Dilwala

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Dilwala.

I'm very sorry you've got pulmonary problems but you've

obviously found a wonderful site here to help you cope.

I wish you had been referred to a pulmonologist much

earlier. You were not monitored adequately - so many

of us weren't. I would pretty much second everything

Beth wrote to you. I'm not caught up on posts, so

there are probably many other responses to you by

now, but I did have a VATS.

My VATS had no complications, and wasn't any more

painful than I expected after major surgery. I didn't

suffer any nerve damage, didn't have lingering pain,

didn't have to go on Prednisone at that time. I'm also

of the opinion that knowledge is power, and I'm a big

have-to-know person. I realize that getting diagnosed

with IPF, as I was, creates as many questions as it

answers, but I had to know. I'd do it again.

As Bruce said, insist on getting copies of all your

records. Best of luck making all your upcoming

decisions. No one can really make them for you. You

have to find competent, compassionate physicians,

then do the research, then make a decision and stick

with it. You'll go crazy second-guessing yourself.

We're very glad to have you aboard and l look forward

to hearing more about you. Do you have support?

Where you live? ..... that type of thing. We're here for

you, and we're all in it together. Keep us posted.

Gwynne IPF 7/04 listed for transplant 3/07 and 2/08 Texas