# Mom's Civil War **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 5, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819 "2008-06-05T00:51:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/1 "2008-06-05T00:51:42Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ShermanAter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ShermanAter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShermanAter)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/2 "2008-06-05T01:02:45Z")
Man that just sucks **jayjay**. Sorry to hear that. Thanks for the heads up and I wish you both the best. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/3 "2008-06-05T02:20:52Z")
I’m so sorry to read that, **jayjay**. It truly sucks. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/4 "2008-06-05T03:38:20Z")
Sorry to hear this! 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. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/5 "2008-06-05T12:37:03Z")
Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry to hear this. I’m saying a quick prayer for your mom. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/6 "2008-06-05T13:11:21Z")
**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! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/7 "2008-06-05T13:19:00Z")
I’m so sorry. She, and you, are in my thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Elysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/8 "2008-06-05T14:15:52Z")
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. Best wishes to you both. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/9 "2008-06-05T14:20:00Z")
jayjay, I’m very very sorry - you and your mom will be in my thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/10 "2008-06-05T21:51:12Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-civil-war/451819/11 "2008-06-05T22:30:53Z")
Lupus? Holy crap ☹ Best wishes to you and your mom.