First Lung-iversary

I have made it to my first Lung-iversary. Let the celebrating begin. Of course I'm celebrating by having a bronchoscopy . There's no other way to celebrate a huge milestone like being sedated and having a tube shoved down your throat.

Seriously, though I am very thankful. I'm thankful to my donor and his/her family for making such a gift. I am thankful to everyone who provided support financially, spiritually, emotionally, and  physically.

As a special thank you, I've posted some pictures of my past year.  Without your support it would not have been possible.

Day I received news about being listed.

Just got the call. Posing before my helicopter ride

 

There be vampires in the hospital

First walk.

First day out of the hospital. 75 lbs.

First day of rehab.

Bane's daughter

Finally got my black mask.

Enjoying the outdoors.

Trying out my new phone.

Month out 93 lbs.

Needed day trip to the ocean.

Outing in Chico

Look who was waiting for me outside of rehab.

First hike. Mick and I owned that rock.

Someone wants my Boost shake.

Morning cocktail.

Sinus surgery AKA nose job.

Snuggling with a new puppy makes everything better.

Blood clots removed from nose.

 

Mick meets Leia for the first time.

Becoming buddies.

Another wait at the infusion center.

Walking the dogs across the Sundial Bridge.

I am Wonder Woman!

My new nephew.

My new niece

Getting a milkshake after a day at the infusion center

Mick and I taking a break from hiking.

Getting a picture of my eyes.

I hope you've enjoyed a look back at my first year post transplant. I would love to be celebrating again next year, but I can't do that without your continued support. As my lung-iversary is on February 24, I am asking for a humble donation of $2.24 to help with continued transplant expenses.

http://cota.donorpages.com/PatientOnlineDonation/COTAforSolanaC/

Transplant Log

This entry is an ongoing work. Instead of putting short blog entries for quick updates, I'll add to this entry. The most recent updates are at the top. Please keep checking back.

July 18, 2013

Good appointment at the transplant center. Have a lung function of 88%. So excited. Have to have my first ever sinus surgery though. Not looking forward to it. 

July 14, 2013

SB took me out on a birthday picnic. Nice way to celebrate. Being outside with nachos from La Cocina. Looking forward to more birthdays. 

July 13, 2013

First birthday with my new lungs!!!

June 21, 2013

SB and I went on a much needed date. We went to see Man of Steel. It was AWESOME!  

June 20, 2013

Got my butt handed to me in Pulmonary Rehab. My incline was upped to 2.5%. My legs are feeling it. Planning on letting my body rest tomorrow.  

June 16, 2013

Happy Father's Day!  I spent the day with SB, picking blackberries. Nice to be able to enjoy blackberry picking again. 

June 14, 2014

An article about my dad and me is on Yahoo News. I'm having trouble with copying the link.  Do a search for Newfound Dad.

June 13, 2013

One more month till my birthday. At Stanford still. Cytogam infusion. Blood sugar dropped to 47. I think I did too much walking. At least I'm already at the hospital. When I told SB what my levels where, he shoved a spoonful of eggs and sausage in my mouth. I'm going to feel drained for the rest of the day.  I didn't even feel this coming on. I just suddenly felt like I was starving. Like "Give me food, or I'll gnaw your arm off" staving. 

June 12, 2013

Time for an Aredia infusion. Mostly tired from the ride here. Can't wait for the infusion to be over with so I can take a much needed nap.

June 8, 2013

Per doctor's permission, I attended my Bible Study's 5K. It was great seeing everyone again. Most I hadn't seen since our annual Christmas party. I was nervous since I still have to keep the mask on. I get mixed reactions. 

June 6, 2013

Sternal Precautions have been lifted! I still have to be careful, but now I get to work out these flabby abs. I now weigh a hefty 94lbs. I am finally in my healthy range. I haven't been at this level in a few years. Long day. Saw the endocrinologist as well. My A1c results haven't come in yet, but she seemed happy with how my sugars are being controlled. And in other good news, they didn't find any rejection in my bronchoscopy. So the rejection I had seems to have cleared up. Thanks for all the prayers. 

