I've been intending to write this little update since last weekend, but haven't had a chance. Between sick nephews and our lovely internet connectivity issues, I haven't done much updating anywhere! But let's put that behind us and move on. :)
Last Friday, SS saw his pulmonologist. They did the lung function test, and a CT Scan to see how his lungs look now that he's been on itraconazole for the last several months to try to kill the blastomycosis. His lung function is about 60% of what it should be, which isn't great. But it's a heck of a lot better than it was even four months ago, so there has definitely been some improvement. He'll be on an inhaler for a while to help him breathe a little easier, and it may improve with time, but they don't know. There is still some damage to his right lung, and the pulmonologist thinks it will probably be permanent. The good news is that it's not as extensive as we feared, so he will not have any more of his lung removed. YAY!
On Tuesday, he had his physical with his primary doctor, which he passed. While there, he requested a referral to the RE so insurance will pay for the SA. Let me just preface this next bit by saying that I've always liked this doctor. He's done a great job helping to coordinate SS's care over the last six months, and has really taken the time to get to know SS and make sure that he has what he needs to beat this darn blastomycosis for good. BUT, he really said something on Tuesday that infuriated me.
He told SS he didn't see a need to refer him to the RE for the SA because infertility is usually a woman's problem and it's rare that there are issues with the man. He then said that if I check out okay, he'll write the referral.
Yeah... I'm not happy.
We know SS has some concerns with fertility and needs to have the SA before we start talking treatment or anything. As a teen, he grew faster than his body produced hormones, so he had to take testosterone shots to keep things in balance. Without it, we run the risk of spending thousands on treatments that won't work. That doesn't make any sense.
We also know I won't "check out okay" because I do have PCOS and a history of PID that came from God only knows where (no one knows how I got it... possibly from the surgery to remove a cyst). So agreeing to refer to the RE only if I check out doesn't make any sense either. When people are dealing with infertility, you refer to a doctor who can examine the entire situation, and then treat. Not one that will address half the problem and ignore the other half. Simple enough, right?
Third, infertility is NOT a woman's problem and it really pissed me off that Dr. Felton said something so inordinately stupid. Infertility in men is NOT rare. In fact, one third of the time, infertility comes from the woman's side. One third of the time it comes from the man. And the rest of the time it comes from a combination of both or is for unknown reasons. If you prefer percentages, it breaks down like this: 33.3% of the time, the issue rests with the woman, 33.3% of the time, it rests with the man. The other 33.3% of the time, it come from both.
I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he didn't mean it to sound like that, but after obsessing over this for the last several days... I can't think of what the hell else the man could have meant with such a thoughtless, ignorant statement. So... I'm just irritated in general with him right now and we will not be seeing him for anything related to this journey. He clearly knows nothing about infertility, and I'm not putting my faith in someone I can't trust.
We're going to ask the RE to request a referral from him. If he won't do it, we'll either switch SS's doctor or will pay for the testing out of pocket. Either way, I refuse to let this get us down or set us back. And I'm stubborn, so dude has no clue what he's going to have to deal with if he doesn't get on board.
But enough on that...
SS went to see his Infectious Diseases doctor (no, he isn't contagious in any way... but blastomycosis is a brutal infection) today. He got good news there as well. The infection is pretty much completely gone! SS will continue the itraconazole until March. At that point, he'll go back to the ID doctor, and if everything still looks good, he'll consider him free and clear. Double YAY!
I cannot wait until we get that final thumbs up. I'm not saying I won't still worry every single time SS walks outside since we have no clue where he was exposed to this crap, but it'll be a relief to know that he's finally as healed as they can get him. It's been a rough six months. I'm looking forward to it finally being over so we can move on to bringing home Baby G. :)
Last Friday, SS saw his pulmonologist. They did the lung function test, and a CT Scan to see how his lungs look now that he's been on itraconazole for the last several months to try to kill the blastomycosis. His lung function is about 60% of what it should be, which isn't great. But it's a heck of a lot better than it was even four months ago, so there has definitely been some improvement. He'll be on an inhaler for a while to help him breathe a little easier, and it may improve with time, but they don't know. There is still some damage to his right lung, and the pulmonologist thinks it will probably be permanent. The good news is that it's not as extensive as we feared, so he will not have any more of his lung removed. YAY!
On Tuesday, he had his physical with his primary doctor, which he passed. While there, he requested a referral to the RE so insurance will pay for the SA. Let me just preface this next bit by saying that I've always liked this doctor. He's done a great job helping to coordinate SS's care over the last six months, and has really taken the time to get to know SS and make sure that he has what he needs to beat this darn blastomycosis for good. BUT, he really said something on Tuesday that infuriated me.
He told SS he didn't see a need to refer him to the RE for the SA because infertility is usually a woman's problem and it's rare that there are issues with the man. He then said that if I check out okay, he'll write the referral.
Yeah... I'm not happy.
We know SS has some concerns with fertility and needs to have the SA before we start talking treatment or anything. As a teen, he grew faster than his body produced hormones, so he had to take testosterone shots to keep things in balance. Without it, we run the risk of spending thousands on treatments that won't work. That doesn't make any sense.
We also know I won't "check out okay" because I do have PCOS and a history of PID that came from God only knows where (no one knows how I got it... possibly from the surgery to remove a cyst). So agreeing to refer to the RE only if I check out doesn't make any sense either. When people are dealing with infertility, you refer to a doctor who can examine the entire situation, and then treat. Not one that will address half the problem and ignore the other half. Simple enough, right?
Third, infertility is NOT a woman's problem and it really pissed me off that Dr. Felton said something so inordinately stupid. Infertility in men is NOT rare. In fact, one third of the time, infertility comes from the woman's side. One third of the time it comes from the man. And the rest of the time it comes from a combination of both or is for unknown reasons. If you prefer percentages, it breaks down like this: 33.3% of the time, the issue rests with the woman, 33.3% of the time, it rests with the man. The other 33.3% of the time, it come from both.
I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he didn't mean it to sound like that, but after obsessing over this for the last several days... I can't think of what the hell else the man could have meant with such a thoughtless, ignorant statement. So... I'm just irritated in general with him right now and we will not be seeing him for anything related to this journey. He clearly knows nothing about infertility, and I'm not putting my faith in someone I can't trust.
We're going to ask the RE to request a referral from him. If he won't do it, we'll either switch SS's doctor or will pay for the testing out of pocket. Either way, I refuse to let this get us down or set us back. And I'm stubborn, so dude has no clue what he's going to have to deal with if he doesn't get on board.
But enough on that...
SS went to see his Infectious Diseases doctor (no, he isn't contagious in any way... but blastomycosis is a brutal infection) today. He got good news there as well. The infection is pretty much completely gone! SS will continue the itraconazole until March. At that point, he'll go back to the ID doctor, and if everything still looks good, he'll consider him free and clear. Double YAY!
I cannot wait until we get that final thumbs up. I'm not saying I won't still worry every single time SS walks outside since we have no clue where he was exposed to this crap, but it'll be a relief to know that he's finally as healed as they can get him. It's been a rough six months. I'm looking forward to it finally being over so we can move on to bringing home Baby G. :)
xoxo,
Ayden
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