Bad day at the doctor. Need prayers.

[carmantx]

I'm out of my comfort area here, but I sure need some help.

I have "diminished lung capacity" for some reason. For the past few months, I have noticed that I've been feeling winded easier, thought it was because I am 47 and can't do everything I used to do. A few weeks ago, I started coughing when talking or moving around, and turns out that is what happens when you can't get enough air or oxygen. I thought I had a cold or something, but didn't feel bad. After three trips to the doctor and some initial test, they determined I was not sick, but I am loosing lung capacity, which is not good of course. By the day, it has been harder to get around and do anything without completely loosing my breath. I am being referred to a pulminary specialist for more test next week.

Here is where the prayers can help. The doc says I could have exposed myself to something, chemical or paint or something, that could have aggravated my lungs and it could be a temporary capacity loss that could clear out and I return to normal. Like most of us, I am around stuff in my barn every weekend. I am on steroid treatments now to try to stop this thing and reverse the current effects.

As some of you know, my 16 year old son and I are building this race car for him, and we are just now starting back together with it. To work in the shop now I have to wear an industrial chemical mask to keep out any impurities while they sort this out, and not aggrivate my lungs any more.

Sorry for the long post. I didn't know how to shorten it. I just can't stand the thought of anything getting worse and him sitting there with the car in a million parts. I am very motivated to knock this thing out, but me and chemicals can't do it. I need God's help, and yours in prayer.

Thank you.

[flynbuick]

A tapered dosage of Prednisone will oftentimes bring you back to normal. It will take a few days for it to really kick in.

[carmantx]

Yea, hoping so. Started that last week.

[Running]

"Re: Bad day at the doctor. Need prayers." Done. Good luck.

[Free Riviera]

Good luck Mark.

I've been fighting an issue with sarcoidosis and it's a scary thing to not be able to breathe as well as you think you should! Best thing about the time I was on prednisone was that I got a ton of stuff done (didn't seem to want to sleep as much) and I lost some weight.

I take that back... the best thing was that I was able to breathe a lot better after awhile. Hope it works for you too! :TU:

I'm with you man.

[SS-TRUCK]

Mark ,
I wish you all the luck in the world . If I were closer to you I would offer to help out on your car .

[Joe65SkylarkGS]

Mark, I hope you recover quickly from this.

And i'll definitley say a few prayers for you.:pray:

You have to stick around for a long time to see your son blow away all the imports at the track for many, many years to come.:3gears:

Keep the mask ON!!

[69RivieraGS]

We will pray that it's just temporary! Another thing that would be temporary is taking a little break while you heal so that you can jump back in on the project even stronger when you're better. Don't over do it. :pray:

[roboteq-1@hotma]

If this remains unsolved - RUN do not walk to a good neurologist- there is a syndrome that affects men about 1/10K called Brachial Neuritus -I pray this is just a minor issue for you but dont let it slide- if you dont get answers from your doc- go up the foodchain=FAST.
Godspeed
Robert

[lionman80]

Sorry to hear about your lung problems! I hope you will re-gain lung function. In high school I had 15 collapsed lungs and 2 lung surgeries. I have a bit of asmtha now, but have regained my lung power back since the surgeries. I quit smoking in 2001 and that helped. Anyway I know how it feels to not be able to breath and it is the worst feeling ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prayers are with you!

[carmantx]

Thanks everybody. It is scary, but I am confident they will figure it out and I'll be watching Tyler with the front tires off the ground smokin some ricer. I've been taking my meds and yes Joe, I am keeping the mask on for now. It is hard to take a break from the car, Tyler enjoys it so much and is learning everyday. But I just sit and wear my mask and tell him what to do. So he is learning more, and I'm kicking back.

I will make sure the docs find it, and will head up the chain if I need to. Not going to mess around with this.

[sootie007]

Good luck Mark and our thoughts are with you....John

[buickjunkie]

Hi,
I’m sorry to here about your trouble. They tried to diagnose me with the same thing last summer (COPD). I didn’t believe them, shortness of breath, coughing, soar throat, chest pain, I tried 2 different types of medication. They didn’t work. Had to take a lung capacity test. Turns out I have acid reflux. All the same symptoms. Have you ruled it out. Hope this helps.
Take Care
Bruce

[sharkmonkey]

Sounds like your son is getting a great education from a great teacher.

You're in my prayers.
-mark

[adamst56]

Mark, you are a good guy ... and good things happen to good guys. You will be included in my prayers and I will ask some good folks with more pull Upstairs to include you in theirs as well.
Best wishes, Tim

[tyoneal]

I'm out of my comfort area here, but I sure need some help.