May 23, 2013

Cytogam today. Way too early to be getting up. I find it funny that they call the infusion center the ATIC, when its more like the belly of the hospital. Don't get me wrong, the staff if great.  So far it seems that I get reception anywhere else in the hospital but the ATIC. This day will end with me being a groggy mess. Thankfully, SB is here to keep me in line.

May 22, 2013

Bronchoscopy seems to have gone well. I woke up towards the end and felt an odd pinching feeling from the inside. That was where they took one of the samples. There was some irritation in my throat tissue so the doctors cleaned it up and took a sample just in case. Mostly just starving. Coughing up some blood, but that's normal. Now it's the waiting game for the results. 

May 20, 2013

SB is officially on vacation. Unfortunately, part of it will be spent with me getting my second Bronch and a Cytogam infusion at Stanford. 

May 16, 2013

Started Pulmonary Rehab again. Different than the one at Sequoa, but the therapists are nice. One even worked with SB's mother back in the day. 

May 1, 2013

Had an EPIC date with SB. This was months in planning. Definitely glad to be home.

April 30, 2013

I'm officially home!

April 26, 2013

Some good news today. I get to go home on Tuesday! Still have to come out to Stanford for appointments, but I am well enough to finish recovery in my own home. My lung function is up to 68%, which is a huge improvement from less than 20%. I also made it up to a pace of 1.7 mph in rehab yesterday. So things are looking good. I'll find out if the rejection is going down at the end of May.

April 24, 2013

So doctors want to wait till May 10 to see if my rejection clears up before sending me home. And with all my walking, I have shin splints. So I get to ice my shins and find special inserts for my shoes. Haven't had to worry about sports' injuries in years :o) 

 

April 12, 2013

Got the results to the bronchscopy. There's minimal rejection. Doctor said it's normal and will most likely clear up on its own. Will check again in May. At least it's early enough to begin treatment if needed. On a good note: if I keep at this rate of improvement, I'll get to go home at the end of the month. That's two months earlier than planned. Keep up the prayers everyone. They're helping.

April 11, 2013

Bronchscopy went well. Waiting to hear what the results are.

April 11, 2013

Had a great day at Pulmonary Rehab. Hit a pace of 1.5 mph on the treadmill and maintained 98% oxygen. All this over a 28 minute time span. Pretty exciting.

April 09, 2013

Have my first bronchscopy tomorrow. That's where surgeons take a sample of cells from my lungs to check for early signs of rejection. Please pray that everything goes well.

March 25, 2013

First day at rehab. It was great. I got to use the treadmill. Fifteen minutes and still 100% oxygen. In the words of my old room mate, "Woot, Woot."

March 22, 2013

Goodbyes are always hard. After having a great four day visit with SB, he had to go home. Can't wait for his next visit.

March 15, 2013

Survived my first couple of days in Patient Housing. I'll be here for the next few months (Redwood City). Actually, it's great to be out of the hospital. Eating my fill of Macaroni and Cheese. First clinic appointment was today and doctors say I'm doing great. Just need to eat more protein to help with the healing. Any excuse to eat more meat. Missing everyone back home.

March 13, 2013

Finally out and in patient housing.

March 13, 2013

I get to leave the hospital today.

March 12, 2013

Just got my final chest tube out!

March 12, 2013

I might get to go to patient housing in the next couple of days. Just waiting on word from the surgeon and when I can finish my training.

March 11, 2013

Some possible good news. If things go well tonight (air pocket not getting bigger and draining continues to slow down) my final chest tube will be removed tomorrow. Praying for it to go well.

