Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia or pcp. This was the pneumonia my daughter had in ICU. The symptoms were spitting up blood, fast heart rate, bluish discoloration of the skin, rattling sound in lungs, etc. They gave her the fungal antibiotic even though she tested negative for HIV and the lung biopsy came out negative. She improved and recovered.

They had to put in a ventilator and then a trac after second surgery. Most know the story.

Anyway, after she came home, we waited for the fluid around her heart to go away (then her heart rate lowered) and the cancer is now gone after swallow test.

It seems it is one step at a time. Her right diaphram is the one the doctors said needed to expand. She has been getting more exercise since they took out the feeding tube last week. She enrolled in swimming at local center. She was using the oxogen machine at night but says she has not be doing that either.

She is now without a thyroid and parathyroid and we are upping a product to deal with that as that synthroid is just not working and the doctor has still not agreed to give her the Armor. (I told her I could order from outside US but she is resisting)

Since the doctors say they have never seen anything like this in the way of recovery, I do not know what to have my daughter ask the doctor at the next visit other than "What does someone need to do to expand a diaphragm and how long before she is able to endure longer before getting short of breath"?

It has been 5 1/2 months since that surgery and maybe I am hurrying things a bit.

Grandmaflorist, your daughter has been through so much. It's wonderful to hear that she's improving and able to exercise a bit. I wish the best for her.

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"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~Immanual Kant~

She should be doing incentive spirometry exercises. If they didn't give her one of those cheap little plastic devices then shame on them. It doesn't look like much but it really helps to develop lung capacity and strength.

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You know I know they gave her one of those and she hasn't used it since she went home. I will remind her and try to find it.

We have a local wellness clinic that only charges $15.00 a month or $25.00 per person to be a member and they have all new machines you walk on. Is that something that will help as well? I also was not sure if she should have signed up for those swimming exercise classes as the things in the water were concerning.

Thank you!!!

Yes, I am so very thankful.

Some athletes use machines like the incentive spiro. to increase lung capacity. I often see patients disregard its use... which is too bad.