The Rheumatology Team called it. It’s about 80%– with markers showing positive in his blood –that Yuri is suffering from Vasculitis, inflammation of the small and medium blood vessels. He’s got the rare one, Wegener’s or GPA, no one knows how it happened. It’s bad.
Such inflammation causes narrowing and weakness of the vessel lining that can result in damage to organs like his one kidney and lungs. The leader of this team looked at me and soberly announce, “I cannot give you false hope.” The next 48 hours are crucial for his response to treatment in other words –can he survive the treatment and then the disease itself? An autoimmune issue. His body is attacking itself.
Yes, Yuri is a very sick man, critically, in ICU, sedated, on a ventilator but he is holding his own. One day at a time. Your good, positive thoughts and prayers are deeply appreciated and I am going to read off every name for him when I see him tomorrow. Thank you.
