Back to work... and loving it!
Well you will gather I have been really busy this week which is why I am only getting around to updating now. I started back at work on Tuesday - just 2 mornings a week at the moment - and it already feels like I have never been away! I was really quite busy actually, which is good as I don't want to be wrapped in cotton wool and am ready to just get right back in there! I sat in on the Wednesday morning clinic as I am working with a different consultant so wanted to see how she likes to run things. Next week however she is at a conference so I will be doing clinic myself, so I guess it's a baptism by fire ;-) I am sure I will be fine though.
I also went to see another consultant about a part time Staff Grade job which may be coming up. Staff Grade is basically a non training post but you require quite a lot of experience to apply for one. This is the sticking point - apparently you need 3 years full time experience in the speciality but I have 4 years part time in psychiatry, which is not enough. The consultant is going to look into this to see if there is any flexibility on this rule, but I suspect not. It is rather frustrating because part time work is never half time work in the sense that you tend to have a more intense experience, with lots of work squashed into a shorter space of time. If this is a set rule then I am going to have some problems finding work after this 6 months unless I go back into training - which would mean being put back virtually to the beginning as I don't have my exams, working full time usually, doing on call work and the risk of being sent anywhere in Scotland. That's not really practical at the moment and not really what I want to do! Hopefully there is another solution and I am always a great believer in things somehow always working themselves out. Anyway, at the moment I am back and I am loving it :-)
I have also been busy sorting Team Jac stuff and have really reached maximum numbers now, with around 160 walkers!! I have arranged extra transport so we should be ok! I will be popping up to Leven myself soon to have a look around and work out best place to meet and note down car parking facilities etc for everyone. It is set to be a fantastic day :-) If you want to sponsor the team, then click on the Just Giving link at the top of the page.....we are flying along with sponsorship and I couldn't be more pleased!
I have also finished the CF and Relationships booklet (I did say I have been busy!) so have sent it to the CF Trust for them to pass onto the Medical Advisory Committee for review. Hopefully they will then be able to host it online and I can also then go ahead with printing some copies to send to each CF unit in the UK. I am getting some pricing done for this at the moment and we have some charity funding to hopefully cover those costs. I am so excited to finally get this going!
On the medical front, I had the MRI of my foot and there is NO fracture....yay!!! So I don't need a cast. Of course that doesn't help with explaining why it is still sore, however as long as I know I am not walking about on a fractured foot then I am happy. I have some special insoles to try which will take the pressure of the painful area and these do seem to be be helping so far. If it continues to be painful then I can get some custom made insoles which may help, so still other options available. Hopefully I can now start to get some training done for the big walk. I am also eating better over the past two days so hoping I have turned a corner with this. If I have to eat mince or fish for much longer I am going to go crazy!!! No tablets got stuck yesterday though, so things are definitely looking up. I will soon be back to eating my usual (unhealthy) diet...
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Back from Newcastle
I will get straight to the point - lung function is up....to 99.5%!! Wow! I was trying so hard to get that other 0.5% that I pulled the mouthpiece out of the machine and we had to start again ;-) My oxygen levels were 100% and blood pressure fine. I had unfortunately lost over 1/2 stone due to difficulty eating but we can tackle that. The consultant was delighted and in view of how well I am doing I don't need to go back down until my year bronchoscopy in 3 months time! I must admit I was more relieved than anything else, because having that dip in lung function post op really set me back a bit, but now I seem to be back on track. I wont get my kidney functions back until tomorrow but I have to reduce my anti rejection dose for this week, based on last results, to give my kidney's a wee rest, so hoping that keeps them happy and they start working hard again :-)
I also saw the surgeon this morning and he was also pleased. He felt that the difficulty I am having with some foods at the moment will gradually settle and in some people can take several months. He was rather excited to hear that the annoying little cough I used to get lying down has now gone completely, so was clearly due to acid refluxing into the lungs (which is exactly what we are trying to avoid). This means that the procedure probably will be successful at protecting these new puffers. It is so annoying not being able to enjoy my food properly but as long as I know this is normal and will hopefully get better then I can cope. I will definitely have to start taking more supplements because I can't afford to lose any more weight. I don't look that thin actually because I still have my wee steroidy hamster cheeks but I know my jeans are hanging off me and I am feeling cold all the time which is always a sign I have dropped below an acceptable weight! The surgeon also said I could go back to the gym now as long as I don't over do it. Shame, was hoping he would say I had another few months off ;-)
I am getting a bit nervous going back to work next Tuesday but am also rather excited. As the post is only for 6 months I have been looking into other options but I won't say too much in case I jinx any opportunities. I am feeling more positive about it overall though, largely because I am now physically feeling better. Amazing how feeling physically unwell can really make everything else seem ten times worse. Gaining perspective is rather important.
