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TB Personal Stories – Kelly’s StoryEspañol (Spanish)										Related Pages
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Kelly’s Story
Dr. Kelly Holland woke up one morning and coughed up blood. He was startled – as anyone would be. But as a physician he was particularly aware of all the terrible things that could mean.
A couple of weeks before that incident he had gone to the emergency room in the middle of the night with chest pains, coughing, and sweating. He was told it was probably pneumonia and given an antibiotic. In hindsight, he can see that was a missed opportunity for a TB diagnosis.Low Resolution Video“I think it’s pretty typical with what I see as a physician. Someone will be treated for a cough two or three times until either things get really bad or until someone thinks to ask ‘is this tuberculosis?’ And I’m hoping that will change because the longer somebody’s out there, first of all the sicker they can get and the more dangerous it is for the individual, but also being such a contagious airborne disease the more the person is out there the more you can spread it,” says Dr. Holland.
Once diagnosed with TB, his first concern was his family. He knew TB is an airborne disease and he was worried that he could have exposed his young son and wife. His next thought was his coworkers and patients. He was especially concerned about having possibly exposed newborn babies.
“Tuberculosis in the very young can progress very quickly and is a very scary and can cause meningitis which is an infection around the brain and spine. It was terrifying that, I, who have promised to care for those and eliminate suffering, could have made something so much more dangerous and so much more scary,” recalls Dr. Holland.
He talked to his local health department, who notified coworkers and patients and provided TB testing. He was grateful to the health department staff for stepping in and having conversations with those who he may have exposed about the need to get tested.
“I know that our public health staff, our public health departments, are always working behind the scenes, but it wasn’t until I got sick that I saw how they rose to the occasion and just took care of everything. I don’t think I could’ve handled people’s questions even though I would have maybe known the answers, it would’ve been too overwhelming and it would’ve been very hard for me. So, our public health infrastructure and by that, I mean the people, they really stood up as they always do and they took the heat for me, and they did what they had to do and find out who needed to be tested and keep them safe,” Dr. Holland reflects.
Fortunately, after testing, none of the people who could have been exposed got sick.
His experience as a patient during the treatment and recovery process gave him unique insight that he now carries with him when caring for TB patients. He is now careful to explain to his TB patients that while the medication may last for nine months, depending on the type of TB, the recovery process may be even longer.
Now recovered from TB, Dr. Holland works to raise awareness about TB among his medical colleagues and others.
“We forget that this is still the number one infectious disease killer in the world, it’s not something of the past. This is right here, this is very present. But I’m hoping that we can educate some more, not just the community and the country at large, but especially the healthcare professionals,” says Dr. Holland.

Kelly is a part of We Are TB, a network of TB survivors.Share Kelly's Story on FacebookView LargerCloseKellyDownload Image[PNG]
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As both a TB patient, and a physician who cares for TB patients, Dr. Holland knows the impact TB has on patients’ lives. He wants to increase TB awareness among his health care provider colleagues, and encourage them to test and treat at-risk patients for latent TB infection.  http://bit.ly/2CVuP3qShare Kelly's Story on TwitterView LargerClosePersonal Story - Kelly PictureDownload Image[PNG]
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As both a TB patient, and a physician who cares for TB patients, Dr. Holland knows the impact TB has on patients’ lives.  http://bit.ly/2CVuP3qMore TB Personal Stories
							
