Respiratory Problems at Kidani Village

[Jim Maloney]

My wife, son and I were at Kidani Village from January 10-15, 2016 (scheduled). On Wednesday January 13 when she went to bed she started coughing and could not draw a full breath. She was up and down several times during the night and in the morning we loaded and headed back home to Charlotte (NC) arriving about 8:30pm Thursday night.

Her problems have persisted in the days that followed; she was able to rest relatively comfortably in a sofa recliner but not fully prone in a bed without uncontrolled coughing. On Monday January 18, I took her to a local hospital emergency room and she was admitted for a two night hospitalization with her oxygen level measuring unacceptably low. She is at home since her discharge on Thursday the 23rd but they sent her home with oxygen support equipment.

One of the possible diagnoses at the hospital I overheard was a possible virus of some kind but I could not say that everyone agreed that was the cause.

Note: as we were loading our vehicle in the parking garage beneath the building the bell service person mentioned " people have been complaining about breathing problems-I have never seen ANTELOPE DANDER as bad this year as before..." * as a side note: we had noticed a covering on the coffeemaker and other appliances in the kitchenette but thought little of it until he mentioned a possible connection.

She has been coughing up a lot of mucous and says she feels better but until she can end the oxygen equipment support I am not so ready to agree.

I apologize for the detail of my remarks but if any one can share an insight or comment we would be grateful.

Jim and Donna Maloney
Charlotte NC

 

[lilly6]

She doesn't have a high fever, does she? Did they do a chest x-ray? I am only asking because several years ago I contracted Legionnaire's Disease on vacation -NOT- at Disney and one of the first symptoms was feeling similarly short of breath.

I hope she's better soon.

 

[Gracie09]

I'm sorry your wife is having a tough time. My younger daughter always ends up with an allergy related cough when we go to Disney. There is just something there that her body does not like. We always have her on claritin for the trips. If you go back, you can request a special VIP cleaning of the room. They will wipe everything, change ac filters and bedding etc. However, if there is a problem with the room (location, noisy etc) you may not be able to move.
Good luck

 

[minnie mum]

Antelope dander might have caused an allergic reaction if your DW was susceptible, but you do not mention if she has a history of asthma. ( I assume she is not asthmatic, or she would have been using an inhaler to help her symptoms). A respiratory allergic response should have improved significantly after you left the resort. And the hospital can certainly tell the difference between a viral infection and asthma.

I doubt that dander caused your wife's illness. But she may well have contracted a virus from someone in the crowds at WDW. It really sucks to get sick on vacation. BTDT. Hope she is feeling better soon.

 

[Jim Maloney]

Antelope dander might have caused an allergic reaction if your DW was susceptible, but you do not mention if she has a history of asthma. ( I assume she is not asthmatic, or she would have been using an inhaler to help her symptoms). A respiratory allergic response should have improved significantly after you left the resort. And the hospital can certainly tell the difference between a viral infection and asthma.

I doubt that dander caused your wife's illness. But she may well have contracted a virus from someone in the crowds at WDW. It really sucks to get sick on vacation. BTDT. Hope she is feeling better soon.

to those of you who have responded with advice and best wishes, thank you...she is feeling better each day but I, for one, won't feel completely at ease until the oxygen equipment goes back...

 

[elmom]

to those of you who have responded with advice and best wishes, thank you...she is feeling better each day but I, for one, won't feel completely at ease until the oxygen equipment goes back...

Totally understand that. That's scary. All I can add is I have gotten some wicked viruses while traveling. That is what I would think caused all this with your wife. Positive thoughts for continued speedy recovery.

 

[Jim Maloney]

Antelope dander might have caused an allergic reaction if your DW was susceptible, but you do not mention if she has a history of asthma. ( I assume she is not asthmatic, or she would have been using an inhaler to help her symptoms). A respiratory allergic response should have improved significantly after you left the resort. And the hospital can certainly tell the difference between a viral infection and asthma.

I doubt that dander caused your wife's illness. But she may well have contracted a virus from someone in the crowds at WDW. It really sucks to get sick on vacation. BTDT. Hope she is feeling better soon.

file this under: a husband is the last to know:

apparently she does, in fact, have asthma and has been using an inhaler for quite some time. her pocket inhaler has been a constant companion to her for, probably, two years or more but I don't think I have ever heard her or her doctor say, outright, that she has a diagnosis of asthma. it was always, just something to help her "breathe "better..."

she has a doctor appointment tomorrow and I'll share more as this thread moves forward but she's generally feeling better but her true freedom lies in her no longer needing the oxygen assistance/thanks again to everyone

 

[minnie mum]

Poor thing- a double whammy with the virus+ the asthma. I had that problem ( but not to the same degree) a few years ago. I caught a bad cold on the way down to WDW which really set off my asthma. Even with all the OTC meds and maxing out my inhaler, I was still "that old lady" coughing into her hankie in the back of Philharmagic. And sleeping sitting up isn't fun. I'm glad to hear she's off the O2 now.

Keep in mind Gracie09s advice about requesting a VIP deep cleaning before your next visit if your wife's asthma is triiggered by the more common airborne allergens.

 

[Tigerlulu]

Too funny--not that she's sick or asthmatic, but your "husband is the last to know."

Made me wonder if my husband knows about my inhaler. Lol

 

[Sadie22]

My husband called me from a doctor's office to ask me what medications he takes. All two prescriptions! He had forgotten the list I made for him. He would have no idea what I take, but it's a longer list. I have to carry a list. We all should. Mine even lists when I stopped some and when I started others.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Best wishes to you wife.
2) I hope the problem is not a lasting one.

 

[Jim Maloney]

1) Best wishes to you wife.
2) I hope the problem is not a lasting one.

she's off the oxygen but we're keeping it in the house until she has a followup exam with a nephrologist on the 15th who has the sign off authority to have it removed but she sleeping and breathing without incident/ thanks to all of you who have responded with suggestions and best wishes/Jimmy and Donna

 

[TheDisneyDoll]

I can't speak much for the cause, but in regards to weening off oxygen it can be difficult for the body to do so.
I recommend a little O2 moniter they can be purchased for $10-20 at walgreen and most other pharmacy's and box stores. If she is off it and feels she is having a hard time breathing check her O2 levels before putting the oxygen back on. Feeling short of breath doesn't always mean you have actual low O2 stats, and your body can really easily create a dependency on supplemental oxygen.
I'm sure they told you all that, but i think it's important enough to warn against again

 

[lovin'fl]

My inlaws just got back from Disney. SIL and her DH and DD were at AKL while MIL and FIL were at OKW. It was rainy and sometimes chilly. MIL and niece got sick with similar symptoms as OP's DW. MIL thinks its from the pine trees all around OKW and other parts of WDW. I looked up allergy charts and one showed it as being high most of the days of MIL's trip but another site showed low. MIL and niece take allergy meds which they didn't feel were helping. I wondered if they just caught a virus down there.

 

[bopper]

One time I went on a cruise and when I came back I was sick....high fever, lethargy, probably some kind of breathing issues. Turns out I had pneumonia...but that was on top of sub-clinical asthma (i.e., low level asthma that never really had symptoms before) and then I was in the hospital for 10 days. SO maybe your wife has some underlying asthma issue plus a virus or or antelope allergy (or
both)