crisis passed.

They did the ultrasound on my heart today, I do not know the results yet. The plasma exchange also went well.

I am stronger because of the two plasma exchanges and they have increased my prednisone to 20mg daily. That always helps!

Saturday (08/23/14)

It is good to be in a regular room. I still have a heart monitor, but it is wireless. They have also removed the blood pressure cuff and the SpO2 monitor; those wires really get in the way. I am feeling better, but breathing is still hard with any activity. I have been in contact with Dr. C.L. at Vanderbilt. He may start me back on chemotherapy again.

The plasma exchange was late Saturday afternoon and went well. I am improving, but still have a lot of trouble breathing even walking across the room. The heart ultrasound was fine.

One more thing...when the nurse was checking me into the ICU room she asked, "Is there anything you need to continue your religious practices while you are in the hospital?" I responded, "Yes: A live chicken, some orange marmalade, and a weed eater!" She laughed. "Well, you asked!" It's Me Again Margaret!