Charlie is in the hospital in Texas with a diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure. He and his wife Jenny are unconvinced that is the real issue, and are pushing for answers.
I am awaiting an email back from Jenny to see if it's okay to give out his address for cards. For now let's keep Charlie and his wife Jenny in our prayers!!!
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
charlie,
best wishes to you; my late dad had congestive heart failure for 20 PLUS YEARS!!
he also was never diagnosed for lyme disease but had it at least 80 YEARS!!
my thoughts and prayers go to you jenny and charlie during this time.
thanks tracy for posting this for lymenet members
charlie has such a wonderful sense of humor; i receive a few of his golden goodies in regular email. Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
I have a feeling Charlie will be reporting in here himself in the not too distant future.
it doesn't sound likely that he has congestive heart failure, and other truly awful possibilities seem to be ruled out.
Charlie thinks he relapsed several months ago after being blasted by a neighbor's indiscriminate use of insecticide.
Here's hoping that pain relief and sleep are at hand, and a full recovery not far behind.
dill
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Tell Charlie we're all sending prayers his way!
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :
Sending healing thoughts your way for a speedy trip home.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Charlie - Best wishes to you and Jenny. I hope you are out of the hospital very soon and it turns out to be nothing serious.
Feel better. Terry
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
charlie, and family, big hugs and smchooies from fort worth.....
hope you're up and around real soon partner...
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
They say it happens at early stage, but that is probably because they don't recognize the late stage.
Posted by kam (Member # 3410) on :
I did a bit of reading to learn more. Like other labels...the symptoms are a lot like we deal with all the time with lyme and company.
Sounds like meds help with this but does not cure it.
Wondering how Charlie knew or his doctor that it was CHF.
Such a scary sounding dx. Are you scared Charlie??
I think I would be.
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
again...its not at all clear that Charlie has CHF.
He was admitted with that diagnosis, BEFORE examination/tests-- admissions folks have to write down some best guess.
i believe the diagnosis was later modified.
whatever is going on, it sounds like it has been no fun at all for some while.
Hugs to Charlie and Jenny and hoping to hear more soon.
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
Being in the hospital for ANY reason is always upsetting. Hang in there Charlie. My best to both you and Jenny.
Cathy
Posted by Just Julie (Member # 1119) on :
Thinking of you. Hope you get answers soon!
Posted by aklnwlf (Member # 5960) on :
Charlie and Jenny,
Am praying for you both! Let us know how everything turns out.
Joann Posted by imagine2 (Member # 3136) on :
Hi Charlie, Wishing you a quick recovery. Thinking about you! Posted by nenet (Member # 13174) on :
My best wishes to you Charlie - I don't know you, but I certainly feel for you. I hope that you can be as comfortable as possible while you are there, and that you receive truly thorough care and concern.
I hope you experience a miracle and have someone on the hospital staff working with you that is truly Lyme-literate.
Hey, it could happen!
Sending my good thoughts your way. I hope you feel much better soon, and can go back home.
Posted by ICEiam (Member # 7519) on :
Charlie does NOT have CHF. They have determined it is his liver and are keeping him in the Duck Hotel for further testing.
I guess they like him and his humor there.
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
I've heard he already has the nurses in stitches. That's our Charlie!
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
Good luck Charlie! I wish you the best. Glad its not CHF.
SG
Posted by glm1111 (Member # 16556) on :
Get out of that bed Charlie!! Wishing you a speedy healing...
P. S. nurses love humor..keep em laughing. Good for your liver also
Gael
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
Hey Charlie and Jenny hope things settle down and you're felling better soon.
1: Can J Cardiol. 1996 May;12(5):503-6.Click here to read Links
Comment in: Can J Cardiol. 1996 Nov;12(11):1146.
Cardiac manifestations of Lyme disease: a review. **************************************************************
Nagi KS, Joshi R, Thakur RK.
Arrhythmia Service, University Hospital, London, Ontario.
OBJECTIVE:
To describe the clinical features of cardiac manifestations of Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne illness in North America, which occasionally results in cardiac involvement.
DATA SOURCES:
A review of the English-language clinical literature pertaining to Lyme disease and Lyme carditis indexed in MEDLINE from 1975 to 1995.
DATA EXTRACTION:
Studies describing diagnosis, clinical features, treatment or outcome were reviewed.
DATA SYNTHESIS:
Cardiac complications of Lyme disease may occur in up to 8% of patients.
