Up The Farway Tree

Hopi Ear candles and other random thoughts..

I forgot to tell you all about the Hopi ear candling which I had last week. It was a somewhat bizarre experience. Basically you lie down on your side and they stick this candle in your ear. It's hollow and a bit bigger than a pencil, but quite thin. It has to burn down to a certain level, so the therapist stands there for 15 minutes holding it in your ear. You feel a bit of warmth and hear a crackling noise in your ear - this freaked me a little because I am funny when it comes to fire. I can't light matches and I could never hold a sparkler when I was young as I was too scared I would get burnt! Not that I ever did. Anyway, this candle is supposed to be drawing out all the 'impurities' (that would be ear wax then). There is a tube which runs from ear to your nose, so I thought this was the only possible way it might impact on sinus problems, and the lady said that it did really help some people with such issues. So, after the first ear you turn over and she does the same again and then finished off with a mini facial massage. I like the massage part but I'm not so sure about the ear candling part - it wasn't unpleasant in anway, just a bit odd. I certainly didn't notice any difference with my sinuses afterwards, although they have been a little better this week. Not sure if that's due to me using the pain killers regularly though, plus I also got my new squeezy bottle for sinus wash outs which seems better than my netti pot - I feel as if the saline gets into the sinuses better so am hoping that will help.

I also went to see the GP about the sinus pain but he wasn't too helpful -just told me to take more tramadol. Hmmm. I am getting the MRI at the end of this month and seeing the ENT at the end of October, so I will wait and see what the outcome of that is. If there is nothing they can do, then I will maybe ask for referral to pain clinic to see what my options are, but I am hoping there will be some surgery available to help the pain.

Other medical news this week is some random joint pain in my knees and ankles. I used to get this on and off before the transplant and it is related to CF - the cause is poorly understood but thought to be related to antibodies (made when you get an infection) sticking in joints and causing inflammation. That's a bit of a basic summary but you get the idea. I also sometimes get a rash on my upper arms with it and have this again at the moment - its hardly noticeable, just some tiny dots. The weird thing is that this was always associated with infection before the transplant and I certainly don't have any infection just now. Odd. It usually settles within a few days, so I am not too concerned and hoping it will ease off soon. It's not bothering me at all when sitting - only when walking Seb, although it is a bit annoying really. I will mention it to the transplant team next month but I suspect it is just the CF related joint problems, in which case there is nothing more to be done about it.

Otherwise I am feeling great and everything else is going well! It's my aunt Rose's 50th birthday today so we are having a party tomorrow night, which I am really looking forward to. Lot's more dancing :-) Although I may wear slightly more sensible shoes this time. I have been baking carrot cakes tonight for the buffet at the party....I've only made them once before so fingers crossed they turn out ok!! It will also be great to see lots of people who haven't seen me since the transplant. Just have to remember that this party isn't for me :-)

I will leave you with a picture of my giant sunflower. I planted some seeds when I got home after the transplant. I gave most of them to dad but I kept two and one of them has finally flowered - better late than never!