Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

[Kiwi Phil]

We had a bit of a shake up in the family yesterday.

Young Hayden, 15yrs old, makes us a tea and coffee and brings it to us in bed.
Very nice...Sunday morning breakfast is always the best one of the week, and he is preparing it when he suddenly complains of bad chest pain....smack around his left boob.
He lies down...we are not sure what is going on....mum goes to feed the calf over the road....I keep an eye on him....thinking, thinking....then he says his left arm is getting really painful.
That fixed my indecision..... I ring the ambulance.
They come straight out....and they were very good.....put our minds at rest a bit.....and off they all go...(Mum bolted home when she saw the ambulance slow down near our place).

He got excellent service at the hospital, and after x-rays etc they determine he has a Spontaneous pneumothorax.....think it is a hole in the lung that lets air out??
6 hrs later he was released (had not got bigger) and he was free of pain.

Today he has been checked by our Dr, and further X-ray, and it has got smaller.
Off to school tomorrow (strict instructions about his behavior....light duties) and in 7 days time, if all is well, another x-ray etc.
Any sign of trouble and he has to get an ambulance.

What they tell us is that these conditions can happen in young 'lanky' men, and that is just what Hayden is.

So, our sunday routine of a nice breakfast followed by a morning sailing his RC Wee Nip at the club got missed....6 hrs in casualty
He's been fine all day now. Amazing how kids can bounce back.
I am sure he will be OK.

Cheers
Phillip

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

keep an eye on him, but very glad he is ok.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Wow, almost sounded like a heart attack. Glad he is o/k Phil.

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

I'm glad he's much better.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Oh Boy, I know what a serious unexpected child ailment does to parents. They are your whole life, and seeing them get sick, especially something like you are experiencing, is really stressful.

A little more than a year ago my daughter was diagnosed with a bone infection, a few days stay in the hospital, daily intravenous anitbiotics, etc. Went on for about 6 or 8 weeks if I remember correctly. What a scare. Nothing you can do but rely on the expertise of the doctors.

So glad to hear your son is doing better. And its really good to hear you got great service from your health care providers, from ambulance to hospital.

Your son will be in our prayers.

Best wishes,

Mark.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

That's quite the scare you had. Glad all is well now. Keep an eye on him. Glad your health care works well.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Sorry to hear that about Hayden. Hope all is well now.

 

[mphy98]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

happy to see he is ok, I have an 8 year old and 14 year old. being an old dad (55) I worry about them all the time.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Scares like that don't do any good for the parents either! Very glad to hear that he's getting better!

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Never new that something like that could happen to a very young person. Best wishes for him . Sounds like its healing fast.

Now can i barrow him to show my 12 year old how to treat me. Its like 11.00 am an hes still in bed. No school to day as of the thanksgiving holiday. Boy are you lucky breakfast in bed.

 

[QC]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Wow . . . Pneumo-anything is bad. Glad that the Dr's are so confident and that all looks temporary Tell him hey for me.

 

[The_Kid]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

think it is a hole in the lung that lets air out??
6 hrs later he was released (had not got bigger) and he was free of pain.
Phillip

Glad he's feeling better.

Yes, it is a hole in the lung that lets air get between the lung and the chest cavity. The pain comes from the lung detaching from the chest wall. I've had two of them. One about 10 and the other about 20 years ago . Both of mine required a 4 to 5 day hospital stay because the lung was so collapsed they had to re-inflate it. It's done with a couple of Novocaine shots and a small incision between a couple of ribs so it's not major surgery.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Hey Kevin. I think things are better at the moment. All seems well. Got another X-ray next week.
A new guitar is coming in the next boat. I paid Vic to get one off an internet shop. It is a Fender Squier Telecaster designed by Avril Lavigne.
Got to go. Hayden

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

And you didnt have to worry about the BILL, or if you had health insurance like us Americans.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Didn't cost me a penny till monday.
A cardiac Ambulance here in under 10 mins (I think).
Assertained quickly not heart.
Seen immediately at hospital and categorised.
Young Dr did exam and organised x-ray etc....supervised.
Retained for further 6hrs and further X-ray....supervisor determined discharge.
Told needed X-ray next day...could use hospital for free but could be a wait, or go thru our GP and local Diagnostic clinic.
That took 3.5 hrs and cost me $44.
Got the same again next monday.
I don't have insurance. I pay the medicare levy of 1.5% (I think).
Cheers
Phillip

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

for an uninsured american that would of been about 4-5000,
How does the health care system work in AU.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

Glad it turned to be, he'll be Ok!!

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

we might refer to it as collapsed lung. the air trapped outside the lung in the chest puts pressure on the heart,and other organs, breathing is very labored , needs immediate care.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

OK, health system here comes in many forms.

1. You insure yourself, but there always is a gap to pay.
Some people have really serious health procedures, they don't use their private scheme, but go thru the public.

2. Public. You get sick, go to Emergency Dept, and wait. In Haydens case, he was seen, given a category, and treated. With a minor ailment, you wait till all more serious cases are dealt with....this is where the complaining comes from.

3. Your local GP. Govt sets a figure considered a Dr's appointment is worth. Dr can accept that amount, and does not charge his patients...called Bulk Billing. Often such Drs are in Centres, may not take appointemnts, may be some waiting.

4. Your local GP charges over the bulk bill figure....you pay the difference. In our care a visit costs us $8 out of our pocket, but for kids at school, nothing....Dr accepts the bulk bill amount.

5. Specialists Appts. You go private or Public Hospital and wait for appt (takes time).
We go private. If it costs $130, we get back from Medicare the amount they believe the appointment is worth...which is I think $90, so costs me $40. If I had insurance, for some stupid reason you never get to know what the appointment was worth (I think they overcharge the Insurance Co.) and you get to pay the Gap...which I think is the 'Excess' in other types of insurance.

6. Looks like I may be up for an op on my shoulder. I have no private cover. As it is 'elective' the wait in the public system I am told is about 2 yrs. I will suggest to the private surgeon I go thru the public system but pay him....bit complicated to explain.....I have done it before.....Medicare have a $ figure as to how much this op will cost.....I pay the difference...but a lot of costs using the public hosp are minimal. I have done it in the past and the costs are pretty minimal....well, sort of.

7. If you are really sick....you will get the best treatment available from the public system. If it is not life threatening, you take your turn.

8 System is funded by 1.5% levy on everyones income plus moneys from public purse. I never complain. It is a small cost for what I get, and the fact I never have to worry.
From Haydens lung episode we never gave $$$'s a thought till you raised it a couple of hours back.


Cheers
Phillip

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Spontaneous pneumothorax in my kid

thank you for the information.