Cardiac manifestations occur in the early phase of the illness, at a median of 21 days from the onset of erythema migrans.
Temporary cardiac pacing may be required in up to a third of cases and complete recovery occurs in most (greater than 90%) patients.
The overall prognosis of Lyme carditis is very good, although recovery may be delayed and late complications such as dilated cardiomyopathy may occur.
CONCLUSION:
Lyme disease is a tick-borne spirochetal infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi.
Cardiac complications of Lyme disease generally occur in the early phase and include conduction system disturbances, myopericarditis and congestive heart failure.
PMID: 8640597 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
no copyright shown....
thanks lou for this most informative pub med article! hugs
Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
Liver? That's not so good either. You need that too. At least the liver can regenerate itself & people can get transplants.
Hey, if you have to get on a transplant list, that's probably a good time to have the ducks not believe that you could still have Lyme disease.
I'm glad to hear that Charlie seems to be holding onto his sense of humor. That's got to be a good sign!
I hope we'll see him posting again soon.
Hugs & Prayers for both Charlie & Jenny, Ali
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Prayers sent.
Please keep us all updated.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
charlie will likely be out of the hospital tomorrow, no thanks to his doctors.
hopefully Jenny or Charlie will post here or at Lyme Friends soon...
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Here is the update I got from Jenny today, no mention of the actual diagnosis they may have changed it to. She mentioned liver issues yesterday as well, however there was a lot of information and mostly questions so what I reported was his "admitting diagnosis", which is generally always their "best guess."
From Jenny:
Hi All, Just praying they'll drain Charlie's abdomen early tomorrow morning. He's very much looking forward to coming home.
Would say he's pretty discouraged tonight. I have given him some of the Email you've written and it's helped him, but don't know how to get into LYme Friends...and I'm just too tired to learn now. Thanks for your Email and prayers.
Love, jenny
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Also, we are taking a collection to send Charlie something. Paypal donations can be sent to [email protected].
Charlie is always the first and most generous to donate to everyone else. I have emailed Jenny to see what he might like, or maybe someone here might have suggestions; as I'm guessing flowers may not be his thing!
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
edited-
I have spoken to Jenny directly and Charlie does not have CHF, period.
Again, he should be out of the hospital tomorrow. If he escapes then, it doesn't mean he's well, just won't be at the mercy of docs who don't have a clue and who don't seem to care much about his best interests.
[ 07-22-2009, 01:35 AM: Message edited by: sometimesdilly ]
Posted by Lou B (Member # 64) on :
Charlie (& Jenny too),
Oh my most generous friends ... I feel for both of you and wish you the best. Hopefully the doctors will figure out what's going on with Charlie, find a solution, do it and send him on the way to better health.
If there's anything we (Angela & I) can do for you, please contact us and we will do it!!!
The best of luck and our prayers for both of you,
Posted by pab (Member # 904) on :
Charlie,
I'm sorry to hear you are in the hospital. I can imagine how much fun that is for you!
I hope to hear you are better soon.
(I just spent 10 days in the hospital with Jake.)
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Charlie,
Been thinking about you!!!! Hoping for a swift recovery so you can crack us up in chat again soon....
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
I'll be prayin' for ya, Bat Pancreas, Buzzard Breath...miss you
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Looks like Charlie was probably spot-on about his exposure to insecticide..... he isn't the first on this board to have a severe problem or relapse from someone's careless spraying of chemicals.....
Very sorry, Charlie...... I pray there's a doc out there to help you reverse the effects of this problem. Hope you get home today.
Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
Hi Charlie,
Thinking of you, sending my best wishes to you and Jenny, hoping you are out of that hospital and feeling better soon.
If you were exposed to toxic insecticide -- it could be a reaction to toxic chemicals? Could it be a lyme relapse?
Take care and I hope you are working with a good doctor/llmd on this one. Wishing you the best and also glad that it is not CHF! Hugs & kisses.
Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :
Drain his abdomen???!!!
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Here is the email I just got from his wife, Jenny:
"Good news. He FINALLY got drained this morning for the condition we went in there for, ascites.
Should be home sometime this afternoon.
Thanks for all the prayers and Emails.
Jenny"
Any ideas for a good get well gift for him? Please send donations to [email protected] on Paypal; we'd like to get something out to him!!
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
We are going to send Charlie a fruit basket, as suggested by his wife when asked! He needs to begin healthier eating so she said it would be great.
