Reading and thinking of you and hubby.
The DNase/Pulmozyme treatment mentioned upthread is off-label for patients who do not have cystic fibrosis. Doc K. did some sort of magic wand thingy (as off-label things are not generally covered by insurance) and Mr. Shoe is supposed to start that therapy tomorrow.
At some point, I’m gonna have to go in for FMLA at work. Which is unpaid for me. El suxxo.
That IS rotten. I’m unfamiliar w/ Texas law, will you qualify for any short-term benefits from the state?
Dunno, Nawtha. I do, however, think it’s kinda cute that when he’s trying to cough, he’ll go through the struggle of lifting his arm so he can cover his mouth. Even though nothing’s coming out there … 
Anyway, his FMLA is paid, for six weeks. Mine is unpaid - it’s a company-by-company thing, and my Grandboss - for all I’ve said about her, she has been awesome about this - has been letting my hours slide for the time being in order to protect me from that eventuality.
Last night he was started on hypersaline- a mist of, well, really salty water in his lungs. It’s like a day at the beach! The Pulmozyme has been approved and is on hold as a backup/Plan B treatment if/when :rolleyes: the hypersaline stops helping.
Hope it works well. It would be great if he could move back out to the good TV.
Would you be willing to set up a PayPal account to allow for Dope-nations if that happens?
Please, please, please, oh please, oh please, please, let these new treatments work. It occurred to me that salt is antibiotic (like, gargling with salt water when you feel a sore throat coming on) so maybe, just maybe, the saline will help kill off the acenitobacter crud?
We can hope. The purpose of hypertonic saline is to draw more water into the lungs to thin the mucus and make it easier to get out. So don’t be surprised if the volume of the “gunk” increases - it’s supposed to.
More prayers on the way.
Every appendage crossed, even my animals’.
{{{{hugs}}}}
My mom’s longest hospital stay was around six months. It’s like we all lost half a year, blink, where did the time go? You can actually go back and remember it all but yes, it all goes by while you’re not paying attention.
Do take care. I don’t drop by here every day, but I do think of you and Mr. Shoe.
Goddamn acenitobacter is developing further immunity. (They culture his lungbutter in the lab, then see what antibiotics work on his particular current population.) Now more antibioltics are showing up as being useless, and the two that still work are starting to wreck havoc on his kidneys. As a result, his legs and ankles are extremely swollen, so he’s doped up on painkillers so he doesn’t have to lie around being in pain all damn day.
This sucks. This really, really sucks.
I’m so sorry. So very sorry. 
One part of me wants to say “Oh, thank you, that’s very kind, but I’m OK” but a different, more rational part of me is afraid of the wolves circling the door. I have a PayPal account but have never used it (long story) so I don’t really know how it works. Lil’ help … 
Am sending out all kinds of Care and Hope. {{{{purple}}}}
The instructions on the Paypal site are pretty straightforward - it will tie into a bank account of your choice, typically a checking account. You will need a check for your account # and routing number. Then people can send you money via your email on record at Paypal. They cannot steal from you so you are safe.
As I understand it, you don’t even have to have it tied to a bank account - though if you don’t, you’re limited as to what you can do with the funds. A lot of sites now are allowing purchases to be paid for with Paypal now, but most do not.
Things you want to never hear a doctor say, list item # 4,816:
"Well, there’s one last option we can try. If that doesn’t work … " {trails off into silence}
Also, the antibiotics are progressively wrecking his kidneys. This morning, the spectre of the Big D (dialysis) was brought up for the first time. :eek: Worse, his muscle weakness is so bad that Shoe is thoroughly convinced that he’ll never walk again. 
The nurse who mentioned this to us said she had a long talk with him, but I know the guy: once he’s convinced of something really bad, nothing can un-convince him. Mr. Positivity, he ain’t, and never will be.
The infectious disease doc is trying one more combination of antibiotics: one that he’s been on already a while ago, but they pulled it when it started messing with his kidneys. (At that point, they still had other antibiotic options to try.) Apparently, a small amount of teeny-weeny studies - nothin’ FDA-approved or anything like that - have indicated that combining the two (the one he’s been on plus that other drug) might might MIGHT affect the acenitobacter before destroying his kidneys.
Meaning I would PM people the email address? Am I understanding correctly? I’m sorry, you’ll have to explain this to me roughly the way you’d explain it to Grandma who’s using AOL CDs on dialup.
Yes, IMO the best way to handle it would be to PM the email to those who asked.
I am between contracts and so I am more cautious with my money than I would normally be, but I will give a little.