A man suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, a condition in which lung tissue hardens, died 48 hours after marrying his girlfriend of 8 years at the hospital.
The story of a man suffering from pulmonary fibrosis who died 48 hours after his wedding was shared.
According to the British media Mirror recently, Mike, who suffered from frequent shortness of breath, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in May last year. After diagnosis, Mike received treatment from several doctors, but his health worsened and he had to be hospitalized. To prevent infection, it was difficult to meet many people or take public transportation.
His girlfriend Lara (38) was always present during his treatment journey. The two met for the first time 11 years ago, became lovers, and continued dating for 8 years. They were planning to get married in 2020, but the ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19. “I always thought we would have enough time to get married at any time,” Lara said. “But when Mike was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, my world seemed to turn upside down.”
In the end, the two decided to get married at the hospital. Mike, who said, “The ultimate goal is to marry Lara,” made a plan to achieve marriage with Lara. Then, on September 27, about 4 to 5 months after Mike was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, the couple got married at the hospital, surrounded by close family and friends. “A hospital wedding wasn’t what either of us wanted, but we had family and friends,” Lara said. “Our wedding wasn’t about fancy dresses and hundreds of guests, it was just about love.”
However, 48 hours after the wedding, Mike could no longer endure and passed away at the age of 51. Now, a year after losing Mike, Lara is working to raise awareness of pulmonary fibrosis based on their story.
Lara said, “The average life expectancy for pulmonary fibrosis after diagnosis is 2 to 5 years, but there are stories of 10 years,” and “I also had hope that Mike would live to be 60.” “I don’t want anyone else to go through what we went through,” he said. “I hope you take the situation seriously, listen to your body, and keep asking for help.”
A disease in which lung tissue hardens… The lungs are gradually destroyed over several months to years.
Pulmonary fibrosis, which Mike suffered from, is a disease in which inflammation occurs and disappears repeatedly in the lungs, causing the lung tissue to gradually harden. Although the exact cause is not known, it is difficult to detect until the lungs continue to deteriorate and reach a fatal state. It progresses over several months to years, and there are reports that if pulmonary fibrosis is diagnosed while having difficulty breathing, about half of the patients usually die within three years. If you experience symptoms such as shortness of breath like Mike did, it means that your lungs may already be severely damaged.
Symptoms include coughing and difficulty breathing. Inflammation and fibrosis irritate the airways and lungs, causing frequent dry coughs. Chronic bronchitis caused by smoking a lot or pneumonia caused by bacterial infection produces a lot of phlegm when coughing, but patients with pulmonary fibrosis are characterized by a dry cough without phlegm. White phlegm, rather than yellowish phlegm like in colds and pneumonia, is also a symptom of pulmonary fibrosis.
Symptoms of shortness of breath when walking on flat surfaces or climbing stairs… Early diagnosis is important
As the disease progresses, shortness of breath becomes worse when exercising. It’s fine when I’m resting, but I get out of breath when I walk a lot on flat ground or climb stairs. This is because when our body needs a lot of oxygen, such as during exercise, the lungs do not function properly, making it difficult to meet the oxygen demand. If breathing difficulty is severe, hypoxia may occur, cyanosis (bluish coloring around the lips), and clubbing (club-ringing) phenomenon may occur where the tips of the fingers become rounded.
Pulmonary fibrosis can be diagnosed through chest X-ray and CT scan. A lung tissue examination may be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Pulmonary fibrosis can be easily confused with colds and pneumonia, so be careful. Cold symptoms have the characteristic of improving within a week or at the latest within a month. Treatment mainly consists of medication such as anti-inflammatory drugs and immunomodulators, and if ineffective, lung transplantation may be considered. However, since the 5-year survival rate after lung transplantation is only 50-60%, pulmonary fibrosis must be identified early and managed to prevent it from getting worse.
Pulmonary fibrosis cases are increasing in Korea… It is better for people over 50 to get regular examinations every year.
The number of patients with pulmonary fibrosis is also increasing in Korea. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of pulmonary fibrosis patients increased from about 14,000 in 2018 to about 20,000 in 2022, an increase of about 43%. The lungs are an organ that cannot be recovered once damaged. It is recommended that middle-aged people in their 50s or older undergo regular examinations every year, and if related symptoms appear, they need to quickly visit a pulmonologist. It is also important to have the habit of drinking lukewarm water frequently while staying away from harmful air and smoking, which have a negative impact on lung health. You also need to increase your lung capacity through regular aerobic exercise.
Source: kormedi.com
