pneumonia

Many stories about people being ill end with pneumonia, and many more would end with it if it weren't for antibiotics, of course. Inflamation of the lungs combined with bacteria, viruses, or other pathogenic organisms ... brings a record number of people down in the U.S. and worldwide. The 6th most common cause of death in our country, "4,5000,000 contract it each year," and it is considered "the most common cause of death due to infectious disease," according to "Taber's Cyclopedia Medical Dictionary" (quotes below will be from this volume as well).

When my Grandfather Roberts was in the hospital for his last stay it seemed obvious to me that he had something in the neighborhood of pneumonia, but "we" never talked about ailments in those days. Visiting his room at Queen of Angels Hospital (L.A.) I was shocked at what this here to fore very healthy man looked and sounded like. Completely congested with what sounded like phlem, he coughed and looked at me hopelessly, tried to smile. I was a coward, said goodbye and took off; for which today, I am deeply ashamed of myself.

Recently in my reading and listening I continue to discover stories about pneumonia. The well known Minnesota writer, Bill Holm, was stricken by septic pneumonia, which as I understand it, is a systemic pneumonia through the body. In a recent radio interview with Joyce Carol Oates about memoir of widowhood, she recounts the story of her husband coming from the hospital, after having been diagnosed and treated for pneumonia. She went to work and then later notified that he was back in the hospital. Before she could get back to the community and hospital, and managed to get into the locked building, her husband was dead, It is sobering to imagine the number of stories that could be told about this.

The descriptions of who get pneumonia and why are indeed sobering: the elderly, homeless people, people weakened by cancer, heart or lung disease, diabetes, cirrhosis, etc. Malnutrition, smoking, and other such causes parallel the risks of general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation "which increase the risk for developing pneumonia by inhibiting airway defenses and helping disease-causing germs reach the alveoli of the lungs." As an elder, I am particularly impressed that there is a risk to elderly patients for pneumonia because proper care isn't given them in terms of movement and necessary care (Nosocomial pneumonia), eg. the timely "removal of secretions and improve gas exchange, position changes, deep breathing and coughing exercises, incentive spirometry, active and passive limb exercises, and assistance with self-care." It is a very serious situation for thousands of elderly as funds are being cut for their care.