# I have been sick and out of the shop.



## Mark_f (Jul 22, 2017)

I have been very ill  and not able to go to my shop at all. In fact I have been in bed most of the last four weeks. Finally after three weeks my doctor was able to squeeze me in for a visit. I was dehydrated, weak, and lost 15 pounds as I could not eat ( except for a small piece of toast now and then) and only drink water in small amounts. After testing they found I had somehow contracted a highly contagious intestinal virus that left untreated is fatal (it has a name a half mile long that I cannot pronounce). By now I am in the advanced stage of the virus ( this was two days ago ). I am on antibiotics to kill the virus and if I don't improve in a week, I will be in serious trouble. I think I am improving but I don't really know. I refused to stay in the hospital ( there is no one to take care of my dogs and watch the house) so they are treating me at home, but if after a week if I'm not better, I will be put in the hospital.  Neither me or the doctors have any idea how I got this, but I just want to get better and play in my shop. This is the sickest I ever remember being, but I WILL be back to finish my projects.


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## Firestopper (Jul 22, 2017)

Get better soon my friend. Need to figure out if the virus is living with you at home and can effect your animals.
Godspeed in your recovery!


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## Mark_f (Jul 22, 2017)

firestopper said:


> Get better soon my friend. Need to figure out if the virus is living with you at home and can effect your animals.
> Godspeed in your recovery!



Thank you, my understanding from reading all I could find is this virus lives everywhere and on everything and every surface including our bodies. Our systems normally keep it in check, but if the conditions are just right, it can get hold and take over. ...... bummer. They say the best protection is constant hand washing and careful hygine. But there are other conditions, including medical,  that can let it get hold also.


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## core-oil (Jul 22, 2017)

Sorry to hear of your problem Mark,  Praying for an improvement in your health , & you getting back into your shop.


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## GA Gyro (Jul 22, 2017)

If it were me... I would be at the health food store... in the vitamins/herbs/supplements section...
Looking for immune system boosters.


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## woodchucker (Jul 22, 2017)

Good luck Mark.


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## Terrywerm (Jul 22, 2017)

Sorry to hear of your dilemma, Mark. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.


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## David S (Jul 22, 2017)

Mark I hope the treatments can get this in check and make you better.

I have arthritis and take Humira which suppresses the immune system, so I have to be vigilant in case some sort of infection or other is encountered.

Hoping for your complete recovery.
David


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## Eddyde (Jul 22, 2017)

Mark, Sorry to hear that. Hope you make a speedy recovery, HM needs you!


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## chips&more (Jul 22, 2017)

Get well soon! I sure hope it’s not from breathing too much cutting oil smoke! I had my fair share of it today! Should of set-up a fan.


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## jocat54 (Jul 22, 2017)

Get well soon Mark! Praying for you.


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## brav65 (Jul 22, 2017)

I hope you get well soon Mark, my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery are with you.


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## Rick Berk (Jul 23, 2017)

THE VERY BEST GO TO YOU MARK. I did not know a antibiotic worked on viruses.


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## Mark_f (Jul 23, 2017)

Rick Berk said:


> THE VERY BEST GO TO YOU MARK. I did not know a antibiotic worked on viruses.


Certain antibiotics do work on certain viruses.


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## Mark_f (Jul 23, 2017)

The antibiotic is helping and I believe I am getting better.... slowly.


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## Billh50 (Jul 23, 2017)

Praying for you Mark. I know how it goes when your health won't let you into your shop to do something you like. Been there myself for the last couple months. But keep up the fight.


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## Mark_f (Jul 23, 2017)

Billh50 said:


> Praying for you Mark. I know how it goes when your health won't let you into your shop to do something you like. Been there myself for the last couple months. But keep up the fight.



Thank you Bill. I have been following your health issues here and been hoping and praying for your success to better health.


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## kvt (Jul 23, 2017)

Glad to hear that the meds are helping.   It will take a long time to recover after something like that    Jut take care and get well,   then take your time and get back to full again.


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## Silverbullet (Jul 23, 2017)

When you can start taking probiotics , it's amazing what they do in the guts. Ask your Dr I bet he says take one a day. Nothing like being attacked from the inside of your body. If we were closer and if you needed my daughter would help with the dogs . I know how I feel about my shop , I don't like the thoughts of my up coming surgery. I've had nightmares of going out and the shop open and things gone. 
You get better , God bless my friend may you feel the touch in your body as we pray. Amen thank you lord


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## Mark_f (Jul 23, 2017)

Silverbullet said:


> When you can start taking probiotics , it's amazing what they do in the guts. Ask your Dr I bet he says take one a day. Nothing like being attacked from the inside of your body. If we were closer and if you needed my daughter would help with the dogs . I know how I feel about my shop , I don't like the thoughts of my up coming surgery. I've had nightmares of going out and the shop open and things gone.
> You get better , God bless my friend may you feel the touch in your body as we pray. Amen thank you lord


 Thank you so much. I am really starting to feel better quickly. I still tire easily. I am taking probiotics along with the antibiotic. My doctor said to take them now so I am actually taking a double dose each day until I get back to normal. I almost fainted when I saw the price of probiotics. Almost $50 a bottle but being this sick really scared me. I never felt that bad. My heart attacks and stroke didn't scare me as bad as this.


