Up The Farway Tree

On the up again!

I've been feeling much less tired since my last post so hopefully it was just a passing phase, probably related to the reduction in steroid dose - it does take your body a few days to adjust to this and would explain a lot of my symptoms. I am now back to my maintenance dose of 10mg and this shouldn't be adjusted any time soon (unless I had rejection again) so fingers crossed I can keep the energy levels up! I was really worried by how tired I was feeling - it just took me right back to some of the feelings I had pre-transplant and that is somewhere I don't want to be again. I know these new lungs can't last forever but I am enjoying this new found freedom so much that any reminder of how I felt before is upsetting, and actually quite frightening. I know I have to accept the ups and downs of this journey but the ups are so wonderful that even a little down seems like a huge step backwards. However I only have to think of how life was before this transplant to realise that I have come such a long way and although it may be a bumpy ride it is worth it just for what I have experienced in this short time. If I were to be given the choice again I would take this transplant even if it were only to last me for the time I have had already.. because the difference in the quality of my life is immeasurable.

Since I have my energy back the cooking and baking has continued. I tried a new baking recipe of banana and walnut loaf today...yum! I also realised today that in the last 2 weeks I have made 6 different types of soup!! So far I have tried Cream of courgette, pea and mint, roast tomato, butternut squash, chicken and today I invented my own sweet potato and leek concoction. I have never had sweet potato in my life but decided I would buy some and "do something with them". I am so surprised at myself and this new domesticated person I have become and I do wonder how long it will last! I think its a good use of my time though and makes me feel as if I am doing something constructive instead of being tied to day time TV and sitting on the sofa. I have still hardly watched TV since I got home and it's amazing how much more time you have. I am able to relax more though and have been doing a fair bit of reading instead and obviously still spending time on my laptop. The 'c' key fell off earlier (andrew says I was hammering the keyboard) and although now reattached isn't working properly, so if I miss any random 'c's' you will know why.

The greenhouse is now up and we have some little tomato plants and pepper plants so hopefully they will grow even though it's quite late in the season now. It has been raining for days now so the slate chips are not any further forward. I can't believe its July and I am walking Seb with big boots and a waterproof jacket on! I was really hoping for a lovely summer so I could spend my recovery time relaxing in the garden and enjoying some sunshine. No such luck. Maybe we will have a late summer - I have three weddings in September so some nice weather then would be great. I am rather excited about all my weddings as I will be able to really enjoy myself and since my wound should be healed by then I can dance away to my hearts content :-)

I have to mention a funny (in a non-PC way) incident that happened yesterday. I was sitting in the GP surgery - just getting him to check out a sore toe (don't ask) and some pleuritic chest pain I had (was nothing to worry about). Anyway, this elderly couple were sitting together and were clearly both quite deaf so were speaking to each other rather loudly. A young girl, who was quite overweight, came in with her gran, and then they proceeded to sit on opposite sides of the room. The old man turned to his wife and shouted "she's obviously not talking to her granny". The girl looked embarrassed but said nothing. A few minutes later both the girl and her gran went in to see the doctor and the old woman turned to her husband and said loudly "now that's what you call obese!" I didn't know where to look! Clearly they thought they were talking quietly (at least I hope they did) - luckily I don't think the girl heard anything but the rest of the waiting room certainly did!

On the medical front everything is looking good at the moment. My blood sugars have been a lot better on the lower dose of steroids, although I still need a lot more insulin than I did pre-transplant - this isn't a big issue though. My weight is stable and creeping up slowly. The peg tube hole hasn't quite healed yet and it likes to make whistling noises from time to time. It would be better if it could at least play a wee tune but instead makes random noises which I seriously hope won't happen in public because I'm sure to get some funny looks! It is also leaking a bit but I have had major problems with bloating/indigestion since my transplant (may be related to medication or some interference with the nerves) which is probably keeping the peg tube tract open. I am hoping this will settle with time though and heal over and stop making inappropriate noises. The chest is great and I think the wee cough I had is getting better, so that is reassuring. All in all, I am in good shape!

I will leave you with a photo of the baby blackbird I saw this morning getting fed by the adult - it's not a great photo but I love blackbirds so you are getting it anyway. Also a photo of my wee robin..just because.