Living with Pneumonitis

After surviving cancer in both breasts, Carolyn Fiedler of Jackson is now dealing with cryptogenic organizing pneumonitis, a rare lung disease. Often when cancer metastasizes it travels to the lungs. What Fiedler has is unrelated, although it is treated with prednisone which is used to treat certain types of cancer.

Fiedler believes she came down with cryptogenic organizing pneumonitis after serving for a year on a mission trip to Paraguay. She said she thought she caught a bout of flu that worsened to the point that "seven doctors did not know what to do about it," she said. She required oxygen therapy round the clock and the side effects from the prednisone weakened her muscles and forced her to retire from her job in the activities department of the Missouri Veterans Home.

Though the disease will remain with her the rest of her life, it will not destroy her. She is able to breathe on her own now, although she requires nebulizer treatments several times a day. She has returned to playing organ at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Her doctors are tapering off the drugs that treat the disease. She has learned how to pace her activities. She credits her faith for keeping her going.

"It's all about God, it really is," she said. "All things are possible with God. He is walking beside me every step of the way. It's time to regroup and set aside time to recognize all His great blessings. I believe He is using me to be a witness for Christ."