We'd like to get it there ASAP as he is to be discharged today. Please send contributions if you like, even $5 would be great, to MerryGirl38@hotmail via paypal.
Thanks everyone for showing Charlie some love! Also his wife said he would LOVE cards, so I am going to give his address to BettyG to distribute to those interested in sending a card.
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
Wiki says that ascitis is 80% due to liver problems. He may have to give up the brew.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
OH no, Mr. Buzzard!!! You'd better start behaving!!!!
Give up the brew? .. oh darn!
Get better SOON!!!!!! Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
tracy, got your email with charlie's home address...
thx for updates from jenny Posted by Meg (Member # 22) on :
Dog gone it Mr Buzzard, eat your fruit, veggies and lay off those margueritas!
Get well soon mi Amigo
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
Charlie-
this one's for you- a video of manly vegetable eating...
beep beep warning- contains very vulgar language..
hugs, dill
Posted by aklnwlf (Member # 5960) on :
....so sending the get well six-pack is out of the question.... Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tracy9: Also, we are taking a collection to send Charlie something. Paypal donations can be sent to [email protected].
Okay, gift sent via paypal to MerryGirl.
Hope you feel better soon, Charlie.
Carol
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Thanks Carol, and I'm sure Charlie will get lots of laughs over the comments here!
I did not receive any updates today (Wednesday) and don't know if anyone else did, but will be sure and chase down some info tomorrow!!!
Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
.....Thanks so much everybody. I got home late yesterday and I'm attempting a sleep-a-thon to make up for days and weeks of no rest, just misery. (I'm having to make faaaar too many corrections while I type to convey much with clarity)
I'll be back as soon as I'm rested enough to give a somewhat coherent update and the profuse thanks I owe all of you.
The ticker is fine, that was expected.
The liver found whatever happened as a bit off-putting, but will be fine with a bit of TLC.
and the kidneys are not hurt (WHEW),,, which is the biggie I was worried about. I can't sit still thru a newscast much less dialysis.
Again thanks, I love you all and I'll be back with duckens and a 'tale of ascities' ...prolly before you know it, and no I won't put a pic of my giant tum on lymefriends.
hugs to everybody
Charlie Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
charlie, YOU are back with your wonderful sense of humor!!!
so glad to see you wrote yourself, and get many hours of good sleep in yoru own bed!! hugs/kisses to you and jenny .... Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Hi Charlie - I haven't been on here much, but saw this today - glad you are feeling a little better. you might want to google for the Environmental Health Network - they deal with pesticide exposure.
Posted by jennie46 (Member # 20953) on :
Hi Charlie & Jenny - Sending prayers and hugs your way.
Charlie, hope you are feeling better and have a speedy recovery.
Jen
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Ahhhh....what a relief to hear from you Charlie!!! So glad you are home. Enjoy your sleepathon.... if you happen to wake up late at night you know where to find us on chat!!!
xoxoxoxoxox
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
charlie--- (only 8 kisses allowed, i see)
dill
Posted by Just Julie (Member # 1119) on :
ah, Charlie, great to hear the update "straight from the horse's mouth" so to speak
Having to give up one/some of life's pleasure's sucks, though. Love, Julie
Posted by pab (Member # 904) on :
I'm glad you are home. I hope you feel better soon!
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
hello anew to our Beloved Member Charlie...
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Yay Charlie!!
I knew you'd be okay, and you'd fight whatever it was too. Can't keep you down! Glad your ok!! Hugs to all!!
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
back up for the sleeping bear...
Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
Hi charlie,
welcome back!!!
Get lots of sleep and you'll be feeling better in no time, sounds like!
Glad to hear that your kidneys are fine... and the liver is cooperating!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Good to see you back, Charlie!! Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
Glad to have you "home" again!
I hope you're getting plenty of rest & not partying! (just kidding )
Posted by ping (Member # 6974) on :
Welcome Home Charlie!!!
Gotta keep all Texas boys up and running. Missed you and glad you're back!
ping "We are more than containers for Lyme"
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Get Well Soon--Jay--
Posted by sometimesdilly (Member # 9982) on :
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[lol]](graemlins/lol.gif)
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
At least the liver can regenerate itself & people can get transplants. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[shake]](graemlins/shake.gif)
![[hi]](graemlins/hi.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[kiss]](graemlins/kissing.gif)
![[spinning smile]](graemlins/spinsmile.gif)
![[tsk]](graemlins/tsk.gif)
(just kidding