I have "diminished lung capacity" for some reason. For the past few months, I have noticed that I've been feeling winded easier, thought it was because I am 47 and can't do everything I used to do. A few weeks ago, I started coughing when talking or moving around, and turns out that is what happens when you can't get enough air or oxygen. I thought I had a cold or something, but didn't feel bad. After three trips to the doctor and some initial test, they determined I was not sick, but I am loosing lung capacity, which is not good of course. By the day, it has been harder to get around and do anything without completely loosing my breath. I am being referred to a pulminary specialist for more test next week.

Here is where the prayers can help. The doc says I could have exposed myself to something, chemical or paint or something, that could have aggravated my lungs and it could be a temporary capacity loss that could clear out and I return to normal. Like most of us, I am around stuff in my barn every weekend. I am on steroid treatments now to try to stop this thing and reverse the current effects.

As some of you know, my 16 year old son and I are building this race car for him, and we are just now starting back together with it. To work in the shop now I have to wear an industrial chemical mask to keep out any impurities while they sort this out, and not aggrivate my lungs any more.

Sorry for the long post. I didn't know how to shorten it. I just can't stand the thought of anything getting worse and him sitting there with the car in a million parts. I am very motivated to knock this thing out, but me and chemicals can't do it. I need God's help, and yours in prayer.

Thank you.
==================================
Hang in there!

I to will add your to our list of people We pray for. My wife had a similar thing happen to her, and we found out it was asthma. It came out of no where, but at least there is sprays that help a lot.

In any event, my Wife and I will keep you and your Son in our prayers.

May God Bless your Family,

Sincerely,

Ty

[Eric Schmelzer]

I'll send up a prayer for you as well. I hope it is something simple that will go away with time and not COPD. My great uncle has this and has been on oxygen for 6-7 years and has to be carefull about pnemonia. His lung capacity is down to 10-15% and rarely leaves his house.

[pick62]

Hey Mark,
It seems to always be scary when things don't work like they used to. It really stinks! Prayers are coming from here also. Hopre it heals fast.When you said barn do you have hogs? Have a friend who has lung problems do to hog dust, Nnot a good thing. ZHope you recover fast.
God Bless You my friend!:pray:
Tim

[Floydsbuick]

I'll be keeping you in my prayers today. I hope and pray this condition passes.

[carmantx]

Thanks again everybody. I go back to the doc on monday to check capacity again and other test. No improvements this week after being on the current meds.

No hogs in my barn. It is full of cars. It's my shop.

[JohnD1956]

Mark, Prayers on the way from Upstate NY. Hang in there!

John D

[RobertSchmelzer]

Mark, Got ya on the prayer list right along with Tim (pick62). Hang in there. Robert.

[Bob Lindquist]

Mark, Keep the faith. Stay positive!

[droptop]

Mark, hope that you're feeling better soon. Prayers sent for you.

[carmantx]

thanks everybody. Really feeling the prayers. It is amazing how many people will offer help and hope when someone needs it. My family and I really appreciate it.

I am doing more testing today and back to the pulmonologist on Tuesday for more.

Good news so far is, it does not appear to be cancer, and the CT scan did not show permanant scarring. I still can't breath and my blood pressure now is very high so I have to go to the cardiologist also. I'll keep you informed. I had a very blessed feeling to hear the initial news.

[rex362]

Our prayers are with you ....

think positive ....especially around the family ...you will bounce back

[carmantx]

Update.

I am in the hospital now, still doing more test. I went to the pulmonologist yesterday, she had me admitted to the hospital. Good news is, my lungs are not the problem. Which means it may be my heart, so going through those test and hope to hear something today. Intitial review was showing a leaking valve in my heart, and that could cause all of my symptoms. At least that can be repaired, not an easy repair, but repairable. Kind of like a heater core in a 72 skylark. It can be done, but who wants to do that.

Thanks for all the prayers. There is no question that God has us in his hands. I just hope his plan matches up with with mine at least a little. Tyler has a nerve conduction study today to determing the spine damage he has had and then see what the Neurologist says for him.

Meanwhile. The buick sits.

[carmantx]

Thank you all for your prayers. I have indeed been blessed....again.

I spent two days in the hospital this weeks as my symptoms had become worse. Pulmonary doc said my lungs were fine, so they started checking my heart, and that is what is was. Nothing major though. Turns out I have an irregular heat beat that with mild exersion started skipping two and three beats at a time. At that point, my blood flow dropped, and then my blood wasn't oxygenating. So they changed my meds and it has helped with the atrial fibrilation? or something like that.