I will get straight to the point - lung function is up....to 99.5%!! Wow! I was trying so hard to get that other 0.5% that I pulled the mouthpiece out of the machine and we had to start again ;-) My oxygen levels were 100% and blood pressure fine. I had unfortunately lost over 1/2 stone due to difficulty eating but we can tackle that. The consultant was delighted and in view of how well I am doing I don't need to go back down until my year bronchoscopy in 3 months time! I must admit I was more relieved than anything else, because having that dip in lung function post op really set me back a bit, but now I seem to be back on track. I wont get my kidney functions back until tomorrow but I have to reduce my anti rejection dose for this week, based on last results, to give my kidney's a wee rest, so hoping that keeps them happy and they start working hard again :-)
I also saw the surgeon this morning and he was also pleased. He felt that the difficulty I am having with some foods at the moment will gradually settle and in some people can take several months. He was rather excited to hear that the annoying little cough I used to get lying down has now gone completely, so was clearly due to acid refluxing into the lungs (which is exactly what we are trying to avoid). This means that the procedure probably will be successful at protecting these new puffers. It is so annoying not being able to enjoy my food properly but as long as I know this is normal and will hopefully get better then I can cope. I will definitely have to start taking more supplements because I can't afford to lose any more weight. I don't look that thin actually because I still have my wee steroidy hamster cheeks but I know my jeans are hanging off me and I am feeling cold all the time which is always a sign I have dropped below an acceptable weight! The surgeon also said I could go back to the gym now as long as I don't over do it. Shame, was hoping he would say I had another few months off ;-)
I am getting a bit nervous going back to work next Tuesday but am also rather excited. As the post is only for 6 months I have been looking into other options but I won't say too much in case I jinx any opportunities. I am feeling more positive about it overall though, largely because I am now physically feeling better. Amazing how feeling physically unwell can really make everything else seem ten times worse. Gaining perspective is rather important.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Online article
The Evening News article is available online - click HERE
Sadly they don't publish the photo online so you can't see that. I haven't seen it myself so I don't know if Seb managed to make the final cut or not ;-) It will be the exact same article in the West Lothian Herald next week but maybe a different picture.
I will try and scan the article anyway once I get a copy!
The Evening News article is available online - click HERE
Sadly they don't publish the photo online so you can't see that. I haven't seen it myself so I don't know if Seb managed to make the final cut or not ;-) It will be the exact same article in the West Lothian Herald next week but maybe a different picture.
I will try and scan the article anyway once I get a copy!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Evening News
Just to let my East coast readers that I will be in tomorrows Edinburgh Evening News - a wee story about the Team Jac walk! A girl I went to school with is joining Team Jac with her partner, who is the editor of the West Lothian Herald (where I am originally from, for those that don't know!) He wanted to do a wee article about the walk so we could maybe raise some more funds - so this will be in next Thursday's Herald. However the Evening News is part of the same company so he also sent them the article, which they were keen to run - especially because the paper is having a 'good news' day tomorrow.
So, the photographer from the Evening News came today and took some pictures of me and then quite a lot of me with Seb (since he is the team mascot!) Seb was unusually obliging and sat on my knee nicely - apart from the fact he kept looking around in a bored manner then yawning widely at the camera. This was after he has sniffed and licked the camera to ensure it wasn't in fact edible. He was quite suspicious of the photographer, although did "allow" him to take some pictures ;-) We also took some of me walking Seb outside (this is where his walking to heel came into its own!) so I am sure all the neighbours will be having a good gossip about what was going on.
I don't think I will get the paper through here but they are going to send me a copy and I am sure mum will buy one or ten...
Just to let my East coast readers that I will be in tomorrows Edinburgh Evening News - a wee story about the Team Jac walk! A girl I went to school with is joining Team Jac with her partner, who is the editor of the West Lothian Herald (where I am originally from, for those that don't know!) He wanted to do a wee article about the walk so we could maybe raise some more funds - so this will be in next Thursday's Herald. However the Evening News is part of the same company so he also sent them the article, which they were keen to run - especially because the paper is having a 'good news' day tomorrow.
So, the photographer from the Evening News came today and took some pictures of me and then quite a lot of me with Seb (since he is the team mascot!) Seb was unusually obliging and sat on my knee nicely - apart from the fact he kept looking around in a bored manner then yawning widely at the camera. This was after he has sniffed and licked the camera to ensure it wasn't in fact edible. He was quite suspicious of the photographer, although did "allow" him to take some pictures ;-) We also took some of me walking Seb outside (this is where his walking to heel came into its own!) so I am sure all the neighbours will be having a good gossip about what was going on.