March 09, 2013

Had a much better day. Slept all night. Still working on the pain. Still dealing with side effects from the meds. Doctors are leaving the chest tube in for a couple more days to see if that will handle the air pocket. If that doesn't work they'll try something else. I'm hoping the tube will work. The more that doctors have to do, the longer my hospital stay. I am gaining strength though. Got a foot petal to work out with when I'm in the room. Still trying to get used to wearing a respirator. Another good note: my right side has healed enough that the dressing was removed today. Prayers for continued healing and another good day tomorrow. Thanks everyone.

March 08, 2013

Had a few tough days. Was getting short of breath. Doctors found out that I have an air pocket preventing me from expanding my left lung. Good news is that my last chest tube is in that lung so I don't have to go through the pain of having one put in. They're using it to force the lung to expand. Prayers for healing would be appreciated. I'm also experiencing some unpleasant side effects from the meds. So prayers for strength and peace during this time are definitely needed. On a good note, my appetite is slowly increasing. I look forward to my daily walks. Been keeping up with my therapies. Looking forward to being well enough for patient housing. Thanks to everyone for their prayers.

March 05, 2013

Monday was a bit harsh. I woke up with a dry cough and tightness in my chest. The good news is that we seem to have found a way to control the pain. And even though I was coughing a lot, my oxygen levels remained perfect. There's no infection. Today I am much better. Already had my first walk. The coughing has settled. I am sleeping at night. So even though there's been a set back, I'm still improving. Alicia has been able to settle in the transplant housing. It's a blessing that something became available so soon. Continue the support and prayers.

March 03, 2013

They pulled out the final neck catheter last night! And the doctor gave me a little something for sleep. Got more rest last night than I have in the last week. Still tired but it's expected. And we are shooting for two walks today. Pain is starting to be managed. Still need sugar levels to get under control and my legs to stop swelling. But we are making progress. Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers.

March 02, 2013

Posted by SB:

A Solana update: For those of you who don't know yet, Solana has been moved into the unit that is a step-down from the ICU. She has been recovering by leaps and bounds and is already walking around as part of her physical therapy! Her main focus right now is pain management and lung exercises. Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts, prayers, and love over the past week. It has meant so much to Solana and I as she is recovering!

March 01, 2013

I want to thank everyone for their prayers. There's still a long trek ahead, but doctors are happy with my progress. Right now we are working on pain management and mobility. Now that I am out of ICU, I can answer messages directly. Please keep up with the prayers.

February 28, 2013

Posted by Sister:

Hello
Solana is still in Intermediate ICU. She is doing so well though!! The surgery took a lot out of her so she is working on building her strength back up to be able to do simple tasks on her own. Solana is moving fast! We will be able to give her room info and contact info when she is moved to the floor and has more strength. Also, we do not have an address until Sunday. When we get that I will post as well so you can send love and support that way. Thank you for your support and prayers!

February 24, 2013

Posted by SB:

Friends and family, I am happy to say that Solana is recovering swiftly and strongly! They have removed the breathing tube that was down her throat, and she is now breathing on her own with her NEW LUNGS!!! She is awake and alert, and fully coherent! Thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers, and love. It really means a lot to Solana. Please continue praying for a full recovery!

February 24, 2013

Posted by SB:

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. The operation was a success and Solana is now recovering and breathing with her new set of lungs! The doctor says that the lungs fit great, and that there weren't any complications during the surgery. Please continue to pray for a swift recovery.

February 24, 2013

Posted by Sister: 

Here we go. Solana is officially in transplant surgery! We appreciate your thoughts, love and prayers.

February 24, 2013

Posted by SB:

Attention all family and friends: Solana is currently in the operating room for her double-lung transplant. Please keep her and her loved ones in all of your thoughts and prayers at this time. I am currently waiting down at Stanford Hospital with her family in the ICU waiting room. I will keep posting updates as they come. Thank you all for your prayers and support.

February 23, 2013

Posted by SB:

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. Solana's surgery was scheduled to begin at 10:30pm. Please continue to pray for a successful surgery and a swift recovery. I will do my best to update you all as we receive more news.