					
						Page last reviewed:  January 2, 2019					Content source: 	Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention homeTuberculosisBasic TB Factsplus iconHow TB SpreadsLatent TB Infection and TB DiseaseSigns & SymptomsTB Risk FactorsExposure to TBTB PreventionVaccinesTB & HIV CoinfectionTB and DiabetesTB TermsPersonal StoriesTesting & Diagnosisplus iconWho Should be TestedTesting for TB InfectionTesting in BCG-Vaccinated PersonsTB Screening and Testing of Health Care PersonnelTesting During PregnancyDiagnosing latent TB infection and TB diseaseTreatmentplus iconDeciding When to Treat Latent TB InfectionTreatment Regimens for Latent TB Infection (LTBI)Treatment for TB DiseaseAdverse EventsTB Treatment of Persons Living with HIVTB Treatment and PregnancyTB Treatment for ChildrenFrequently Asked QuestionsDrug-Resistant TBResearchplus iconTB Epidemiologic Studies Consortiumplus iconResearch ProjectsPublicationsTB Trials Consortiumplus iconStudy DescriptionsBackgroundBehavioral & Social Science ResearchHealth Care Settingsplus iconTB Infection Control in Health Care SettingsResources for TB Screening and Testing of Health Care Personnelplus iconFrequently Asked QuestionsTB in Specific Populationsplus iconHealth DisparitiesAsian PersonsBlack or African American PersonsHispanic or Latino PersonsChildrenPregnancyCorrectional FacilitiesPeople Experiencing HomelessnessInternational TravelersLaboratory Informationplus iconDrug Susceptibility TestingFalse-Positive Investigation ToolkitInterim Laboratory Biosafety Guidance for XDR  tuberculosis strainsModel Performance Evaluation Program (MPEP)Rapid Molecular Testing to Detect Drug-Resistant TB in the USplus iconExecutive SummaryIntroductionBackground on Tests for Molecular Detection of DRGeneral Considerations and Principles for a Molecular DR Testing ServicePossible Scenarios and Scope of Testing for a Molecular DR Testing ServiceResearch NeedsGeneral Recommendations of the Expert PanelCommunication Plan for the ReportRecommendationsReferencesPanel Members and CDC ParticipantsAppendix 1Appendix 2Appendix 3The Uses of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for the Diagnosis of TBplus iconGeneral ConsiderationsGeneral Recommendations of the Expert PanelRecommendations to ACET, CDC, DTBEData & Statisticsplus iconTB Incidence in the United StatesReported TB in the US, 2022 Surveillance Reportplus iconNational DataReporting Area DataRisk FactorsDemographicsTB Treatment and Case OutcomesDrug-Resistant TBMolecular SurveillanceTuberculosis in the United States, 2022 (Slide Set)Archived Surveillance Reports and Slide Sets2021 State and City ReportArchived State and City ReportsProfessional Resources & Toolsplus iconTools for Healthcare ProvidersResources for TB Programsplus iconStrengthening Civil Surgeons’ Capacity to Improve LTBI Surveillance and Outcomes Among Status AdjustersNotice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)Program EvaluationTB Centers of ExcellenceTB Elimination AllianceTB Genotypingplus iconConventional TB GenotypingWhole Genome SequencingTB GIMSAnalytic ToolsLatent Tuberculosis Infection ResourcesPublications & Productsplus iconPatient and Public MaterialsFact SheetsGuidelinesplus iconControl & EliminationDrug-Resistant TBInfection Control & PreventionLaboratory & GenotypingTB & HIVTB in Specific PopulationsTesting & DiagnosisTreatmentVaccines & ImmunizationsArchived TB GuidelinesGuides & Toolkitsplus iconAggregate ReportsCDC TB Surveillance TrainingCore CurriculumEffective TB Interviewing for Contact InvestigationEthnographic GuidesFalse-Positive Investigation ToolkitForging Partnerships to Eliminate TuberculosisGuide to Application of GenotypingLTBI: A Guide for Primary Health Care ProvidersMantoux Tuberculin Skin Testing ProductsReport of Verified Case of Tuberculosis (RVCT)Self-Study ModulesTB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills CourseTB eDOT ToolkitUnderstanding the TB Cohort Review ProcessNewslettersplus iconTB Notes, No. 4, 2023TB Notes, No. 3, 2023TB Notes. No. 2, 2023TB Notes. No. 1, 2023TB Notes, No. 4, 2022TB Notes, No. 3, 2022TB Notes, No. 2, 2022TB Notes, No. 1, 2022TB Notes, No. 4, 2021TB Notes, No. 3, 2021TB Notes, No. 2, 2021TB Notes, No. 1, 2021Pamphlets, Brochures, Bookletsplus iconQuestions and AnswersPatient Education SeriesTuberculosis - Get the FactsTuberculosis - The Connection between TB and HIV12-Dose Regimen for Latent TB Infection-Patient Education BrochurePostersplus iconMantoux Tuberculin Skin Test Wall ChartWorld TB DayThink TBStop TBTake on TBReports & Articlesplus iconDTBE Authored Journal ArticlesTuberculosis Laboratory Aggregate ReportsSlide Setsplus iconIntroduction to TuberculosisEpidemiology of Tuberculosis Among Non-U.S.​–Born Persons in the United States, 1993–2016Self-Study Modules on Tuberculosis, 1-5 Slide SetsThe Tuberculosis (TB) in Correctional Settingsplus iconFacilitator GuideIntroduction to TB GenotypingEpidemiology of Tuberculosis in Correctional Facilities, United States, 1993-2017Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Correctional and Detention FacilitiesGuidelines for Preventing the Transmission of M. TB in Health care SettingsInvestigation of Contacts of Persons with Infectious TBEpidemiology of Pediatric Tuberculosis in the United StatesTargeted Tuberculosis Testing and Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis InfectionElectronic Tools & ResourcesWeb-Based Courses & Webinarsplus iconTB 101 for Health Care WorkersContent SyndicationInfographicsplus iconSocial Media GraphicsCustomizable Take on TB Infographic with InstructionsEventsWorld TB Dayplus iconU.S. TB ChampionsHistoryFeaturesplus iconTB Risk FactorsTreating Latent TB Infection with Short-Course RegimensWorld Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2021World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2020Linksplus iconState TB Control OfficesAbout Usplus iconMission Statement and Activitiesplus iconDTBE Strategic PlanNational TB Program ObjectivesOrganization ChartAdvisory Groupsplus iconFederal TB Task Force To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address			What's this?				Submit


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