Hello World!
As I dive into my newly hatched work out plan I immediately hit a giant wall. Oh yeah, That's right - my lungs suck - breathing while exerting myself is really really really hard. Dang. So the smooth plan I came up with has been quite bumpy already. The elliptical is kicking my butt... Hard. Even while I give myself that extra oxygen flow with my home concentrator pumping an extra up to 5 liters of O2 in me, my O2 levels are still way down to 82/83 percent. Now the normal is 99/100. So big difference. One of the best ways I can describe it to you is next time you work out or exert yourself - put a clothes pin on your nose and then only breath through a straw. That will give you an idea of how my lungs work. I would love to quit! But, how am I going to reach my goal with an attitude like that. So I drudge on.
I'm glad I workout alone in the mornings so I can yell in frustration, swear I'm never doing this again, sometimes shed a few years of anger, yell about how unfair things are and what did I do to deserve this, whine like a toddler that everything sucks. All these things I'm feeling are totally normal. And this is a great outlet to get out all that frustration. It's not easy. But the next day, I stair at my enemy (the elliptical) and say "let's get this over with." It's like a weird torcherous game I just keep putting myself through. 🤔. So if you have any advice that helps you get through those days you are ready to throw in the towel, leave them in the comments. I'll take all the tips and tricks I can.
This week I finally get to implement my afternoon walks as the weather is finally sunny and out! Last week I didn't get one walk in because it literally rained everyday and was still in the 30s. Here's hoping the walk later today goes smoother than that dang elliptical!
In other health news, I just completed my 2nd to last IVIG infusion. While I don't really feel like they are doing a whole lot, the Cleveland team and I decided that since I only had 2 left to just go ahead and do them - can't hurt. So I only have 1 left in May then we wait to see what my lung function does without it. I think it will either get better or stay the same. It better not go back down! In 1 month I go back for a CF clinic visit. We will do PFTs (lung function test) then and I will get an idea of how I'm doing since my April 1st check up in Cleveland.
Outside of the health world, I've started taking online classes for Medical Coding and Billing. Once I complete this course I will be able to find myself a new job. The idea behind taking these online classes is so I can work from home. A job from home will give that flexibility I need with frequent doctor visits and such while still being able to earn money and feel valuable. It's an exciting new chapter. Good things come to those who work hard and not give up.
I may whine about- but not give up.
Breathe Easy
Live Life then Give Life, Please be an Organ Donor.
Monday, April 10, 2017
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Celebrate the Small Victories
Hello World!
So I haven't said much - health wise - lately because I didn't want to jinx myself. But since about mid February I have been feeling really well. It was super weird, I just woke up one morning and I just felt Good. And feeling Good isn't something I've felt in months!! So I've been patiently waiting for something else to go wrong. And here I am, almost 2 months later and my latest lung function test shows a 3% improvement! How about that - 3%! Hard work pays off.
Now 3% isn't a lot but we have to celebrate the small victories. My tests are FINALLY moving in the right direction. I really wasn't sure what I was going to do if the results were worse. With that being said, it's time to institute a strict routine. Over the last couple months I've been better about exercise but with the winter weather it's really hard to stay on track. 1 cold, crummy day can throw you off for days. As we move towards spring and nicer weather, it's time to kick it up a notch. I'm going to go from exercising once a day to twice. I have my elliptical that I will use in the mornings and in the afternoons, Brian and I are going to start going on daily walks. These daily walks will be good for everyone in the family, me, Bri and the dogs. We've all been cooped up inside all winter. Time to get out there and enjoy the season!
I plan on using this trip to Cleveland as my starting bench mark. I have to go back in 3 months. So in 3 months my goal is 5-10% lung function improvement. I really hate being put in a box and told how things are - so if I can prove Doctors wrong and raise that function I'll be on cloud 9! It wouldn't be the first time that doctors tried to tell me how things are and that they won't change and I did it anyway - I wasn't suppose to survive the coma I was in for 45 days, not only did I come out of that I was out of the hospital 11 days later. Don't live life with limits. You can ALWAYS do more.
In the other parts of my life as we move towards spring Brian and I are getting ready to build our very first goat pen! We are also looking into getting some chickens and ducks. I'm also going to try my hand at gardening. We are thinking about planting some apple trees. We already have kiwi vines and blueberry bushes on our property. We are trying to move towards a more sustainable way of life. We are by no means going "off the grid." I might die without my junk reality TV. But we are working towards raising our own meat and crops - homesteading - and eventually have solar power. Be more independent. Next year we are going to make our own maple syrup! Which for me will be a first, I can't believe I've lived in New Hampshire my whole life and I've never tried making my own syrup! Both of us like the idea of farm life and we plan on turning our little piece of earth into our safe haven for of us to grow old together on.
We aren't stopping or slowing down at all. Having these big plans for our future helps me keep my feet on the ground and pushing forward. I'm not going to let my medical circumstance dictate how I live my life. I Can't wait! Bring on change!!
Breathe Easy
So I haven't said much - health wise - lately because I didn't want to jinx myself. But since about mid February I have been feeling really well. It was super weird, I just woke up one morning and I just felt Good. And feeling Good isn't something I've felt in months!! So I've been patiently waiting for something else to go wrong. And here I am, almost 2 months later and my latest lung function test shows a 3% improvement! How about that - 3%! Hard work pays off.
Now 3% isn't a lot but we have to celebrate the small victories. My tests are FINALLY moving in the right direction. I really wasn't sure what I was going to do if the results were worse. With that being said, it's time to institute a strict routine. Over the last couple months I've been better about exercise but with the winter weather it's really hard to stay on track. 1 cold, crummy day can throw you off for days. As we move towards spring and nicer weather, it's time to kick it up a notch. I'm going to go from exercising once a day to twice. I have my elliptical that I will use in the mornings and in the afternoons, Brian and I are going to start going on daily walks. These daily walks will be good for everyone in the family, me, Bri and the dogs. We've all been cooped up inside all winter. Time to get out there and enjoy the season!
I plan on using this trip to Cleveland as my starting bench mark. I have to go back in 3 months. So in 3 months my goal is 5-10% lung function improvement. I really hate being put in a box and told how things are - so if I can prove Doctors wrong and raise that function I'll be on cloud 9! It wouldn't be the first time that doctors tried to tell me how things are and that they won't change and I did it anyway - I wasn't suppose to survive the coma I was in for 45 days, not only did I come out of that I was out of the hospital 11 days later. Don't live life with limits. You can ALWAYS do more.
In the other parts of my life as we move towards spring Brian and I are getting ready to build our very first goat pen! We are also looking into getting some chickens and ducks. I'm also going to try my hand at gardening. We are thinking about planting some apple trees. We already have kiwi vines and blueberry bushes on our property. We are trying to move towards a more sustainable way of life. We are by no means going "off the grid." I might die without my junk reality TV. But we are working towards raising our own meat and crops - homesteading - and eventually have solar power. Be more independent. Next year we are going to make our own maple syrup! Which for me will be a first, I can't believe I've lived in New Hampshire my whole life and I've never tried making my own syrup! Both of us like the idea of farm life and we plan on turning our little piece of earth into our safe haven for of us to grow old together on.
We aren't stopping or slowing down at all. Having these big plans for our future helps me keep my feet on the ground and pushing forward. I'm not going to let my medical circumstance dictate how I live my life. I Can't wait! Bring on change!!
Breathe Easy
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