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estebanis
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Posts: 279
Registered: 11-11-2002
Location: Stuck North of the Border. They won\'t pay me
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Double Pneumonia!!!
Well I am all better now but nearly croaked a few weeks ago!
I went down to my Campo in Erendira Monday June 4'th. I left my place south of Smell-A at O'Dark Thirty to avoid the San Diego traffic. I felt
fatigued but just figured it was not enough sleep.
When we arrived at our Campo our amigos had already set up everything. This was the first time we had them set up camp before we arrived and it was
great. We just had to unload the rig and put the food and stuff away as well as share our treasures we brought for them. I was still tired so excused
myself to take a nap and ended up sleeping for 3 hours.
Next morning up at 5AM to watch them go clamming. My bird dog assisted by fetching the clams as they threw them to the surf line. One of the kids then
dropped them in the bucket. GOOD BOY Simon the Wonderdog.
I didn't really get chilled as it wasn't that cold.
Upon return to camp I smoked/bbq'ed a Beef Brisket and Pork Butt to share with our amigos. They turned out really good.
We met up later that afternoon and that’s when the fever from hell hit. My daughter had a bad fever over the weekend and I suspect I caught it from
her.
Nasty fever that I figured was a flu. Shivers and high Temp. Weird dreams etc. I just curled up in their back room and took some acetaminophen that
helped the fever.
We headed back to the Camp and I just tried to tough it out. On top of all this my back was out before we started down and all that laying around
caused it to really flare.
On Thursday I drove into San Vincente and got some meds. A flu pill and something for my back. Turned out the flu Pill had 100mg of Caffeine and I
took two of them that led to a night of tossing and turning with the back pain.
Come Friday I got one of my Amigos to take me up to Maneadero to the Sabadero. I like to call them Huesero's. He did a great job popping my back in
place and he only wanted 200 Pesos.
Back to bed for another rough night. I was starting to have a bit what I thought was a chest cold and I wore my CPAP which helped me breath easier.
Turns out that could have helped my keep my airways open and kept my from starving for O2 as much.
Now it's Saturday and once again I just toughed it out as we were leaving the next morning.
Next morning I drove up to the border and was stoked that there was only one car ahead of us at Sentri. Declared the 2 dogs and some fish and was on
our way! At that point I had my wife drive when we stopped to exchange our remaining pesos. I ask my wife to drive and slept. I also asked her to go
ahead and take me to the Kaiser Urgent Care up in the O.C.
Once there I was given a chest X-ray and they started getting pretty worked up. They hooked me up to an IV and pumped some Anti-Biotics into me. Then
sent me home to come back in the morning.
Next morning when I checked in they got pretty serious and sent me by ambulance to the Kaiser Hospital in Irvine near Sand Canyon.
From the ER to a regular bed then I was moved to Critical Care. They never were able to get a culture but diagnosed it as Bacterial Pneumonia. One
guess is that the bacteria came from cleaning out my pigeon coop and breathing in the bacteria. Once the fever hit it lowered my imune system so the
bacteria flurished. I was below 90 on the pulse Oxygen. That was Monday night. I couldn't even talk I was so short of breath. Thankfully I responded
to the O2 and meds and by Wednesday was starting to feel better. I pulled the O2 on my own early Thursday and was glad to see that my Pulse Oxygen
stayed steady at 96-97 on straight room air. That's one tube gone.
They kept me all the way until the next Monday and then I was released. I took it easy the rest of the week except for a few jaunts to visit my
friends at the Marina for coffee and to Leisure World to fix a bunch of electronic stuff for a lifelong friend. I also fixed his cherished Electric
Bike. I have been keeping that thing running for over 10 years. I looked over at him as I went to test it by hitting the throttle and said " You are
sure glad I lived".
Went to work today and feel pretty good. I could have milked it for another week early but I am so blessed that I love my job. I look forward to
retiring and coming right back as a double dipper. I will be able to take more time off to pursue my adventures yet make plenty to pay for the Gas and
Bait...
Esteban
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estebanis
Nomad
Posts: 279
Registered: 11-11-2002
Location: Stuck North of the Border. They won\'t pay me
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Couple more things
The Kaiser Hospital was great. It is very new and all the equipment is too. Rooms are private.
This was my first time in an ambulance and the first time admitted to a hospital.
I am 58 1/2 and not looking forward to worrying about being a "Lunger". Seeing as I dive, Duck hunt and fish among other early morning cold and clammy
pursuits.
I am glad to be only 3 hours from Kaiser in San Diego. In the future it is nice to know I can get to my $20 Kaiser for care. That is unless 3 hours is
too much time to save my A**...
Esteban
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5917
Registered: 7-18-2011
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Esteban, man....a scary story and could've been a potentially deadly situation had you ignored the warning signs. Glad you're feeling better. A good
lesson to all of us that if we feel wrong, head to the doctor!
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estebanis
Nomad
Posts: 279
Registered: 11-11-2002
Location: Stuck North of the Border. They won\'t pay me
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Guess I know the difference between a Fever/Flu and Pneumonia now...
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KaceyJ
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Location: there
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Estebanis,
Try wearing a dust mask when you're in the coop
More than just bacteria can be stirred up in the dust and can put you down
glad you made it!
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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what do think would happen if you were in obvious bad shape and just wanted to get across the border for help, and didnt have sentri pass and used the
sentri lane? would our guys let you die in secondary????
