I'll try to keep the description brief. I had a cytomegalovirus ("CMV") infection that basically wreaked havoc throughout my body. To be more specific, my physician called it CMV colitis. To provide a bit of context, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness called Crohn's Disease in 2002. As such, I take immunosuppressant drugs on a daily basis to treat this condition. At some point, my immune system must have dropped below an acceptable level, causing me to be vulnerable to a CMV infection. In actuality, CMV is a relatively common in the population (55-80% of adults have it), but it doesn't pose a problem for most people with a healthy immune system. For me, the CMV infection started in my GI and spread to many of my organs - my lungs, kidneys, liver, etc. My blood counts were all off (e.g., low white blood cells, or "neutropenic," and low red blood cells), resulting in a blood transfusion at the hospital.
At first I just thought I had a bad flu. I had ten days of fevers, chills, and bad GI symptoms before I was finally admitted to Cedars-Sinai hospital. It took an army of specialists and a few days for them to definitively diagnose it. I was really sick for the first 4-5 days, but started feeling a bit better after the treatment started kicking in (ganciclovir via IV). I was released after 12 days, but continued IV treatment at home for two weeks.
The good news is, I am expected to recover 100%. I would say that I'm close to that now, although I've been given strict orders by my team of doctors to try to take it easy and I'm still banned from air travel.
I have a lot of thoughts from being at the hospital, but I'm not sure if I ever get to that. It's funny how memory fades with time. Here are some pics for your enjoyment though...
Not looking too good here.
Hospital food. I didn't eat anything for almost the first week. But after that, this was what I was enjoying every day.
PICC line that I had after being discharged...
3 comments:
leonard, thanks for sharing. we're all rooting for you, love you and wish only the very best for you.
what a year!
– tim + grace, jonah + isaiah
really glad that you are feeling better leonard!! was just going to ask you if you guys want to come out to KC for the onething...but duh. you can't fly yet. another time, yah? take care! say hello to liz for me. and lina is BEAUTIFUL!!
i'm so glad you're almost fully recovered. what an ordeal! whatever that is that line is that's stuck inside you must have been so uncomfortable. my dad had spoken to liz's dad and we must have misunderstood but we heard that they had to install something in your heart/by your heart. and we're like, "leonard had to get a pace maker?!!" we're glad you're okay.
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