Medical Exam, 3-day Sputum, Culture, etc

[TeddyHoney 42]

I have no questions and not looking for any advice and not really venting here but just need some place to put all this down and may as well share it at the same time.

Some of you may remember back in early March, just before I was to leave to visit my fiancee for the first time in nearly 2 years, she came down with what turned out to be pneumonia. She got a CXR and the radiologist or whatever saw something in her lungs that she could not verify because of the pneumonia. She was prescribed antibiotics. I forget how long for, I think 10 days or so. Then they started her on medications for ptb and told her to come back for another CXR on May 1 - after 2 months of the treatment medicine. In the meantime we got NOA2 on March 22, 2011 and set up her interview appointment for May 25 because we wanted it to be after her May 1st CXR and leave enough time between then and the interview for her Medical Exam at SLEC. She did get the CXR on May 1st and they did see some pulmonary scars but "not active infiltrates" or something like that. She continued her medicine. I had postponed my visit with her in March because there was the possibility she may have active ptb and with my kidney transplant we did not want to chance it that I may contract it from her as it would be difficult to treat for me. By Early April I was convinced she did not have active ptb and was ready to visit her so I re-scheduled for May 12. I did go then and had a great time with her. Prior to my going there she had her Medical Exam at SLEC and they did see the same pulmonary scar or "something suspicious". We expected that and aslo that she would go back for 3 day sputum which started the day after I left on May 23rd.

So she did the 3 day sputum and today was her pulmomary evaluation and this is when she had first chance to tell them that she was taking the ptb medications for now almost 3 months and she presented the certificate from her local physician. The doctor told her that since she had started the medication that they wanted her to finish it with the SLEC and that they would not do the sputum culture because it would surely be negative because of the medication. The doctor also looked at her CXRs from March, May 1 and the Medical Exam from May 9/10 and said she already sees impsovement in the pulmonary scar. So my fiancee will continue the medication for another 3 months starting Monday May 30 but from then she will go to SLEC everyday to get it. Then September 6 they will do Sputum culture, so we are now waiting until November 6th 2011.

My fiancee was really upset and dissapointed and when she told me so was I. She asked me if I would still wait for her. And of course i will! After all, it just 5 more months and she waited me for almost 2 years while I struggled through my divorce (long, nasty) and a kindey transplant and complications and a long recovery from that! I reassured her that me waiting was an easy given. Again, just 5 more months. I would wait longer for her! I began to think that maybe she shouldn't have started taking the medicine when her local physician prescribed. But after I chated with her today and we talked and then I came to work and talked to my mom and thought about it more, what was she supposed to do? Her doctor had her start the medication because he had reason to. Should she have refused? I don't think so. What if she never had the pneumonia and we went on and had medical exam and 3 day sputum and culture and maybe she would have failed that cuture test and then we would be waiting 8 more months instead of five! No, I think it went as God planned and there are probably even more reasons behind how this all went. And even still the main thing is that she will sure to be free of this disease and can be at ease that it has been thoroughly treated before she comes here (and relatively cheaply, I might add, versus her getting treated here, even with my insurance!).

So I just wanted to get all that out and share it also. Comments are welcome but I'm not looking for advice cuz there is nothing we can do except what SLEC has instructed her to do - and wait. And also no shoulda, coulda done this or that cuz I feel the proper things were done as my fiancee did as the medical professionals told her and I think all will work out for the best mainly for her health.

Thanks for listening!

God bless all on your VISA quests!

[happyblessedme 12]

I have no questions and not looking for any advice and not really venting here but just need some place to put all this down and may as well share it at the same time.

Some of you may remember back in early March, just before I was to leave to visit my fiancee for the first time in nearly 2 years, she came down with what turned out to be pneumonia. She got a CXR and the radiologist or whatever saw something in her lungs that she could not verify because of the pneumonia. She was prescribed antibiotics. I forget how long for, I think 10 days or so. Then they started her on medications for ptb and told her to come back for another CXR on May 1 - after 2 months of the treatment medicine. In the meantime we got NOA2 on March 22, 2011 and set up her interview appointment for May 25 because we wanted it to be after her May 1st CXR and leave enough time between then and the interview for her Medical Exam at SLEC. She did get the CXR on May 1st and they did see some pulmonary scars but "not active infiltrates" or something like that. She continued her medicine. I had postponed my visit with her in March because there was the possibility she may have active ptb and with my kidney transplant we did not want to chance it that I may contract it from her as it would be difficult to treat for me. By Early April I was convinced she did not have active ptb and was ready to visit her so I re-scheduled for May 12. I did go then and had a great time with her. Prior to my going there she had her Medical Exam at SLEC and they did see the same pulmonary scar or "something suspicious". We expected that and aslo that she would go back for 3 day sputum which started the day after I left on May 23rd.

