Sunflower Blog

Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is not a good thing. It's a health thing. It's a fungus that gets in the lungs, the spreads to the rest of the body. It's a thing my older cousin has in his lungs, lymph nodes, and beyond. I expect he's going to die from it. He should have been treated long ago. The past can't be changed.

Johnny lives in a smaller town in Texas. He's been so good all his life about taking himself and his wife to the doctor to take care of problems. It seems that this one got by the medical professionals. Or, perhaps, at some point one has to say that what happens on earth is God's will.

I'm only able to write this unemotionally because I feel somewhat detached from the situation. Mom grew up with Johnny, not me. He's been the older cousin that was always Mom's favorite cousin. The used to double car date in the late 1930s. They've shared all their lives. I'm the grown up kid. There was a cousin my age, Terri, who died, suicide, about 10 years ago. Such sadness.

After researching some articles on the dogpile search engine, I found out more than I really wanted to know. Johnny is pretty much bedridden from lack of strength and not being able to breathe, but he wanted me to send him some info. It's a major task for him to take in air to absorb oxygen. I almost have that apsrin commerical memorized. "The right atrium's where the process begins, when the CO2 blood enters the heart. . . ."

His liver and spleen are most likely to stop working as the fungus penetrates all organs of his body. He will begin falling further away from us. So far he's taken pain med by mouth, but I don't know how much that can help, with an open throat lesion. He doesn't want to "leave drugged," I know. He wants to know, until he doesn't need to. It may turn into another kind of matter, well, later on.

So histoplasmosis is a fungus. It gets into a person's body from the ground/air. The fungus is carried in the feces from bats and chickens, and is more prevelent in the Midwest. One begins to get the symptoms of a summer cold within 3-17 days of exposure.

The doctors just told him he had a cold. Now he gets shaking shivers, and pneumonia is setting in. He's in a hosptial about an 8 hour drive away. I told mom I'd drive us there, but she wants to save me for her support during the funeral. It's so difficult to know how to help different people, as so may are effected by just one person, 'ya know? His wife, and other daughter with MS aren't in good health either.

The doctor didn't catch the histoplasmosis, or treat it, because they were working with Johnny's many heart problems. Johnny is in his 70s. The research indicates this illness will be terminal. The research in the vet arena says most animals with this are euthanised. I have vet tech training and education from a few years back. It's good to know medicine for yourself.

First, my mom asked me to print up some research info, because she relies on me for computer skills. There was a picture and article that won't get into the family info, but I'll share in writing--this needs to be an article, less personal for best reading.

Johnny has an ulcer/lesion in his throat. I saw a picture of a tongue with this problem. It was black at the back on the tongue, working on down the throat one way, and towards the tip of the tongue the other way.

My father's feet turned black the last days before he died. Still blood and dead tissue turns black. It's not pretty. I can't image what it would feel like, except that one's body would sure be seeking relief, that may only be found spiritually.

I pray for him, and would you say a little prayer for him too. Just for Johnny P.

I'll organize an article, because this is stuff most people don't know--or I didn't before this. Write on. Pray on. Peace out.