Biography

Hi, I’m Stephanie,
I was admitted into San Antonio St Luke’s hospital on May 24,2001. On May29,2001 I had an open lung biopsy. The Department of pathology at the University of Texas report stats nonspecific interstital pneumonitis with foci of fibrinous exudates and intra-alveolar organization and a DIP response. So IPF/UIP.
My doctor had given me three days to live. Not expecting me to recover from the biopsy. When released from the hospital my left lung was collapsed and I was on oxygen.
Going in for my first follow up I was told the bottom lobe of my lung had opened up. That it would benefit me more than I knew. Since then the lung has totally opened back up. I can’t say when that actually happened.
I was on oxygen for a year. I haven’t had to go back on it still as today. In 2003 I gave birth to my only child. They performed C-section due to the fact we both went into pulmonary destress. He is 19 now.
That same year during a follow up visit my doctor came into my room. He had the strangest look on his face. He said it’s gone. I ask what is gone. He said it’s gone, completely gone. Your in remission.
A few weeks later I was in Methodist Hospital,San Antonio for research. They did pulmonary tests,ct scans,stress test. A full day of testing. During the stress test the tech looked at my doctor and said,she is fixing to go into cardiac arrest. They stopped the test and laid me down to rest. I remember my doctor saying,you are as good as you are going to get.
I moved out of state and haven’t seen my doctor since then. He would be surprised I’m still alive. And believe it or not the last pulmonary test I took which was just a couple of weeks ago I blew a 92% with little resistance.
Your lungs can heal. They can improve significantly. I’m living proof. 22 years later and doing better than most.
My struggle with my lungs over the years has taken a toll on my body. I am now in heart failure. I’m hoping to overcome that as well. With good doctors and prayer you can live 22 years with UIP.