So she did the 3 day sputum and today was her pulmomary evaluation and this is when she had first chance to tell them that she was taking the ptb medications for now almost 3 months and she presented the certificate from her local physician. The doctor told her that since she had started the medication that they wanted her to finish it with the SLEC and that they would not do the sputum culture because it would surely be negative because of the medication. The doctor also looked at her CXRs from March, May 1 and the Medical Exam from May 9/10 and said she already sees impsovement in the pulmonary scar. So my fiancee will continue the medication for another 3 months starting Monday May 30 but from then she will go to SLEC everyday to get it. Then September 6 they will do Sputum culture, so we are now waiting until November 6th 2011.

My fiancee was really upset and dissapointed and when she told me so was I. She asked me if I would still wait for her. And of course i will! After all, it just 5 more months and she waited me for almost 2 years while I struggled through my divorce (long, nasty) and a kindey transplant and complications and a long recovery from that! I reassured her that me waiting was an easy given. Again, just 5 more months. I would wait longer for her! I began to think that maybe she shouldn't have started taking the medicine when her local physician prescribed. But after I chated with her today and we talked and then I came to work and talked to my mom and thought about it more, what was she supposed to do? Her doctor had her start the medication because he had reason to. Should she have refused? I don't think so. What if she never had the pneumonia and we went on and had medical exam and 3 day sputum and culture and maybe she would have failed that cuture test and then we would be waiting 8 more months instead of five! No, I think it went as God planned and there are probably even more reasons behind how this all went. And even still the main thing is that she will sure to be free of this disease and can be at ease that it has been thoroughly treated before she comes here (and relatively cheaply, I might add, versus her getting treated here, even with my insurance!).

So I just wanted to get all that out and share it also. Comments are welcome but I'm not looking for advice cuz there is nothing we can do except what SLEC has instructed her to do - and wait. And also no shoulda, coulda done this or that cuz I feel the proper things were done as my fiancee did as the medical professionals told her and I think all will work out for the best mainly for her health.

Thanks for listening!

God bless all on your VISA quests!

Just so u know,everything happened for a reason. In my own opinion you both did what was supposed to be done.

I am praying that u two will be together soon..i understand how u both feel.

[TeddyHoney 42]

Just so u know,everything happened for a reason. In my own opinion you both did what was supposed to be done.

I am praying that u two will be together soon..i understand how u both feel.

Thank you for your comment and prayers! We appreciate them. And God bless to you also!

[candy_sweet 0]

I have no questions and not looking for any advice and not really venting here but just need some place to put all this down and may as well share it at the same time.

Some of you may remember back in early March, just before I was to leave to visit my fiancee for the first time in nearly 2 years, she came down with what turned out to be pneumonia. She got a CXR and the radiologist or whatever saw something in her lungs that she could not verify because of the pneumonia. She was prescribed antibiotics. I forget how long for, I think 10 days or so. Then they started her on medications for ptb and told her to come back for another CXR on May 1 - after 2 months of the treatment medicine. In the meantime we got NOA2 on March 22, 2011 and set up her interview appointment for May 25 because we wanted it to be after her May 1st CXR and leave enough time between then and the interview for her Medical Exam at SLEC. She did get the CXR on May 1st and they did see some pulmonary scars but "not active infiltrates" or something like that. She continued her medicine. I had postponed my visit with her in March because there was the possibility she may have active ptb and with my kidney transplant we did not want to chance it that I may contract it from her as it would be difficult to treat for me. By Early April I was convinced she did not have active ptb and was ready to visit her so I re-scheduled for May 12. I did go then and had a great time with her. Prior to my going there she had her Medical Exam at SLEC and they did see the same pulmonary scar or "something suspicious". We expected that and aslo that she would go back for 3 day sputum which started the day after I left on May 23rd.

So she did the 3 day sputum and today was her pulmomary evaluation and this is when she had first chance to tell them that she was taking the ptb medications for now almost 3 months and she presented the certificate from her local physician. The doctor told her that since she had started the medication that they wanted her to finish it with the SLEC and that they would not do the sputum culture because it would surely be negative because of the medication. The doctor also looked at her CXRs from March, May 1 and the Medical Exam from May 9/10 and said she already sees impsovement in the pulmonary scar. So my fiancee will continue the medication for another 3 months starting Monday May 30 but from then she will go to SLEC everyday to get it. Then September 6 they will do Sputum culture, so we are now waiting until November 6th 2011.