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## easttex (Jul 24, 2017)

Mark,

I have enjoyed your posts and learned a great deal from reading them.  I hope you make a speedy recovery and get back on an even keel soon!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk


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## bfd (Jul 24, 2017)

get better slowly is better than not at all so take the slow just get better wishing you luck and prayers bill


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## Mark_f (Jul 26, 2017)

Good news ....... The antibiotic is working. I think the infection is gone but I am still so weak. I have lost almost 20 pounds in 4 weeks. Things are looking up. Ahhhh.... The power of prayers.


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## kvt (Jul 26, 2017)

Glad to here it.   Just do not try to rush it to much,   do not want you to wind up with problems again.


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## DaveD (Jul 26, 2017)

I didn't see the name of the virus mentioned but for future reference I would like the OP and everyone else to take his to heart.
If the infection you have/had is c-difficile then that is not something to mess with. It can easily be a killer.

My doctors are pretty sure I contracted mine in the most recent hospital stay I had at that time (2 years ago). It had been 30 days previous. Seemed if you ever caught it, it was typically from a hospital stay or being around someone that has it. VERY CONTAGIOUS.
I was doing a routine monthly visit with my cancer doctor. He walks into see me and within 2 minutes had me in a wheelchair heading to the ER. Mind you I walked in under my own power and 'wasn't feeling that bad'.

There is a specific blood test for c-difficile. My results were back in probably 15 minutes. Then the crap hit the fan. Admit now. Room now. IV's now. Masks/gowns on everyone.  Was in hospital about 10 days. When I was discharged I wasn't strong enough to walk 100'. Went to live with daughter for 2 weeks. For 2 weeks, 24 hours a day I had to follow her every command. I think her words were I wasn't going to die on her watch and I WAS going to get better. And I did.

Son was a EMT to so I got it with both barrels. 
Family was really scared they were going to lose me.
Obviously they didn't.

Bottom line is don't wait for some doc to see you 3 weeks later for any problem. Get the local EMT to get you to the emergency room. Don't take yourself or have someone else take you. The EMT trip bypasses all the waiting BS and gets you in NOW.


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## Mark_f (Jul 26, 2017)

DaveD said:


> I didn't see the name of the virus mentioned but for future reference I would like the OP and everyone else to take his to heart.
> If the infection you have/had is c-difficile then that is not something to mess with. It can easily be a killer.
> 
> My doctors are pretty sure I contracted mine in the most recent hospital stay I had at that time (2 years ago). It had been 30 days previous. Seemed if you ever caught it, it was typically from a hospital stay or being around someone that has it. VERY CONTAGIOUS.
> ...



Yes ..... I have c-diff. VERY contagious and VERY dangerous. On June 30th, I was fine. Went to bed and woke up two hours later so sick I couldn't get up. Bad foul liquid diarrhea, nausea, throwing up, weak, cramping, could not eat or drink ANYTHING. I laid there for two days home alone with my 5 dogs. I called my doctor's office,they said can't squeeze me in,all booked up. Two days later I get to emergency room. They do blood work and cat scan ..... say everything looks good and I must have a bug. Send me home to suffer. Few days later I much worse. Call doctor's office .... all booked up, can't see me. Suffer at home another week, lost 20 pounds, cant eat but drink a sip of water every few minutes because I know I am dehydrated. Third week call doctor's office ..... can see me next day. They send me for blood work and several stool tests to test for EVERYTHING. By now I think I am going to die. Test take 3 days to culture and get results. I have now been sick .... VERY sick for 24 days. They call me and tell me what I have. They prescribed an antibiotic for seven days. The side effects of the antibiotic are as bad as the infection. I have one more pill to take, but am feeling much better. I still tire, just walking to the bathroom. I understand that it may take a few weeks to get back to normal.

I was told the only way to check for this disease is a stool culture. They told me there was no blood test for it.

You may have some idea by now how horrible and stupid the medical system in my area is. It  gets worse. I call the doctor and ask if I will be tested again to be sure I am clear. They say no! I say , how I know I am cured. They say, you probably okay if your diarrhea is gone.  I am just blown away.

I been through a lot of crap. Two heart attacks, two strokes, probably a hundred mini strokes, staff infection on my spine, had pacemaker installed, and open heart surgery. NOTHING was as bad as this or scared me this much.


