Author Topic: My friends deserve an update (Read 9516 times)

Dennis Dain · « **on:** September 30, 2010, 08:48 PM »

Hey guys and girls, I am doing this as it's own thread because I did not want to dilute my 'history' thread with my personal news.

I received a few messages from my friends as to my whereabouts but, at the time, I was not feeling up to discussing my situation. I am going on 4 weeks now dealing with a medical situation that still falls into my Doctors catagory of "we don't know what it is". First, let me put you somewhat at ease, it's not life threatening. (as far as I will let it be) I have not spent any time in a hospital, just in and out of Doctors offices and multiple labs.

Overview of symptoms; pretty much every day for these past 4 weeks I've had a fever that varies from 99 to as much as 103, night sweats (I wake up throughout the night soaking wet), something resembling a rash but it's under the skin with no surface irritation. The worst of that bieng on the back of the lower legs above the ankle, but also raised red bumps on the fronts of the knees and elbows. Now the last few days I have red dots covering my back.

If you have seen recent pictures of me, you know that I am very lean and in pretty good shape. Normally I am around 160 pounds. In less than 2 weeks I have dropped 8 pounds. That has robbed me of a lot of energy plus the swelling in my lower legs makes walking uncomfortable. I have missed a lot of work due to this.

So far, the first blood test of basics showed that my liver and kidney are perfect, all my other 'markers' are dead center within their parameters. The next blood test was for 'cultures' to see if any virus was growing in my blood. So far negative for what they tested for. Also during this time I had a chest Xray where they thought they saw a shadow in the chest area. So then it was into the CT scan (cat scan) to see what was up with that. Results, NOTHING!!! I went to a new doctor yesterday who is now testing for Limes Desease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Tomorrow I have an appointment with an Infective Disease doctor. That sound promising! My wife has been close by me through all of this with none of my symptons. (even though she said she would love to drop weight like I have)

My spirits are up now that I have changed doctors and I feel that we are on the verge of figuring this thing out. This is the only place I have mentioned my condition because, like I said above, some have inquired. I am armed with lots of new (old) stuff for my thread especially after I did the Hall of Fame introduction speech for the guy who designed the Schwinn StingRay, Al Fritz.

Thanks for listening, you guys are the best.

Dennis 'the Red Baron' Dain

brummie · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2010, 08:53 PM »

hope this gets sorted out soon dennis

good luck snd get well mate

HUTCHMAN · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2010, 08:59 PM »

would'nt be an allergy to a simple thing like a washing powder would it? Know it sounds a totally stupid thing to say,but i've had it...rash round the ankles,sweats etc,off food.

ORANGEZIPPY · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2010, 09:12 PM »

hope you find out soon, and get it sorted,

best of luck

dan-dare · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2010, 09:20 PM »

are you stressed at work, or in your personal life?

Gashead · « **Reply #5 on:** September 30, 2010, 09:21 PM »

Best wishes Dennis, hope you feel better soon and the doc's sort out the problem

QUADROPHENIA · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2010, 09:23 PM »

all the best dennis

Badbaldie · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2010, 09:25 PM »

dennis hope this all gets sorted for you as soon as mate, good to hear your spirts high

James Nada · « **Reply #8 on:** September 30, 2010, 10:21 PM »

Hi Dennis,

I hope you get some answers soon - get well soon

James

monkian · « **Reply #9 on:** September 30, 2010, 10:34 PM »

Wishing you all the best Red.
Whatever it is I'm sure you'll kick its ass

RATTY · « **Reply #10 on:** September 30, 2010, 10:34 PM »

Hope its resolved soon.

Get well soon Dennis,

moomin · « **Reply #11 on:** September 30, 2010, 10:39 PM »

Dennis,

I sincerely hope you get a quick answer and fix to whatever is causing these problems, and bless God for your Mrs for sticking with an infectious you

I know you will fight through whatever is going on atm and come out fighting fit

Thanx for the times you took time out for Tone, not forgotten x we owe u one and if u need us or just an ear we're a message away

Mrs Ratty

x x x x x

Jon The Bassist · « **Reply #12 on:** September 30, 2010, 11:26 PM »

Best wishes from me and my family Dennis

Jon

Mattdub · « **Reply #13 on:** September 30, 2010, 11:28 PM »

Hey Dennis , hope you get to the bottom of this soon . Best wishes

brettypeeps · « **Reply #14 on:** September 30, 2010, 11:36 PM »

Hope you get a quick resolution to this. Good luck with the new doc

sweetbeats · « **Reply #15 on:** September 30, 2010, 11:40 PM »

Chin Up Mr Dain

NORTY40 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 30, 2010, 11:55 PM »

Sounds like your having a tough time

Hope your feeling better soon

Dennis Dain · « **Reply #17 on:** October 01, 2010, 03:47 AM »

Thank you all for the kind words and positive wishes.

Someone asked about soaps and food...that is the first thing that gets asked by all the doctors. That is one of the strange things about where the skin disorders are, FRONT of the knees and BACKSIDE of the elbow, opposite of where the sweat is. The leg part is above the sock line (I wear the low cut socks that end an inch above the ankle bone) and there is no skin disorders under the sock line.

I swear all my symptoms put together are the strangest collection. Lets see what tomorrows specialist has to say...

I'll keep you all posted.

MartyC · « **Reply #18 on:** October 01, 2010, 04:59 AM »

Hi Dennis

Sorry to hear this, hopefully the specialist will be able to cast some proper light on what it is and fingers crossed it clears up soon and you are back to your normal bouncy self

All the best

Marty

fischflo · « **Reply #19 on:** October 01, 2010, 06:02 AM »

...sounds weird. Perhaps i'd go to a uni clinic and see if the ..virologists..?.. might find anything, just in case...beat that fookin virus, whatever it is

StingRay, really.... how awesome can it get, oh maan

kdw712 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 01, 2010, 08:58 AM »

dennis hope you get it sorted out real soon

Dennis Dain · « **Reply #21 on:** October 02, 2010, 02:17 AM »

Well now I've seen a specialist and he has seen me...The 'infectious desease' doctor gave me the once over and he is thinking that my auto-immune system has gone into overload due to a virus of some sort.

...then...he looked at the CT scan of my chest and told me that there are definitely swollen lymph glands in the right side of my chest cavity. The word Hodgkins Lymphoma gets spoken out loud. Possible cancer. But even after seeing what the CT has to offer and saying the "C" word, he still feels strongly that the auto-immune overload is the the actual problem with the Lymph gland system being overrun.

So I gave more blood (my 4th time) for more tests to figure out what disease is in there. I am scheduled on Monday for an Oncologist and a heart specialist. The doctor today said he feels they will probably need to get a biopsy of my lymph gland but they will discuss it further. I am involved with a medical facility that has 100s of doctors working together and it appears they have no problem working together. I feel confident these guys know their stuff and will get me on the right track.

I consider myself the ultimate optimist. I always take the positive road, it's who I am. So I will take this thing one step at a time and deal with it accordingly. If you are a praying person as I am, I would not mind it if you include me in you prayers. Otherwise you are welcome to send positive thoughts my way. Anything is welcome.

Thanks, Dennis