Guest guest Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Hey All- Hadn't posted in a while....wanted to give you an update on my status......I had previously posted about my chronic battle with Iritis, joint & neck problems and generally not feeling well for a long while as well as my bad experience with Enbrel (depression/anxiety) this past fall......well for about a month leading up to mid-December- I felt so crappy.......tired/fatigued/nausea/indigestion/weight loss/upper right abdominal pain/abnormal feeling of fullness & pain in between my shoulder blades........I was living on low does medrol/lodine and tramadol for quite a while; went for a CT scan of my abdomen on 12/9- Monday 12/12 I was in MN on business and felt so miserable I called the GI doc looking for the CT results........he calls back and says the abdomen is all normal.......Tues into Weds of that week started to have some sharp pains in my jaw/shoulder and left arm.......I was to head home early on Weds and go straight to the hospital.......but my wife and the client made me go to the ER------boy am I glad I did........turns out I had a small tear in the descending aorta.........(thoracic region)........my wife flew out from NJ on Thurs and they operated on Fri 12/16........they did two procedures: 1) They had to tie off the sub-clavian artery and do something with the carotid.......then they went in and put a stent into the aorta............So I almost feel like a new man! The first week after leaving the hospital was rough........The Still's Fevers came back with a vengeance (anytime there is trauma to my body the fevers come back)-------had to almost go back to the hospital in NJ until they confirmed it wasnt infectious (of course I/we all know that)..............but basically, all the doctors here in NJ and MN say I am the luckiest guy they ever saw as most of these turn into a full dissection and if ur not already near or in a hospital you're a goner........I do feel lucky.......I was in the right place at the right time! Bottomline.........never ignore your symptoms! But I think as Still's sufferers we know that..........sometimes I do ignore the pain/symptoms we tend to live with.............this time I didn't; I knew something was wrong and listened to everyone around me and my body...........Everyone take care and be well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 You ARE very lucky!! a dissection is nothing to fool around with at all!! My husband has an ascending thoracic aneurysm that they are 'watching'. It is 4.5 cm? they operate, if caught before rupturing at 5 cm. UGH..Like waiting for a time bomb.. I am glad you are o.k.. Keep us updated on your progress! Diane..42 ...turns out I had a small tear in the descending aorta.........Visit the Still's Disease Message Board Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 13, 2012 Report Share Posted January 13, 2012 Thanks Diane- It wasn't a dissection yet......it was considered a penetrating ulcer---------pre-dissection- it was good thing I didnt get on the plane and I was lucky to have symptoms that forced me to the hospital! You take care! > > You ARE very lucky!! a dissection is nothing to fool around with at all!! My husband has an ascending thoracic aneurysm that they are 'watching'. It is 4.5 cm? they operate, if caught before rupturing at 5 cm. UGH..Like waiting for a time bomb.. I am glad you are o.k.. Keep us updated on your progress! > Diane..42 > > ..turns out I had a small tear in the descending aorta.........Visit the Still's Disease Message Board > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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