Up The Farway Tree

DAY 1

So there is now a trench in the back garden and a skip in the driveway.  Seb is not very impressed.  He was actually pretty good - I wasn't in when they arrived this morning but the guy said he only barked when skip arrived and then appeared to have settled down.  He seemed quite relaxed when I got home mid morning although obviously I couldn't let him out while the men were working.  I went round with him on the lead to tell them I was going out and Seb immediately tried to climb into the trench (on extended lead).  This is why he must stay in the house at all times!!   So far the skip is nearly full with all that earth - what looks like a small channel equates to a lot of loose soil.   They at least seem very tidy and had swept the patio and tidied up their tools before leaving so my first impressions are very good.

I did go up to the hospital yesterday and am going to get a few more tests.  There was a fungus called Aspergillus growing in the sputum sample from last week but they aren't sure how to interpret this. It can appear in sputum quite commonly, especially in CF because we all inhale the spores from the environment (it grows in damp areas and rotting leaves etc).   You breath in the spores and then your immune system deals with them - it doesn't mean the actual lung tissue is infected.  Prior to transplant I had something called ABPA (allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis) - which basically means you are allergic to the aspergillus spores.  So when you breathe them in your body reacts, causes a bit of inflammation in airways which can cause cough and chest tightness.   There is a known risk of it returning post transplant because after all I have the same immune system so this could be causing the cough - however it is still entirely possible the cough is just post viral and they have only grown this because I actually managed to give a sample (I never really cough now).  I have therefore had lots of bloods taken, including ones to check levels of my antibodies to aspergillus to see if reacting and will also get a chest CT scan to make sure lungs look shiny and in working order.  The chest x-ray looks perfect as always so this is just a belt and braces approach and will hopefully provide much reassurance.  This should be done within 2 weeks so at least will be all done and dusted soon.  I think its encouraging that I was able to take Seb on a long walk today and didn't feel breathless

Finally I will leave you with the latest painting I have done for mum - for her living room.  The brief was 'something with orange and red and quite bright - maybe a scene'.  I therefore have chosen a Tuscan scene as a reminder of the big family holiday we had last year.  I added in some poppies in the foreground for a splash of red to tone in with her new living room :-)