February 23, 2013

Prayers everyone. I just got the call. Stanford is sending a transport as I type this.

Bumpy Ride Part 1

Wow.  It's been a bumpy ride since my last post.  I know I posted a one liner when I got my transplant call.  I didn't give any explanations or anything.  It was pretty shocking.  When you get the call, you're literally trying to make sure you have everything together and are making phone calls to everyone to let them know what's going on.

I should start from the beginning.  On February 13, I had gotten back from Stanford for a regular follow up clinic appointment. I wasn't feeling well (trying to recover from a nasty cold).  I went to bed feeling worn out and was hoping that sleep was all I needed.  I woke up two hours later with my heart racing and feeling like I was suffocating. I checked my pulse and oxygen levels.  It was a heart rate of 157 and O2 of 86%I called 911 and they took me to the local hospital.

The local hospital wasn't equipped for dealing with trauma, much less a CF emergency.  I was complaining that my head felt funny, I was hot to the touch (but no fever), couldn't breathe, I was scared.  The worst part was nothing was being done.  The doctor hadn't come in to see me, but had ordered no water, no liquids, not even ice.  I was dying of thirst.

SB met me at the hospital, and was getting impatient when I wasn't receiving help.  I had been there for two hours and nothing had been done.  SB wound up calling my CF hospital and got some advice from the on call pulmonologist.  If you are at a hospital and you feel you are not receiving adequate medical care, you can request to be transferred to another hospital.  It is your right.

So two hours after I showed up in the emergency room, the doctor finally came to see me and said she thought it would be better if I was transferred to my CF hospital.  She had made contact with the pulmonologist there (same one who told SB to request the transfer).  I was going to be transferred by helicopter.  They gave me some Ativan to calm me down (I was freaking out over the fact I couldn't breathe).  It didn't seem to be kicking in though.

The helicopter arrived and the two nurses came in to get me ready.  They were light-hearted and did a good job keeping the mood calm.  While they did a lot of joking around, I knew they were more than capable to handle anything that might occur while we were in flight.  My mom showed up before they wheeled me out, so she was able to see me off.  I was loaded up in the helicopter and we took off.  Unfortunately, I can't say much about the ride because the Ativan decided to kick in and I fell asleep.  When I woke up we were landing on the roof of the hospital and I was being wheeled into ICU.   It was 6am on Valentine's Day when I made it to ICU. I fell back to sleep.

At some point, they determined that I was severely dehydrated and CO2 was getting trapped in my lungs.  This was making my heart work on overdrive.  They hooked me up to fluids and set me up with a high flow.  The high flow was a pretty neat set up.   It allows for a higher flow of oxygen than the normal hospital set up.  It's moisturized so the nose doesn't dry out. The higher flow can force the trapped CO2 out.  When I got set up with the high flow, my heart started to calm down.

Because I missed out on Valentine's Day, SB came to the ICU with the works.  He brought fake flowers (no real flowers or live plants allowed in the ICU), chocolates, a Teddy Bear, and Date night.  We had dinner by light saber and watched Return of the Jedi.  All the nurses thought SB was such a thoughtful guy.  I have to agree with them.  He really knows how to make a girl feel special.  Even when she's hooked up to IVs, a high flow, heart monitor, and pulse ox.

I was eventually moved to the floor.  Progress was slow.  They were trying to wean me off of the high flow.  I was working on being able to move around again without short of breath.

I had been in the hospital for nine days when my sister and I were having a Girls' Night. We were watching The Wedding Planner and I was about to dig into some Mac and Cheese. My cell rang.  I wondered who would be calling since I was low on minutes and I had told everyone to call the hospital phone.It was Stanford.  A set of lungs were available and it was a match for me.  I was in shock.  It suddenly went from my sister and I having a Girls' Night, to us trying to get things ready for Stanford.