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5917
Registered: 7-18-2011
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Yeah, does anyone know if, say you were literally dying and pulled into Sentri, would they let you pass no problemo? Guessing they would or maybe take
the medical line? Just wondering.....
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estebanis
Nomad
Posts: 279
Registered: 11-11-2002
Location: Stuck North of the Border. They won\'t pay me
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Pneumonia often mimics the flu, beginning with a cough and a fever, so you may not realize you have a more serious condition. Symptoms can vary
depending on your age and general health.
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:
Fever
Lower-than-normal body temperature in older people
Cough
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Shaking chills
Chest pain that fluctuates with breathing (pleurisy)
Headache
Muscle pain
Fatigue
When to see a doctor
Because pneumonia can be serious, see your doctor as soon as possible if you have a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fever —
especially a lasting fever of 102 F (39 C) or higher with chills and sweating.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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All of those symptoms are the same as Valley Fever. My experience in March matched yours except that it kept me in the hospital for 3 weeks and bed
ridden for 2 months. And the fatigue is still there.
Most valley fever cases are initially misdiagnosed as pneumonia because the symptoms are so similar. You wake up every night with your tee shirt
completely drenched from the fever. Had to change them 3 times a night because once the shirt cooled down it would put a real chill into you.
I can sympathize with what you went through.
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 8-5-2011
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Here's your new hero:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Fleming
Before him you'd probably be 6 feet under now.
I had a big patch of worm like bacteria taking up residence in a lung once, it's the definition of being sick.
A microbiologist I know told me the best two inventions ever were antibiotics and garbage trucks.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19918
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by estebanis
The Kaiser Hospital was great. It is very new and all the equipment is too. Rooms are private.
This was my first time in an ambulance and the first time admitted to a hospital.
I am 58 1/2 and not looking forward to worrying about being a "Lunger". Seeing as I dive, Duck hunt and fish among other early morning cold and clammy
pursuits.
I am glad to be only 3 hours from Kaiser in San Diego. In the future it is nice to know I can get to my $20 Kaiser for care. That is unless 3 hours is
too much time to save my A**...
Esteban |
you are lucky you have health insurance. in a few days many people may lose there's 
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Glad you pulled through---I had a round of pneumonia in 2003---started out with the flu but being self-employed I kept going to work since we were so
busy...wrong, wrong, wrong---morphed into pneumonia, had the chills so bad I could barely walk. I just go to bed if I get sick now!
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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estabanis, that dog needs you around...so keep making those good choices. Very glad you are here to tell Nomads about your successful battle with a
known killer, pneumonia.
Muchas gracias, amigo...You have given us all another arrow for our medical quivers.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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LancairDriver
Super Nomad
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Registered: 2-22-2008
Location: On the Road
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by estebanis
The Kaiser Hospital was great. It is very new and all the equipment is too. Rooms are private.
This was my first time in an ambulance and the first time admitted to a hospital.
I am 58 1/2 and not looking forward to worrying about being a "Lunger". Seeing as I dive, Duck hunt and fish among other early morning cold and clammy
pursuits.
I am glad to be only 3 hours from Kaiser in San Diego. In the future it is nice to know I can get to my $20 Kaiser for care. That is unless 3 hours is
too much time to save my A**...
Esteban |
you are lucky you have health insurance. in a few days many people may lose there's |
Not much will change. Insured or not,head for the hospital emergency room of your choice.As always, in the US they will not turn you away.
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DianaT
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Registered: 12-17-2004
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Very glad you were well taken care of and are well! We are considering changing to Kaiser and it is good to hear positive reports. While you are
back to work, I hope you will take it easy so you do not have a relapse!
While you are bit under the suggested age, for some of us a bit older they suggest the pneumonia vaccine. I am not sure what type of pneumonia it
protects against --- but I think it is worth having. Pneumonia is a real killer of older people.
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
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Estebanis,
glad you came through this in one piece.
I had a similar event last year. Had to go to Sacramento in mid winter to look after a rental and, living in Loreto full time, had no winter garments.
Winter there can be rather nasty and I came up with a bad persistent cough. Some times so severe that it almost made me pass out, not too good when
you're driving. Anyway, went to visit friends in Phoenix , who insisted I'd see a doctor. Had double pneumonia. Pumped me full of AB's. Was bad enough
that the doctor called me several weeks later in Loreto to see how I was doing. And now for the latest: wrote my doctor in Sacramento about my
swelling feet and eyes and trouble carrying stuff up the stairs and the reply:" sounds like heart failure" Just what I love to hear. So, back to
Sacramento we go to see a cardiologist. I know I deserve better at 76, but then again, maybe my lifestyle was a contributor. 
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BajaBlanca
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Location: La Bocana, BCS
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swelling feet and eyes has to do with heart failure ??? I had no idea ... very important information and thanks for sharing.
get well, everyone !
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BajaBlanca
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estebanis - glad you are better too. it sounds like one of the most defining symptoms you had, right from the get go, was excessive tiredness. again,
another heads up on how to recognize the signs of a possible pneumonia.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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BTW, wind can really weaken your immune system. Once you get acclimated to wind it stops being an issue. But these short vacations from say, the LA
basin, to baja's pacific coast can make you vulnerable as you age.
Every time I've been to Erendira it's blowing pretty hard. Perhaps that contributed to your onset of pneumonia.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
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estebanis, Glad you survived. You were lucky! Hope I never have to deal with a similar health issue.
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