All Doctors are NOT Created Equal

A few weeks ago, a gentleman phoned me at the office to inquire about how to make comments on the upcoming environmental impacts analysis of the Rosemont Mine project, for which we rec'd an application from a copper company last summer.

While we were chatting, he asked me about the public open-houses that the Forest had held during the week before Easter. I told him I had been sick and hadn't attended. He then advised me that he was a retired doctor and asked me what was ailing me.

I explained that I'd been unable to get a deep breath for a few months, especially when i was out walking the dirt roads near my home with David as part of our exercise regime. I continued to tell him I had a nasty cough that was unproductive for awhile, then turned into a gurgling, wheezing nightmare. I told him I had sweats and chills, and that I was sooooo tired that I was sleeping 12-16 hrs per day.

He said it sounded like Valley Fever or pneumonia.

After our phone conversation, and as I reported in my April 10 post, I had the PET/CT done at Scripps, whereafter the radiologist noted the shadow on the upper lobe, right lung. My endocrinologist, Dr. Dailey, phoned me from Scripps and told me to get an appointment with a pulmonary specialist here in Tucson. I called everyone in town, and no one would schedule me until August or September. I even tried David's sleep doctor, who is a pulmonary specialist, and they turned me away. Dr. Dailey had faxed them the radiology report, but to no avail.

That weekend, I felt somewhat better, so I attended our next open house about the mine on Saturday April 5. Whom should I meet there, but Dr. Chrissman, the retired doctor to whom I spoke on the phone. He asked me about my doctor visit, and I reported what they'd seen on the PET scan. He said it was likely valley fever. I explained my frustration at not being able to score an appt. He offered to help.

Long story short, he was able to locate someone to see me. David and I saw Dr. Clements on Wed this week, after which I had blood drawn for an antibody titer and a followup CT scheduled for next week. He told me he was fairly certain in was valley fever, and gave me compelling reasons why it was probably not TB or lung cancer. He also wrote me an excuse requesting that i be allowed to work from home so that i can catch some zzzzzzzzzzzs when i feel worn down, rather than laying on the floor of my office.

I finished this week working at home, napped when i could, worked when i could and more or less feel stronger as of today. Haven't had chills since last weekend, and not much coughing at all. Though Dr Clements encouraged me to keep swimming for exercise, I'm waiting until after the CT scan to be sure that I'm not exacerbating the problem.

Thanks a million to Dr. Chrissman, a caring, compassionate man.