Subacute thyroiditis, mostly a disease of grown ups, has been a famous entity since our med student days. Appropriately diagnosed with it by our friend doctor, my wife has undergone a typical course. They say it is caused by respiratory viral infection. In the acute phase, the patient could develop symptoms of hyperthyroidism with excessive thyroid hormone released from the damaged thyroid gland. My wife has experienced tachycardia and premature beat for the symptom ascribed to it. She may experience transient hypothyroidism later soon in the recovery phase. I am almost touched to see a typical course, rather serious one, as we used to learn in the student days, has been observed in her, of course, while I am worried about it. This entity is quite rare in pediatrics and I could not remember any case of this famous disease in my medical doctor days. I remembered that I had learned a lot from various patients regarding different illnesses when I was a resident. I recalled how I had learned as a new doctor.
Just in case of any complication etc, she was referred to the med school where we have served residency even though she feels great at present. She is waiting for the lab exam data at the hospital now. Driving with her to the hospital this morning, we have talked a lot our days of residency. It's almost half a century ago. The hospital buildings have been modified at many places. The resident house where we have spent honey moon days seems to have been demolished for now. Everything has been replaced to new buildings. Almost half a century ago since our resident days. Not dreamed we would attend this hospital as a patient.
It is in a terrible heat wave here. In half an hour, I would head to the hospital to bring her back home. May it be some interal before either of us go there as a patient again. Even if not in half a century from now!
PS; She will be on steroid medication for 3 months. The endocrinologist said her it could recur and medication should be continued and tapered off gradually. It was beyond my expectation.
We are touched to hear of your wife’s recent illness. We hope she has a speedy recovery. Steroids are strong medicine, and it’s not easy to be on them for such a long period. Hopefully, her recovery will be steady and uneventful.
ReplyDeleteWe are also experiencing a lot of heat and humidity. Every day there is a chance of rain, but it passes us by. Until we get lucky I am watering often. It is not safe to be out later in the day because one gets overheated.
I enjoyed reading about your visit to your medical school. It sounds like you received the best of care. I hope you both stay very healthy from now on!
Best wishes, Susan
Susan, she was embarrassed at the new function and structure of the hospital she had never been to as a patient. Everything was automated with digitalization. Hopefully, she will be familiar with it soon. While she was consulting and being examined by them, I got a fancy pajama at a mall nearby, which she loved so much. An elegant light purple one made of cotton. She told me her mother usd to love clothes in purple.
DeleteThe weather is quite abnormal. A terrible heat wave with occasional torrential rain. Japan seems to be influenced by global warming in worst fashion. We are on the brink of 1.5 degrees increase threshold for now. If it exceeds that, the warming would progress automatically without any possibility of normalization by human beings, I am afraid. I often hear of Tornadoes hitting possibly your area or a bit inland states. I hope you are getting through them if any hits you.
Shin
Hello, Shin. The light purple pajama you got for your wife sounds like a lovely present. I hope she is healing nicely with the excellent attention.
DeleteGlobal warming is surely here and we are learning new terms: heat dome, arctic blast. We do have lots of tornadoes here. I think we always had them, but they are more plentiful now. My husband and I went through a tornado at home a few years ago. We have a safe place in the basement. To me it was a most fascinating scientific experience, and to my husband it was the most frightening thing he ever experienced. I heard a series of soft, low-pitched thuds under the wind noise. That was the forest falling down. There was a quiet few seconds in the middle of the tornado—it has an eye like a hurricane. Our whole neighborhood got new roofs on our houses. Some people lost their houses. One of my friends who is a high-functioning schizophrenic person wandered about all night after a tree landed in his living room. After the bad night, the coordination of response and help to our community was truly amazing.
Last year my brother in Hendersonville, North Carolina went through a record flood. He didn’t evacuate because the water had never been that high. His area flooded 7 feet. Some people’s houses floated away. He was lucky to be safe, but suffered some property damage. I don’t know when all the roads and infrastructure can be rebuilt. We have certainly had fair warning that the weather is weird!
All the best to you. Please take good care of yourself and your dear wife.
Susan
I have recently learned of the heat dome. It seems most of the US have been covered with it recently. Tornadoes are another disaster. Intermittent thuds among wind noises sound really awful. I could not help smiling that you were interested in the experience from scientific standpoint while your husband was frightened. I wish you no more tornado there. I have heard there is the point of no return with global warming. We should avoid going over that point by any means for the next generation. Stay safe!
DeleteThank you, Shin! We also hope we will never go through another tornado. I have heard too that there’s a point of no return for global warming. That is a frightening possibility. Human beings are not that skilled at global cooperation. I am very disappointed in Americans who are so gullible to conspiracies while denying science. I hope we will get wiser before it’s too late!
DeleteI agree you, Susan. We should be wiser.
DeleteThe Trump administration would start that terrible tariff as well. I am sure it will devastate the world economy and am afraid it is the US people who suffer most in the world. I would carefully watch what goes on.
I'm a sorry to hear of your wife's illness, but very glad to hear she is bing well cared for in her recovery. My thoughts are with you both.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your considerate comment. She is uneventfully recovering now. She started sprinkling water to the plants this morning. Even though she should be careful about infection with steroid being given to her, I am sure she will get completely well not too long. Stay well with Louise!
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