sick in Yuma

[old_guy]

Just got off the phone with a friend of mine who is in Yuma and he said a lot of people are sick with valley fever , the hospital is full and they won't let you visit for fear you will get sick too.

[Me_Again]

64thunderbolt wrote:
You can't live in fear or in a bubble.

DON"T PANIC...........

We toured that bubble, but they do not let people live in it anymore.

Tour was interesting for a techie type to see all the equipment that was required to make it livable!

Inter relationships of those living in it become a bigger problem that anything else. Makes one wonder how they do it on the International Space Station? Can not open the door there and walk out!

Chris

[Supercharged]

SLOW-1 wrote:
Excuse my not knowing...what is valley fever?

Everyone who spends a lot of time in Az. gets it or don't get it. I have been here over 50 years, seen some of it. Dog along with other animals can get it to. I don't think that is what is happening in Yuma, never heard of a break out of it ever. We had many dust storms which came in from the west valley years back, when farmer do thing differant some times it sharts up. Maybe it is the flu.I never had it myself that I know, but did stay in a Holiday Express once.
Maybe there is to many farmers spending the winter in Yuma this year.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

My Roadtrek wrote:

So, people can say what they want, but if my experience keeps one person from avoiding the panic of being told they may have Lung Cancer, or undergoing a Lung Biopsy, that's good enough for me.

I appreciate that, because we plan to vacation in AZ/NM next winter. I'm vaguely aware of Valley Fever simply because so many of my sister's animals got sick with it when they moved to CA.

[Zen_Girl]

I live in Bakersfield, California and there are a lot of Valley Fever cases here. I have had two miniature schnauzers for the last ten years and they are both always exposed to the same environment. One of them came down with Valley Fever a couple of years ago and I almost lost her. It cost a small fortune and a lot of TLC, but she is still with us and doing just fine now. My other little guy never suffered a single symptom. I don't know why it worked out that way, they were/are both healthy dogs, but there you have it.

My feeling is, don't live your life avoiding what you fear could happen.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

64thunderbolt wrote:
I have lived in the Phx area for a little over 30 yrs. 28 was working construction. I have eaten tons of dirt & dust. Been caught in hundreds of dust storms. Never had a problem. Some friends were not as lucky. We even had a player for the Diamondbacks retire @ a young age because of it. I wouldn't let fear keep me from traveling through or visiting here. I may come down with it next week but so far I'm good. You can't live in fear or in a bubble.

DON"T PANIC..........

Now there is a lot of flu going around but that is all over the country.

Thanks for the sage advice, lessons?, and life experience!.:R

It has been alluded to often in this thread and previous ones.
(along with your - "the sky is *not* falling" - conclusion)

My 91 yr old MIL never showed an ounce of PANIC when she lit up her duggies (about a pack a day) from the time she started smoking (in her 20s) until the last day of her life.

Neither did the folks I knew who went to the ash tray in the sky due to lung cancer in their early 60's.

Maybe they would still be around if they had an timely chest X-ray, and/or quit - however, maybe the "end result" would still have been the same..:@

Being informed is *NOT* PANIC ing....:S

.

[64thunderbolt]

I have lived in the Phx area for a little over 30 yrs. 28 was working construction. I have eaten tons of dirt & dust. Been caught in hundreds of dust storms. Never had a problem. Some friends were not as lucky. We even had a player for the Diamondbacks retire @ a young age because of it. I wouldn't let fear keep me from traveling through or visiting here. I may come down with it next week but so far I'm good. You can't live in fear or in a bubble.

DON"T PANIC..........

Now there is a lot of flu going around but that is all over the country.

[Jagtech]

Just travelled through Yuma a few days ago. Both myself and DW became very ill with flu-like symptoms, which lasted about 48 hours. Getting better now. Certainly seems to be a bad flu going around the Yuma area. Symptoms are much like Norovirus.

[EPenney]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

Valley "Disease" .

Same discussion (thread) from 2011.

