My mother’s been having breathing issues for a while now (since before Christmas), and they simply haven’t been able to figure out what’s wrong. She gets severely out of breath just walking from the living room to the kitchen. They even had her in the hospital for a while for observation and tests. They did find some fluid around her heart, in fairly large amounts, but even when treated for that, the breathing thing didn’t clear up.
She found out yesterday what was causing it. Her lupus was attacking her lungs, causing scar tissue to destroy alveoli. She’s been permanently crippled by her own immune system…a civil war inside her body. There is no way to repair that damage, only treatments to keep it from getting worse. She’s now permanently on oxygen, for the rest of her life…a concentrator for the home, and mini-tanks for when she’s out. I just found all this out tonight from her. I’m still sort of stunned. I can’t even picture my mother with an oxygen cannula in front of her nose.
Like the forum title says, pointless and mundane. Please, folks, if you have an auto-immune disease, get ALL new developments in your health checked out. It’s too easy to lose your quality of life very quickly with these things.
Thanks the good advice. I didn’t know lupus could cause lung damage. I have two friends with rheumatoid arthritis (also an auto-immune disorder) so I looked it up, and the articles confirm the risk for lung damage. I wonder if they’re aware of this. Hmmm. How to bring it up? Should I assume their doctors have told them? I’ll risk being a busybody.
My mom used supplemental oxygen for several years. She got used to it quickly and actually became a bit more active than before. Maybe because she could breathe better. Good luck to your mom.
jayjay, I’m very sorry to hear about your mom. For some reason, I was thinking of you this morning! (Thinking of the pic you posted of you and Supervenusfreak in your Halloween costumes always makes me smile.)
Anyway, I guess now I know why you were on my mind. I’ll offer a prayer for your mom, that she enjoys a good quality of life despite being tethered to an oxygen tank!
Sorry to hear this jayjay. My mother has an autoimmune as well, MS, so I’ve definitely been there. It sucks more than anything to see someone you love being taken down by their own body.
My mom has MS, too, so I’m aware of the “one’s own body is one’s enemy” mindset that can really do a number on your head. Best wishes to your mom and you, and all your loved ones.