We made calls to everyone, telling them what was happening.  It was pretty crazy.  I was trying to process the news, nurses were trying to get things prepared for my transfer, hospital staff (whom I've known forever) were dropping by to wish me luck.  I felt pretty overwhelmed.  My doctor called to wish me luck.  SB was on his way from work.

I got news that I would be transferred by helicopter.  It would be the second time in a month that I would be traveling by helicopter.  Since space would be cramped, I had to arrange for my sister to take all my stuff to Stanford.  All I would be taking were my glasses and slippers.

SB arrived at the same time as the helicopter.  We did a lot of Goodbying.  We took pictures of us (SB, my sister, and me) and did more goodbyes.  SB and my sister came along to the elevator where we did our final goodbyes.  It was hard and there were plenty of tears.

This ride I stayed awake for.  Night flights are really cool.  All the lights look like jewels on a black background.  It was pretty.  Even more beautiful when we got to the Bay Area.  There's even more lights to look at.  The trip seemed to end quickly.

I was wheeled into ICU.  The helicopter nurses wished me luck and headed out to their next assignment.  The ICU nurses got me cleaned up and ready for surgery.  At the same time they did all the admitting paperwork.  I could tell that they do this type of multitasking often.  By 12:30am on February 24, I was in the operating room.

Cabin Fever

I'm still in the hospital. Good news is: I should be going home tomorrow. While Stanford is a nice hospital, and the staff is amazing, I can't wait to go home.

I want to sleep on my own bed. Play with my dog. Curl up on the couch with SB and watch sci-fi movies. I want to get my food and not wait for a nurse to bring my enzymes and insulin.

This stay wasn't a waste of time though. Every time I start thinking that maybe I should bend and go back to having TV, the hospital reminds me that I'm not missing out. With all the channels that are available, there is rarely something on worth watching, and even less is on that is worth paying to watch.

Actually, the doctors used my time here to finish up the tests needed for listing. Some of the test were awkward. One was for ladies. And I had no warning. A doctor came in told me what she was here for And my brain was going "what? Not now. Are these people nuts?" As most ladies know, appointments like that require some serious mental preparation. So it being sprung up was not appreciated. I got it over with, which means that I don't have to face that torture for another two years.

Another thing they sprung on me was an ENT consultation. An ENT is a nose, ears, and throat doctor. Now in my experience a consult is just talking to the doctor, voicing concerns and possibly scheduling some labs. This guy came in with a camera to shove up my nose. And he actually had the nerve to tell me it wouldn't hurt. He did try numbing my nose but all the stuff did was numb my front teeth. It did nothing for my nose. So shoving a camera up there really sucked. All so he could see in my nose, and then tell me that he wants to do another CT scan in a month when I'm feeling better. I guess they want to do any necessary sinus surgery before transplant.

Of course my nose is my favorite body part. So I am hoping there is no need to mess with something so cute.

Spending New Year's here didn't turn out bad. My sister and her husband came to celebrate. And SB made it in time. So we opened the Martinelli's and rang in the New Year. The funny part was my brother-in-law forgot to bring a bottle opener. So he ended up figuring out how to open a bottle with a piece of paper. Of course he had to give SB a demonstration. Actually, it was pretty cool.

My sister and here husband went back home after New Year's. They had to go back to work. SB was able to stick around till Friday. During treatments, he would go exploring. He found a few shops that would make me drool.

I did get curious at how often people actually come into my hospital room. So on Saturday (slow day by hospital standards) I timed every time someone came in. It came out to over 8 hours. No wonder I feel like I never have privacy. For an introvert, this can be really draining.

Looking forward to tomorrow. SB is making the long drive to take me home. Should probably sleep tonight so I talk his ear off for four hours.

Till Next Time.

Final Post Of 2012

This is the last post of the year. I hope you have been enjoying your holiday.