Nay sayers, sky is falling, factual info, etc, etc - - -

The link is to the last post - of that thread - by "EPenny". - Yikes!

In the Dust Bowl of the 1930's many people died of what the doctors called "Dust Pneumonia" - while others survived, still in the affected areas, living to old age.


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Epenney here...For those of us that get disseminated Valley Fever, it is a very serious disease.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

My Roadtrek wrote:
The difference between Valley Fever, and other diseases like the flu,, etc. is, it is so often misdiagnosed . A person comes here for a visit, goes back home, say to some small town in Mich, gets a cough, fatigued, goes to their doctor, doctor gets a chest X-ray, and since VF looks just like Lung Cancer, he orders a Cat-Scan, or a lung biopsy. Trust me it happens.
Even here in Tucson, I went to my Primary care doctor (6 years ago) at the VA, she was new to the area. Ordered a chest X-ray, called and told me that I needed a Cat-Scan, chest X-Ray showed nodules, that could be cancer. I knew what I had and told her I would wait till the FV blood test came back. It was positive for VF. Cat-Scan avoided because I was aware of VF.
So, people can say what they want, but if my experience keeps one person from avoiding the panic of being told they may have Lung Cancer, or undergoing a Lung Biopsy, that's good enough for me.

...keeps one person from avoiding (not just a biopsy) but UN-necessary surgery for a lung *REMOVAL* !!..:(..:(

Read and heed:

Signs and Symptoms - from AVVF site

Newcomers and visitors to areas where VF is prevalent are especially susceptible.

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[Me_Again]

If one does get VF and they can stay down South for treatment, then they are generally better off! As the doctors at home will have very limited experience treating it. One of my friends stayed the summer a few years ago for this on the advice of his doctor!

Chris

[My_Roadtrek]

The difference between Valley Fever, and other diseases like the flu,, etc. is, it is so often misdiagnosed . A person comes here for a visit, goes back home, say to some small town in Mich, gets a cough, fatigued, goes to their doctor, doctor gets a chest X-ray, and since VF looks just like Lung Cancer, he orders a Cat-Scan, or a lung biopsy. Trust me it happens.
Even here in Tucson, I went to my Primary care doctor (6 years ago) at the VA, she was new to the area. Ordered a chest X-ray, called and told me that I needed a Cat-Scan, chest X-Ray showed nodules, that could be cancer. I knew what I had and told her I would wait till the FV blood test came back. It was positive for VF. Cat-Scan avoided because I was aware of VF.
So, people can say what they want, but if my experience keeps one person from avoiding the panic of being told they may have Lung Cancer, or undergoing a Lung Biopsy, that's good enough for me.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Valley "Disease" .

Same discussion (thread) from 2011.

Nay sayers, sky is falling, factual info, etc, etc - - -

The link is to the last post - of that thread - by "EPenny". - Yikes!

In the Dust Bowl of the 1930's many people died of what the doctors called "Dust Pneumonia" - while others survived, still in the affected areas, living to old age.


~

[My_Roadtrek]

Immune, as referring to VF, means most people with healthy immunes systems, will not get it again, but there have been cases were it has returned in people with weakened immune systems, caused by Aids, Cancer, and other diseases.
I'm certainly not worried about getting it again, and I'm still moving dirt in the same area, as is my neighbor. We worry more about the dogs, but so far so good. It's even possible they have already had it, and we didn't know.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

And..... back to the original topic......

University of Arizona - Valley Fever

"Two-thirds of all US Valley Fever Infections are contracted in Arizona".

San Joaquin County (CA) Public Services

Covers: Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, What is VF, Who gets VF, How the spores affect the body, Symptoms".

For the folks that have "lived in AZ (or?) for 50 years", and never had VF - - they might actually have it with no ill effects:

(From San Joaquin info) -
"Perhaps as many as 60-70% of all people infected with cocci develop no symptoms at all".

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Unfortunately, for some - the effects of VF can be very debilitating and/or life threatening:(


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