My fiancee was really upset and dissapointed and when she told me so was I. She asked me if I would still wait for her. And of course i will! After all, it just 5 more months and she waited me for almost 2 years while I struggled through my divorce (long, nasty) and a kindey transplant and complications and a long recovery from that! I reassured her that me waiting was an easy given. Again, just 5 more months. I would wait longer for her! I began to think that maybe she shouldn't have started taking the medicine when her local physician prescribed. But after I chated with her today and we talked and then I came to work and talked to my mom and thought about it more, what was she supposed to do? Her doctor had her start the medication because he had reason to. Should she have refused? I don't think so. What if she never had the pneumonia and we went on and had medical exam and 3 day sputum and culture and maybe she would have failed that cuture test and then we would be waiting 8 more months instead of five! No, I think it went as God planned and there are probably even more reasons behind how this all went. And even still the main thing is that she will sure to be free of this disease and can be at ease that it has been thoroughly treated before she comes here (and relatively cheaply, I might add, versus her getting treated here, even with my insurance!).

So I just wanted to get all that out and share it also. Comments are welcome but I'm not looking for advice cuz there is nothing we can do except what SLEC has instructed her to do - and wait. And also no shoulda, coulda done this or that cuz I feel the proper things were done as my fiancee did as the medical professionals told her and I think all will work out for the best mainly for her health.

Thanks for listening!

God bless all on your VISA quests!

stay strong! as you said, Everything happens for a reason...been there, do that,etc...sooner you both will be together...Godbless!

[Tahoma 2,291]

What were the results of the eight-week TB culture from her local clinic?

Also, you said you decided to visit her because you were convinced she did not have TB. What evidence convinced you?

Edited May 26, 2011 by Tahoma

[lakambini 1]

Sometimes it's better to keep silent and only answer what they ask, rather than telling or saying someyhing they don't ask. In other words " less talk, Less mistake"

[TeddyHoney 42]

stay strong! as you said, Everything happens for a reason...been there, do that,etc...sooner you both will be together...Godbless!

Thank you for your comment. We appreciate it. And God bless to you also!

[TeddyHoney 42]

What were the results of the eight-week TB culture from her local clinic?

Also, you said you decided to visit her because you were convinced she did not have TB. What evidence convinced you?

They would not do the culture test at her local clinic for same reason why St. Luke's will not, because she is on the medication. They did not suggest she have one before they prescribed the medicine for her. The results wouldn't have made any difference to St' Luke's anyway I feel.

As far as my visit to her I was never convinced she had active ptb because she never had any symptoms. Then after she had been on the meds for 2 months I was convinced enough and by then was willing to take the risk to visit her. More a personal decision than anything else really. But I'm not worried about it. The trip was worth it in any case.

[TeddyHoney 42]

Sometimes it's better to keep silent and only answer what they ask, rather than telling or saying someyhing they don't ask. In other words " less talk, Less mistake"

We appreciate your comment but feel she was correct in revealing everything and not hiding anything as we want to be honest in all phases of this process as to not take any chance to have her banned from ever entering the USA! And we do not feel any "mistake" was made as she did exactly what her local physician told her to do and is now doing what St' Luke's is telling her to do. For her health concerns (most important - by the way) and our secured future together - we will wait the 5 months and eradicate this disease for her health and our futures sake. I'm proud of her for doing the right thing and not take any chance to jeopordize our future together.

Not that I didn't already know after we have been talking, writing, chatting webcam etc for almost 3 years, but her behavior in these matters has also told me a lot about her character - or rather reassured me of many things I already knew about her.

Thanks anyway

[namregetras 0]

I had my 3 day sputum extraction on September 24, 25 and 26. I was instucted to go back to SLEC on September 30 for Pulmonary Evaluation. On that day I was told by the radiologist that i have phlegm on my right upper lung, however all my 3 sputum collected are smears negative, and was instructed to follow-up the sputum culture result on November 26 which is the 61 day after my sputum collection. I am a little bit confused, as others were to follow up their result after 8 weeks or 57 day after sputum collection or for me it is November 21. which is which? Also i was told that my medical will expire on February 20, which is 90 day after November 21if that is the case, is my sputum culture result can be obtained on November 21 or 26? any advice will be greatly appreciated...

Edited November 13, 2013 by namregetras

[ana2013 0]

I had my 3 day sputum extraction on September 24, 25 and 26. I was instucted to go back to SLEC on September 30 for Pulmonary Evaluation. On that day I was told by the radiologist that i have phlegm on my right upper lung, however all my 3 sputum collected are smears negative, and was instructed to follow-up the sputum culture result on November 26 which is the 61 day after my sputum collection. I am a little bit confused, as others were to follow up their result after 8 weeks or 57 day after sputum collection or for me it is November 21. which is which? Also i was told that my medical will expire on February 20, which is 90 day after November 21if that is the case, is my sputum culture result can be obtained on November 21 or 26? any advice will be greatly appreciated...

[ana2013 0]

yes thats right, ur medical will expire after 90 days. my advice is right after you get ur culture result have ur interview right away, dont let it expire. Were in same boat but mine expired and I did the medical all over again, now I am waiting for the culture result.

[TBoneTX 44,673]

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