This question on top of Pikes Peak at 14,110 feet is very funny and ironic at the same time. I immediately bought a t-shirt and the expression always makes me smile. But this question, in Omaha at 936 feet somehow loses all it’s humor.

Remember from my last entry, breathing tests went up, but I still felt like I couldn’t breathe. Well, I have been through a battery of tests. Heart tests that came back normal, scans that came back normal. But now this week, I have redone breathing tests and pretty much failed them all!…My functions are back down to 34%!! My infection level (blood test) is way up. And they had me do two new tests: a walking test and a sleeping test; they measured oxygen levels during both, and my oxygen levels sunk on both occasions.

What does this mean?….Got oxygen? Will now…the artificial kind…starting today, I am supposed to start wearing oxygen. I am told this may not be permanent. But the timing couldn’t be worse, with the big conference I am supposed to work this upcoming week. Not only do I get to experience this wonderful tube up my nose, but I get the experience of 1,000 people over the next week enjoying it’s loveliness on my face. UGH!

Also, back on antibiotics. In the end, yes, I have another infection (or still) to take care of; and yes, I need oxygen. But in the long run, we still don’t know what is causing the lack of oxygen. Hopefully, we’ll find out soon.

» Lara’s blogApril Showers Bring May Flowers
Submitted by Lara on Fri, 05/08/2009 – 10:38pm.
Good news! I did the breathing tests this week, and they went up some more! They went up to 40%. This is good. I am still unhappy the tests had gone so low, but the recovery back to normal numbers is very important.

I am not entirely happy, because I feel like I can’t breathe, still, when doing some basic things; a flight of stairs, or walking point A to point B; seem to get out of breath for no reason. So I sort of feel like I am back to square one compared to a month ago. Of course, the improved tests, we know I am not. But that doesn’t explain the shortness of breath. The best we can do at this point is to increase my albuterol breathing treatments and see if that helps. This is no big deal. It just means I can’t get away with as much as I used to.

One final piece of good news; gained another pound! Woo-hoo!!