December filled up quickly. I found a place to move to. Still doing the moving thing. Finally got Internet set up there. Still working on an actual phone line. People can call me, but I can't call out. Not sure how that happened.

SB has been offered a place to stay as well. It sounds like a great deal and I am hoping he can take it.

I went to Stanford for some testing about a week before Christmas. Got pretty doped up. Not my best couple of days. I guess I really tried SB's patience. So high dose steroids mixed with high dose antihistamines produces a very rude and delusional Geeky Girl.

Once the doped up state wore off, I started running fevers. I thought it was just a side effect from the tests. But I didn't seem to improve much. And I was so thirsty. I started to feel better by Christmas.

Christmas seemed to come faster than I expected. SB gave me my gift early. Midnight showing of The Hobbit in IMAX. I can tell you, I was one happy lady. I had a countdown going on my Facebook. SB did a great job picking that gift. I will probably be bragging until the second part hits theaters.

I spent Christmas Day with my family. I loved watching how excited my niece was about the day. And I was able to spend some time with my sisters. We played Pictionary Man. I have to say that is one addictive game.

All in all it was a great day. The downside was that SB had to work so he wasn't present. Wished he was. He would have dominated at Pictionary Man. And the guy would have been in heaven with all the food.

Day after Christmas definitely didn't turn out as planned. SB had wanted to bake sugar cookies. I agreed. I had the bright idea to walk my dog before SB came over. My heart rate went crazy and I couldn't breathe. I still hadn't recovered by the time SB arrived so he took me to the ER.

I tried protesting. I had promised SB sugar cookies. I had also promised to make him his own Christmas dinner. I had the whole thing planned out. So there was no way I could be sick. SB won the argument and took me to the ER. He might have been freaking out inside, but outside he remained calm and got me there safely. He kept reassuring me that this time I'm not as sick as I was in June. I have to say that SB did an amazing job keeping people informed of what was going on and holding my hand for those horrible lab draws.

The following day I was transferred to Stanford. The doctor had said that the infection was in my blood stream and that my marrow was releasing premature white blood cells. He felt I needed to be sent somewhere that could better handle the situation.

That was a tough pill to swallow. With the new year coming in, the last thing I wanted was to be in the hospital. Much less one so far away from friends and family. When the ambulance came, SB gave me a hug and a kiss. I can honestly say that goodbyes are never long enough and this one felt way too short.

The first couple of days were exhausting. I was hooked up to heart monitors. Those kept beeping if I so much as coughed. And if I got up to use the bathroom, alarms went off like crazy. People would rush in to check on me. I felt bad. Them constantly rushing in on a false alarm. I'm surprised they didn't try kicking me out for all the false alarms. The good thing was, the doctor left orders for me to move around but if I went without oxygen I would start having trouble breathing. So I would have to call for someone to escort me. In the end, they hooked up an extension for the oxygen that could reach to the bathroom.

I'm still in Stanford. Missing everyone like crazy. SB calls each day, which makes me miss him more. He's been having to work a lot. I feel pretty bad about being here. SB was on the schedule to work tonight so I had planned on getting dressed up, grabbing some sparkling cider, and heading over to his work in time to ring in the New Year. Me being here means scrapping that plan.

On a good note someone is taking SB's shift tonight. So my fingers are crossed that he makes it here in time.

Happy New Year Everyone.

Prayer Request

Dear Family and Friends,

On Monday, November 5, specialists in Stanford will be meeting to discuss putting me on the waiting list for a double lung transplant. I am asking everyone for their prayers in this area. Pray that God's will be done and that I can accept whatever choice is made on this matter. 

Thank You.

The C Word

When it comes to medicine there's a lot of words that can make us cringe, cardiac catheterizing, colonoscopy, Picc line insertion... The list goes on.  I get to write about one of the big C words.  Yes, I'm going to mention constipation.  It's okay, you don't need to hide under your bed. No one is going to burst in saying, "I'm here to give you a pink lady." I found out the hard way that it has nothing to do with apples.

