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OT - Car? Worst Spring break ever

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/9/2012 3:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hey all, it's been a while. My UC has been doing okay, but this week everything else is going to crap:

-My uncle's doctor didn't tell him his kidney's were failing, his heart then stopped and he was in a coma - he'll still in the hospital with renal failure and all that good stuff.

-My dog broke her ear (not a big deal but one more thing)

-Bf's grandma died.

-My mom's health has been bad and my dad's in Kentucky to deal with my  uncle, and his being away is why I need help!

My car has fairly new brakes, needed an alignment (at least I thought so - it was pulling to the right). The car was always pretty vibratey, but I'm not sure exactly when that turned into the steering wheel wobbling. I was driving home and was slowing down and heard a clunk. The car started really shaking, so I drove really slow. Closer to home, there was a smaller clunk and it REALLLLLY got to shaking. Then, when I tried to stop, the brakes did NOTHING. The second and subsequent times I pressed the brakes, they seemed to work. I got home and the right front tire is messed up, the top is canted out. I'll give you a bad illustration, the bracket is the wheel well and the slash is my tire:

]

 /

Does anyone with any car knowledge have any idea what happened? I've had tie rods break (on other cars) and this didn't feel like that (especially with the brake stuff).

I'd appreciate any insight. I'm to the point where I feel like I should give up on this car.

Thanks =)

Posted 3/9/2012 4:51 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear you're having a bad week but I am happy that your UC has been behaving. I don't know anything about cars...
Posted 3/9/2012 4:57 AM (GMT 0)
So sorry to hear about your car troubles, plus everything else you've go going on your plate.

Have you tried googling it? Also, you may want to post it under a different topic. Perhaps OT- car troubles, need help. Maybe this way some people that know about cars can read and give you a hand.

Hope things even out soon!
Posted 3/9/2012 5:12 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys. I tried google and bing, but I wasn't able to find anything, and there were also lots of unrelated problems I would have had to sift through. I know my dad can help me, but I was just wondering if I should be shopping for a new car... I am anyways, just to have options ready.

I might try it. I'll let it sit here some more since I can't do anything about it anyways.

I did post about my uncle in the diabetes forum... I've had kidney transplants on my mind lol. Always good to be knowledgable even if it's an unlikely situation. Maybe I should've been a boy scout.
Posted 3/9/2012 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, E.P. & welcome back! I was actually worried about you because we didn't hear anything from you at the holidays. Great that your UC is behaving!!!!!! Way-to-go!!!!!! RE the lemon: it sounds like you need that NPR program "Car Talk". I think they have a Website, too. But if the brakes are failing, don't risk driving that heap ... Keep us posted, eh? / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 3/9/2012 2:29 PM (GMT 0)

glad you;re feeling well.

get an estimate from a reliable mechanic on what it will cost to fix your car.  if its 200 then might be worth fixing, if its 1000 and car is a piece of sh#t then might be time to get a new car

i used to work as a social worker in a dialysis center if you have any questions about dialysis or transplants etc

hope everything works out....

Posted 3/9/2012 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi EP, nice to see you again but sorry to read about all those lousy things going on. The car thing sounds scary, but I don't even have a car so I have no clue!

The thing that stood out for me was... your dog broke her ear?? How did that happen? I didn't even know that could happen! How does it get fixed? Must she wear the cone of shame?
Posted 3/10/2012 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, i_love_coffee (I love coffee too), I might take you up on that. I guess my biggest questions are what would happen to a person if they only had one kidney and then got diabetes (as my chances would be high if my family history's any indication). Of course right now all of this is just hypothetical. I can't see a mechanic yet as my car will have to be towed to one. I'll just borrow someones for now I guess.

Yes, she did Serenity. She already broke one. She scratches too hard and too long, and her nails are long (she won't let anyone cut them, we have to grind them when we can and she still panics). We try to stop her but I was gone and my mom was sick, so I didn't find out til I got home. After they break they get really swollen. If it isn't treated it will like, shrivel up and that'd be gross. She'd have to get it removed. Luckily we have medicine left over from the last time. I don't know that a floppy-eared dog could break one, but she's a German Shepherd.
Posted 3/11/2012 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, I had no idea that could happen. Hopefully the ear recovers and won't have to be removed. Poor doggy.
Posted 3/11/2012 9:24 PM (GMT 0)
Old Hat, I totally missed your post, but that's sweet =) Part of the reason I haven't been on too, is that I don't have internet unless I'm at my parents. And even then it's not guaranteed.

Serenity, yeah, hopefully. She's not the smartest doggie. But she's ours, lol
Posted 3/12/2012 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
to answer your question: as far as one kidney, you could survive fine with one kidney.  its usually when kidney function gets to about 5-10% total that people notice or end up on dilalysis.  Diabetes is a risk factor for kidney failure, so if that is the case being extremely diligent about monitering your blood sugar, insulin and diet to keep diabetes in control. 

are you talking about your uncle or yourself?

Posted 3/14/2012 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
Myself like, if I were to donate a kidney and then end up with diabetes. But so far no one has talked about transplants yet. I just thought it'd be good to learn about it anyways!
Posted 3/14/2012 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Back on the car: "Car talk" does have a Website. I checked for you 'cause you wrote that your Internet access is not the greatest right now. On the Website there is a feature that lets you contact a mechanic about a specific problem. I know they give helpful advice because a friend of mine with used Volvo followed them faithfully. / Old Hat (31 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 3/14/2012 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like your car needs a alignment? new breaks wouldnt make your car pull to the right or left... have you recently had new tires put on? cause when a car pulls to the left or right normally means you need a alignment...cause you can have your tire rubbing the inside of your fender when you turn...:X but im not a car expert just spit balling here and yes that would be loud and destroy your tires :X
Posted 3/15/2012 7:46 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Old Hat!
Ibanez, yeah I knew it needed an alignment but it doesn' t seem like that'd make it completely kill itself, you know? It's a mystery to me. I did have new tires put on, back when I first bought it (over a year ago now). The tires are okay, it's whatever's holding it on or something. It wasn't rubbing, I know that. Anyways, thanks every one! My dad is back now and I'll be giving him a call here soon to see what he thinks. =)
Posted 3/15/2012 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
My guess on the car is that a ball joint broke. Something did! I'm also guessing that the cant of the wheel caused the brakes to act squirrely, or the tilt pulled a brake line out. Wherever you go, have the mechanic show you what the problem was, and give you the old parts.
Posted 3/17/2012 3:04 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah my dad said it sounds like it might be a ball joint. And I noticed something had dripped, in kind of small amounts, in three places underneath. I'm using my bf's car and his brakes aren't very good, and I've had a good four or five dreams about the brakes failing. I don't know if I'll ever trust a car again. I miss my little Escort.
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