I don't think I will get the paper through here but they are going to send me a copy and I am sure mum will buy one or ten...
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
I am still alive!
I think I might have worried a few people by saying I wasn't well then not updating my blog. Oops - apologies for that!
I am feeling a lot better this week, especially since I stopped my antibiotics. Within 12 hours of stopping them all the aching muscles and sore joints disappeared so I think that was a large part of the problem. My chest seems much clearer although I will feel a lot more reassured once I have my lung function rechecked at Newcastle next week and it (hopefully) has gone back up again. I have still found it a little harder walking Seb but I think this is just some deconditioning from over the Christmas holidays and then not being able to move much post op. I am back to taking him out every day again so I am sure I will quickly rebuild my stamina!
The eating is a bit better but I am still having problems swallowing some of my tablets and eating anything more substantial than mince. I think he said six weeks to heal fully and it's only been just over three, so hopefully there will be some improvement yet, as clearly I cannot live of mince forever. I have a review next Tuesday anyway so can discuss it then. I must admit it's rather frustrating not being able to eat what I want after so many years of having no appetite. I am managing the home baking though, which in the grand scheme of things is much more important than anything else ;-)
I have been quite busy this week with various crafty type things. I finished the canvases for Anne and John, I have been making invitations for various things (including a Murder Mystery I am hosting this month) and also making some birthday cards. Andrew would probably say what I have in fact being doing is generally making a mess.
I also have a concrete back to work date now - Tuesday 17th Feb. I am going to work Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to start with and possibly some other work at the university, depending on whether they need extra facilitators. Unfortunately my funding for work is only guaranteed for 6 months and I don't know what the chances of extending this are. It's rather complicated and I wont go into the ins and outs, but I should probably start looking at other options fairly soon. I had been hoping for a years funding to give me some breathing space and a chance to work out how many hours I can cope with, however sometimes things are supposed to happenfor a reason and I am sure it will all work itself out in the end. I am excited about going back although cannot believe it has come around so quickly. I feel as if I only had my transplant recently...not 9 months ago! Where has the time gone??
I have also been trying to finalise some numbers for Team Jac - we are currently sitting at 114 members but I still have some more people to chase up. If you have not replied to the email I sent looking for confirmation and whether you need a place on the bus, please reply. It is difficult for me to chase up 114 people individually! Lecture over now ;-)
I will try not to leave is so long between blogs this time :-)
I think I might have worried a few people by saying I wasn't well then not updating my blog. Oops - apologies for that!
I am feeling a lot better this week, especially since I stopped my antibiotics. Within 12 hours of stopping them all the aching muscles and sore joints disappeared so I think that was a large part of the problem. My chest seems much clearer although I will feel a lot more reassured once I have my lung function rechecked at Newcastle next week and it (hopefully) has gone back up again. I have still found it a little harder walking Seb but I think this is just some deconditioning from over the Christmas holidays and then not being able to move much post op. I am back to taking him out every day again so I am sure I will quickly rebuild my stamina!
The eating is a bit better but I am still having problems swallowing some of my tablets and eating anything more substantial than mince. I think he said six weeks to heal fully and it's only been just over three, so hopefully there will be some improvement yet, as clearly I cannot live of mince forever. I have a review next Tuesday anyway so can discuss it then. I must admit it's rather frustrating not being able to eat what I want after so many years of having no appetite. I am managing the home baking though, which in the grand scheme of things is much more important than anything else ;-)
I have been quite busy this week with various crafty type things. I finished the canvases for Anne and John, I have been making invitations for various things (including a Murder Mystery I am hosting this month) and also making some birthday cards. Andrew would probably say what I have in fact being doing is generally making a mess.
I also have a concrete back to work date now - Tuesday 17th Feb. I am going to work Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to start with and possibly some other work at the university, depending on whether they need extra facilitators. Unfortunately my funding for work is only guaranteed for 6 months and I don't know what the chances of extending this are. It's rather complicated and I wont go into the ins and outs, but I should probably start looking at other options fairly soon. I had been hoping for a years funding to give me some breathing space and a chance to work out how many hours I can cope with, however sometimes things are supposed to happenfor a reason and I am sure it will all work itself out in the end. I am excited about going back although cannot believe it has come around so quickly. I feel as if I only had my transplant recently...not 9 months ago! Where has the time gone??
I have also been trying to finalise some numbers for Team Jac - we are currently sitting at 114 members but I still have some more people to chase up. If you have not replied to the email I sent looking for confirmation and whether you need a place on the bus, please reply. It is difficult for me to chase up 114 people individually! Lecture over now ;-)
I will try not to leave is so long between blogs this time :-)
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