Or, to put it in car terms.... at idle, I was fine, but just barely push the pedal, and started sputtering and choking down. At full pedal it was fine, but when coming back down to that just above idle range, still fluttering and choking down. Hmm. Carb and breather was fine. Turns out the pump was messing up at that level. Just needed a higher octane pill and working fine now. No pump replacement needed at this time.

Now, time to finish this car.

[pooods]

Hope the meds help out. My father was recently diagnosed with the same thing. We are now in the process of seeing what is causing it. It is a pretty common thing. Almost 2 million people have it according to the doc. Good luck and God bless.

[carmantx]

Well, hope everything goes well for your father, John.

[6671]

I'm out of my comfort area here, but I sure need some help.

I have "diminished lung capacity" for some reason. For the past few months, I have noticed that I've been feeling winded easier, thought it was because I am 47 and can't do everything I used to do. A few weeks ago, I started coughing when talking or moving around, and turns out that is what happens when you can't get enough air or oxygen. I thought I had a cold or something, but didn't feel bad. After three trips to the doctor and some initial test, they determined I was not sick, but I am loosing lung capacity, which is not good of course. By the day, it has been harder to get around and do anything without completely loosing my breath. I am being referred to a pulminary specialist for more test next week.

Here is where the prayers can help. The doc says I could have exposed myself to something, chemical or paint or something, that could have aggravated my lungs and it could be a temporary capacity loss that could clear out and I return to normal. Like most of us, I am around stuff in my barn every weekend. I am on steroid treatments now to try to stop this thing and reverse the current effects.

As some of you know, my 16 year old son and I are building this race car for him, and we are just now starting back together with it. To work in the shop now I have to wear an industrial chemical mask to keep out any impurities while they sort this out, and not aggrivate my lungs any more.

Sorry for the long post. I didn't know how to shorten it. I just can't stand the thought of anything getting worse and him sitting there with the car in a million parts. I am very motivated to knock this thing out, but me and chemicals can't do it. I need God's help, and yours in prayer.

Thank you.

Mark, are you a Born again Christian? Attend a Bible based church? I called myself a Christian for almost all of my life but was not until a day back in 2000 at the ge of 47. I was raised Catholic and knew so little about what Christianity is about. It is NOT about a religion but a relationship with the living God, the creator of all and who loves us to the point of sending His Son to die in our place to pay the pernalty for OUR sins to reconcile us to Himself. Too incredible a story not to be true and nothing in the book that archeology has disproved but the other way around. If you do not know God as personal Lord and Savior then that is what you need prayer for, the rest does not mean much. It is a feee gift and that makes it even more fantastic. In fact there is nothing we can do. Hear the word through sermons, radio and especially by reading the Bible starting with the Gospel of John. Then it is as simple as ABC.
1. Admit you are a sinner.
2. Believe that Christ is who He said He is and the Bible is the word of God given to us through men inspired by the Holy Spirit.
3. Confess your sins to God and repent or turn away from those sins. Then thank Him because if you did those 3 steps with your heart you are now a member of the church, God's church, not a man made church. You also received the Holy Spirit. You have God living in you! Quite a responsibility on how we act and even when no one is looking as what we do in our heart is just as doing it in actuality.
I pray that you have taken the steps to ensure eternal life with our creator and as Paul said In Roman's 8:18, "what suffering can compare with eternity" Paraphrased that but that is the idea of that verse. God Bless and PM me anytime. Any questions.

[carmantx]

Thanks 6671.
I do have that relationship with God, and so does my wife, daughter and son. We know our lives are in his hands and we try everyday to be examples of His good works.

[pooods]

Well, hope everything goes well for your father, John.

Thanks. He is still testing. Hope you are doing better.

[britt'sStage 1]

I add my prayer to your prayers,in the MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS! Jay B.Britt,Jr.

[6671]

Thanks 6671.
I do have that relationship with God, and so does my wife, daughter and son. We know our lives are in his hands and we try everyday to be examples of His good works.

Mark, thanks for the inspiration you have shown me. My 28 year old son will have nothing to do with me. Sorry if that is a repeat but I am just getting over another fathers day with no contact what so ever. I am jealous of th relationship you have and need to confess that as sin and let our Lord know my feelings for you and my son. I pray that you are given the grace and patience so God can do His perfect work with you. I feel selfish but am desperate and am going to start a thread and ask for help. Thanks again, Mark, you are an inspiration and I feel ashamed, way too selfish. Mark