Re: What did Jerry have?

September 21, 2008

He was on steroids for a long time. Wouldn't steroids interfere with

having a lung transplant? Wouldn't it deter healing?

My doctor said that the mortality rate rises considerably with age

over 65 years old. Jerry had heart problems, including several

heart attacks and he was a smoker. It would have been very risky for

him to have a lung transplant at 8O years old with his medical history.

Do you know the name of the doctor he saw in the US?

Thank you.

Sue

> >

> > I thought Jerry had pulmonary fibrosis. He was on O2 for a

> > while, then he went on steroids, and now he is off the O2. Does

> > anyone know his history and if the steroids were what allowed him to

> > be off the O2?

> >

> > Thank you.

> >

> > Sue

> >

>

September 21, 2008

Sue

I know nothing about his doctors or what took place other than the

rumors. In Hollywood anything happens. While Goulet's death

brought a little publicity, some of it was misleading, such as the part

of him waiting for a transplant. He wasn't a transplant candidate or

someone doctors would have perfomed one on.

At some point Jerry was apparently taken off steroids. Now, as to

transplant, anyone receiving a transplant will be put on prednisone

after the transplant.

As to mortality rates, many issues play a role and in the US heart

problems could keep someone from being eligible. Age also might

depending on circumstances and the center. Certainly an 80 year old

wouldn't receive a transplant. As to mortality being much higher over

65, I don't know that there are any real indications on a healthy

transplant patient's likelihood of surviving the surgery being worse at

65. Now, five year mortality would be worse, just as it would be for a

healthy person.

So, no information is available on Jerry 's treatment or health.

Maybe the steroids helped, maybe he had a transplant overseas, maybe he

had some other treatment that wouldn't be given in the US or drugs that

are only in clinical trial stage in the US. Regardless there are places

outside the US where money can get you special treatment. Whether he got

it in his disappearance from the public eye, I have no idea.

I'm glad we have a system of scoring transplant candidates and of

objectively deciding as long as we have limited organs. I honestly feel

that if I did try to become a candidate and was rejected that it would

be for good reason others were chosen over me. I know if I were choosing

who got the organs I would choose a 35 year old with no other medical

conditions and the commitment to the process over me at 58 with many

other medical conditions. Now, I do wish we did more age matching and

things like that so that organs from older donors were used more on on

older candidates instead of remaining unused.

> > >

> > > I thought Jerry had pulmonary fibrosis. He was on O2 for a

> > > while, then he went on steroids, and now he is off the O2. Does

> > > anyone know his history and if the steroids were what allowed him

to

> > > be off the O2?

> > >

> > > Thank you.

> > >

> > > Sue

> > >

> >

>

September 22, 2008

Sue,

For pretty much anyone who has a lung transplant (or most other transplants for that matter) post transplant treatment will include prednisone. Prednisone is used as an anti-inflammatory medication and also to assist in suppressing the immune system which would help prevent rejection of the transplanted organ.

Personally I don't believe Mr had a lung transplant. I know there are rumors but I'm not buyin the story. I also realize he no longer appears in public using oxygen. That doesn't mean he's not using supplementary oxygen, just that he's not using it in public. He looks so m is uch better than he did a couple of years ago when he was obviously on high doses of prednisone. But honestly so do I. I went through pulmonary rehab, committed myself to a healthy diet and regular exercise.

As Bruce mentioned Mr. may have had access to a drug overseas that the rest of us wouldn't be able to get. Or he may have had a form of fibrosis like hypersensitivity pneumonitis that would have been arrested by the steroids. It's possible if his disease was mostly inflammation instead of mostly scarring he might not need O2 anymore just based on steroid treatment.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we really have no idea what Mr.' medical situation is. We're really just guessing and speculating. The forms of fibrosis can vary so widely that what treatment someone else got and what worked for them likely have little bearing on what will work for me. Even someone with my exact diagnosis could have a very different treatment depending on what their doctor feels will work best for them.