GAILENE:
My name is Gailene Jaques. I am 40 years old and live in Dallas, Texas. After 4 years and 7
specialists, I was diagnosed with FM in 1998. By that time, my face looked like a moon, my fingers like
sausages, my entire upper torso bloated and my stomach looked like a road map. I could not walk
very far and climbing stairs was excrutiating. The doctors took a chance and were able to shove a
stent through my superior vena cava cracking through the cement in my chest. The relief was
incredible. That day, I lost 16lbs. of fluid and after I got out of the hospital, could walk up stairs or
around the block without gasping for breath. Since then, I have regular CTs and occasional
pulmonary angiograms and CT-angios to monitor the growth of the fibrosis. It did spread and lost half
of one lung three years ago. They are hoping to catch future growth in time to stent it and so I won't
lose any more of my lungs.
I grew up all over the South and the doctors used that to narrow down my diagnosis. I evidently had
histoplasmosis when I was a child. I am still able to work but I do tire easily and have difficulty walking
more than a block or so. I live every day to it's fullest and thank God for it. I have a wonderful family
and many great friends who fill my life with joy.
My name is Gailene Jaques. I am 40 years old and live in Dallas, Texas. After 4 years and 7
specialists, I was diagnosed with FM in 1998. By that time, my face looked like a moon, my fingers like
sausages, my entire upper torso bloated and my stomach looked like a road map. I could not walk
very far and climbing stairs was excrutiating. The doctors took a chance and were able to shove a
stent through my superior vena cava cracking through the cement in my chest. The relief was
incredible. That day, I lost 16lbs. of fluid and after I got out of the hospital, could walk up stairs or
around the block without gasping for breath. Since then, I have regular CTs and occasional
pulmonary angiograms and CT-angios to monitor the growth of the fibrosis. It did spread and lost half
of one lung three years ago. They are hoping to catch future growth in time to stent it and so I won't
lose any more of my lungs.
I grew up all over the South and the doctors used that to narrow down my diagnosis. I evidently had
histoplasmosis when I was a child. I am still able to work but I do tire easily and have difficulty walking
more than a block or so. I live every day to it's fullest and thank God for it. I have a wonderful family
and many great friends who fill my life with joy.