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## Glenn Brooks (Jul 27, 2017)

Mark,  we are pulling for you. Stay strong my friend.

Glenn


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## Silverbullet (Jul 27, 2017)

Mark , thanking God , I ment to tell you ,,, puritins pride,, a vitamin company sells supplement like probiotic much cheaper usually buy one get one free. My wife and I find its much cheaper then any store. We can get almost everything we need there.
I'm hoping for miracles for Bill and myself , I see the surgeon this week coming up on Thursday morning. I hope he can streamline me right into the hospital quickly. I'm scared to death but so full of hope , in some ways it don't matter if I live , may be even better for the family be done with all of it , pain gets old fast , I've had more then I deserve. 
I want my shop more then anything. I was cheated out of my life as a full time machinist and gunsmith . My intention after training was to work my way up in the business have a full size working jobbers shop . And a gunsmithing shop , to sell and build , carry ammo and reloading supplies . But the Dr who operated hit my spinal cord doing more then he said he would. I tried suing but the lawyer I was referred to screwed it all up. I sued  the professional we paid to testify we got $20, 000 lawyer  took $15,000 , he made out better then we did and he did nothing. We should have got over a million. Oh well nothing I can do. It was the oldest case on the docket in the 80s. So you know my story wife two babies and I lived on peanut butter and jelly on week old bread from the bread store for over a year , $200,000 plus in debt to hospitals and drs. And food stamps on welfare , to live ,lost everything . My family let us have my aunt's house with half rented to pay for itself. If this isn't right for here have a moderator kill it . Just saying you can make it I died for awhile and been close four more times in 09 . Man can survive almost everything till he gives up.


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## Mark_f (Jul 27, 2017)

Silverbullet said:


> Mark , thanking God , I ment to tell you ,,, puritins pride,, a vitamin company sells supplement like probiotic much cheaper usually buy one get one free. My wife and I find its much cheaper then any store. We can get almost everything we need there.
> I'm hoping for miracles for Bill and myself , I see the surgeon this week coming up on Thursday morning. I hope he can streamline me right into the hospital quickly. I'm scared to death but so full of hope , in some ways it don't matter if I live , may be even better for the family be done with all of it , pain gets old fast , I've had more then I deserve.
> I want my shop more then anything. I was cheated out of my life as a full time machinist and gunsmith . My intention after training was to work my way up in the business have a full size working robbers shop . And a gunsmithing shop , to sell and build , carry ammo and reloading supplies . But the Dr who operated hit my spinal cord doing more then he said he would. I tried suing but the lawyer I was referred to screwed it all up. I sued  the professional we paid to testify we got $20, 000 lawyer  took $15,000 , he made out better then we did and he did nothing. We should have got over a million. Oh well nothing I can do. It was the oldest case on the docket in the 80s. So you know my story wife two babies and I lived on peanut butter and jelly on week old bread from the bread store for over a year , $200,000 plus in debt to hospitals and drs. And food stamps on welfare , to live ,lost everything . My family let us have my aunt's house with half rented to pay for itself. If this isn't right for here have a moderator kill it . Just saying you can make it I died for awhile and been close four more times in 09 . Man can survive almost everything till he gives up.



Thank you for reminding me about Pilgrim's Pride. I had forgotten about them. 

I certainly hope you get your surgery and it goes well and most of all helps you.

 I feel fortunate because I can always look around and see someone that is worse off than me and that makes me appreciate what I have and what I can do.


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## Mark_f (Jul 29, 2017)

I want to thank everyone for caring and praying while I was sick. Once the doctors found out I had C- diff, they got real concerned. The symptoms are gone but I still have no energy. I spent a couple hours in my shop today but had to take several breaks. I understand it will take a few weeks to get my energy back. Since that infection is so dangerous, I plan on insisting I get tested again to be sure it is gone.


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## Silverbullet (Jul 29, 2017)

mark_f said:


> I want to thank everyone for caring and praying while I was sick. Once the doctors found out I had C- diff, they got real concerned. The symptoms are gone but I still have no energy. I spent a couple hours in my shop today but had to take several breaks. I understand it will take a few weeks to get my energy back. Since that infection is so dangerous, I plan on insisting I get tested again to be sure it is gone.


I'd ask how you got it , it's contagious had you been in hospital usual pick up areas. Still praying , really not just said. My appointment is set for Thursday hoping he can get started so I don't have to wait forever. With GOD all things are possible , what's promised .


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## Mark_f (Jul 29, 2017)

Silverbullet said:


> I'd ask how you got it , it's contagious had you been in hospital usual pick up areas. Still praying , really not just said. My appointment is set for Thursday hoping he can get started so I don't have to wait forever. With GOD all things are possible , what's promised .



That's the problem. We don't have any idea where I got it.


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