Up The Farway Tree

Recovery

This week has been better for the shoulder pain, and the physio was really pleased with me last Friday -she said it was the best range of movement she had seen in someone 1 week post surgery :-)  At least I felt there was a benefit from doing those exercises when it was really sore!   She said it does take 6 weeks for initial healing, then another 6 weeks before fully recovery.  I still need painkillers during day (but not really strong ones) and it's a long way off being able to put pressure on that side.  I can't quite get arms high enough for hair washing yet - Andrew having to relearn hair washing he had to do when I was ill pre transplant.  I don't think it will be too long before I can drive again though.

Unfortunately, although the shoulder is getting better, my chest started to get a bit dodgy.  I had transplant clinic last week and overall had good results.  Chest xray was fine, oxygen saturations perfect but lung function was marginally down.  It is normally about 2.99L (107%) and was 2.88 L (98%).  They thought it was probably the pain from shoulder stopping me doing the tests properly, so just advised CF clinic to recheck in a month.    After I came back however, I developed a really annoying cough!  It felt like a cold virus to me but has persisted over the last week and I am feeling a bit off colour.  Just that general 'not quite right' feeling.   I went to CF clinic yesterday and my lung function was 2.88L again (good that no drop!!) and they decided to put me on 2 weeks of oral antibiotics just to make sure any possible infection clears up.  It might just be related to having had a general anaesthetic, or bad luck picking up a viral bug.   I don't feel too bad really and I think after a few days of antibiotics I will probably be feeling much better :-)  Hopefully good enough to head back to work on Monday as planned!

Mum has been looking after me since the surgery -she has become very adept at making cappucino with my coffee maker haha and toasting my crumpet to a precise level of crispiness.  Seriously though, it's so fab having someone around to help me and for company - otherwise I would go stir crazy being off work but not able to get out and about.   She has gone home now, so it's rather quiet in the house ;-)  Mum doesn't realise that when she is busying about the house, she sings constantly.  No particular song - more of a "la-dee-da-de-da" to various tunes.  See what I mean by it being quiet now...?!

It was Andrews Grans 94th birthday at the weekend! Wow!  I wasn't able to visit as was unwell, but Andrew went with Anne and John to visit her in the home - and take a cake for a wee celebration.   I had blogged before about how unwell she had become, being in her bed and very frail.  Well she made a bit of a remarkable recovery and is now up and about again in the home!! 

Last week I went to the design show for the student, Mike, who was doing the design project around organ donation.  The final results were really interesting.  Part of the design was around the paperwork that the donor family have to complete before donation - he had created a booklet format, with carbon copies, so that the family could take this booklet home, as record of the donation - with a front cover where hand prints could also be added.  It is common after donation (especially from children) for the family to want a memento, such as a hand print or lock of hair.  It was a nice concept to tie this in with an actual record of donation which could be held by the family.  Another part of the concept was around the idea of a donor writing a 'good will' message when they sign up to the organ donor register - to be given to any recipients.  Interesting idea!    The thesis itself was thought provoking and was based around the rituals of donation and the connections between donors, donor families and recipients.   It was really interesting to have been part of the development of these ideas.

This weekend we are having Andrews friends over to stay, so hopefully I will be feeling much better.  I have pre warned them all that I am not making up beds or running around though - they know where the beer is kept and that is all that's required :-)