Young nurse solves mom's medical mystery that stumped doctors for years
Washington - Kimberly Ho, a newly minted nurse at Children's National Medical Centre just off a 12-hour overnight shift, struggled to focus on a presentation about working with sexually traumatized children and adolescents.The instructor was recounting the story of a teenage patient who had been given an incorrect diagnosis by a doctor in training - a breach of hospital protocol that had caused an uproar.
"What was hard is that I went to work and could do all these things for other families, but not for my own mother," said Ho, who accompanied her mother to most medical appointments, often acting as interpreter and advocate.Her mother's first symptom - genital ulcers - occurred in July 2015, Ho said, while her parents were vacationing in California.
Several months later, she confronted a new problem: Her right elbow was suddenly swollen and painful. Le, who has worked for more than two decades in a factory that makes airplane parts, struggled to perform her job. Ho said her mother was especially worried about the mushrooming cost of tests and treatments not covered by insurance that strained the family budget.In the fall of 2016, six months after the elbow problem had resolved, Le woke up with a badly swollen left ankle. "It looked like it was broken," Ho recalled. The ankle was hot to the touch, suggesting inflammation or a possible infection.
The hematologist said he wasn't sure what was wrong. Ho said he recommended a hip bone biopsy and ordered "a ton of labs" - mostly specialized blood and urine tests. Le refused the bone biopsy; the blood and urine tests showed nothing unusual. By now, she was battling a new problem that made her especially miserable: oral ulcers pocked her tongue and the inside of her mouth.
The similarity of her mother's symptoms, their episodic nature and the fact that Behcet's is common in parts of Asia bolstered Ho's suspicion. Several months later, during another flare, Le returned to Ton, who had concluded that Behcet's sounded likely. He prescribed prednisone, a corticosteroid that is a mainstay treatment for the disease.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
UK court hears how social media drove young girl to suicide | IOL NewsA girl of 12 who wrote RIP on her heel before killing herself was emotionally overwhelmed by social media and did not have the ‘skills to cope’, a coroner said.
Read more »
Young woman 'infatuated' with Columbine shooting found dead | IOL NewsA young Florida woman who authorities say was so 'infatuated' with the Columbine school shooting was found dead.
Read more »
LOOK: Young boy dies, three others injured in Gauteng crash | IOL NewsA boy, believed to be about 10 years old, and three other children and a man were injured, some seriously, when two cars collided
Read more »
SANDF says social media reports of pilot fatality are fake news | IOL NewsThe SANDF has expressed its concern about inaccurate reports on social media that one of its officers died in a helicopter accident.
Read more »
SABC news team robbed during attempted hijacking in Alexandra | IOL NewsSouth African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) crew members where robbed of their broadcast equipment while covering a story in Alexandra.
Read more »
Nurse uses her pension to open clinic in Atlantis | IOL NewsOlivia Pharo, 49, from Saxon Sea, quit her job at Wesfleur State Hospital after almost 24 years to open her own clinic using her pension money.
Read more »
North West court hears alleged girlfriend killer's life in danger | IOL NewsThe life of a 31-year-old man accused of killing his girlfriend will be in danger if he is released on bail, the Bafokeng ...
Read more »
Inquiry hears Edward Zuma asked Booysen to 'unfreeze' Panday's accounts | IOL NewsJohan Booysen says he tried to lobby former president Jacob Zuma to try and convince his son Edward to stop his business dealings with Thoshan Panday.
Read more »
Ramaphosa calls for safety over Easter weekend | IOL NewsPresident Ramaphosa on Wednesday wished South Africans well for the Easter holidays and called for the period to be observed in a spirit of tolerance.
Read more »
ANCYL needs to do away with 'aging, stubborn' leadership - Sabelo | IOL NewsKZN ANCYL provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo says that the youth league needs to do away with an aging, stubborn, resistant ...
Read more »
Court subpoenas cop who gave Vusi 'Khekhe' Mathibela his passport back | IOL NewsThe North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has issued a subpoena for a police captain who gave Vusi 'Khekhe' Mathibela his passport.
Read more »