After my incident in the ER last year due to being full of crap (quite literally, there's an X-ray to prove it), I've been working really hard to avoid another encounter with the "pink lady." I have learned that exercise and lots of fluids help things run smoothly. Having a fiber rich diet. And Raspberries and Blackberries do a great job of cleaning you out when you're stopped up.  Plus they taste good on ice cream (adds calories).

Now with feeling sick and having no energy, I started getting that stopped up feeling.  It can get pretty bad.  For me, I get stomach cramps after one day of not being routine. So I can't let that feeling build up for more than a couple of days. And with me being back on IVs, I really want the rest of me working properly.

There are plenty of over-the-counter remedies. The best way to choose is have your doctor recommend one or two that you can use (don't mix them unless he okays it). In my case my doctor is fine with all the foods that can help clean you out.  He isn't a fan of most of the laxatives out there.  There is one he'll recommend so that's the one I use. It's tasteless, you mix it in liquid and drink it.  I just have to remember to really hydrate because that stuff pulls a lot of water into the intestines.  Don't want other organs suffering from lack of water.

Of course the next day I get pretty cleaned out.  It's not a fun process, but it is much better than going to the hospital for a clean out. As for me, I've gotten my clean out at home.  I'll probably be eating Craisin Bran for the rest of my IV treatment, just to be safe.

On IVs Again

So, I have found myself back on IVs again. This time it's at home. Not really sure what's causing it. Had a slight fever on Wednesday but that cleared up by the following day. Then this weekend I started having trouble breathing.

Not what I had planned for this month. My cousin is getting married, my dad is visiting, my boyfriend and I will be celebrating six months together, and I have a trip to Stanford. All this planned for October. There's no time for being sick. So here I am at home on IVs Nd oxygen, trying to figure out had to keep all of my commitments.

I guess this is one of the challenges of CF. Trying to balance treatment and medication schedules with having a life. It's not easy. There are days when I think I have it all worked out and then there are days where I have no idea how to get that balance.

Luckily, today there is nothing planned. I am hoping to rest up enough to join the ladies from my Bible Study for sushi night. That is my hope. If I can't make it, it won't be because I didn't do what I could.

I think the problem with being sick this time is that I don't want to sit still and rest. I want to be doing things. The weather is cooling down and I want to be riding my bike, getting a last hike or two in. I want to start baking. I want to attend Fall events. I feel physically tired, but my brain is yelling, "Let's Go!"

Maybe I can convince my mom to help me find my crochet supplies in the garage. That might keep my brain appeased for a little while.

Bacon Wrapped Baked Eggs

So my guy has found himself a new job. Upside it's 40 hours a week with benefits. Downside, it's weekend Noc shifts. So I thought I'd treat him to a nice breakfast on his first weekend.

I hate eggs. I normally will smother them in cheese before I eat them. I do like baked eggs. I usually smother them in cheese so it's all nice and melted by the time they're done baking.

One day I had a crazy idea of wrapping the eggs in bacon. Actually, it's my boyfriend's fault. He calls bacon the chocolate of the meat world. Everything just tastes better with bacon, so why not eggs?

Ingredients:

Bacon (two strips per ramekin)
Eggs (two per ramekin)
Grated Cheese (any kind you like)
Butter
Pepper to taste
Favorite spices

1. Preheat oven to 325 Degrees. While oven heats up, prepare your ramekins.

2. To keep the eggs from sticking, rub some butter on the bottom of each ramekin.

3. Wrap the two slices of bacon on the inside of each ramekin.

4. Crack two eggs open and drop into the center of the ramekin. The bacon should be forming a ring around the eggs.

5. Top with pepper and favorite seasoning (I used chipotle). No need for salt, there's more than enough in the bacon.

6. Top with about an ounce of your favorite shredded cheese.

7. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 24-30 minutes. I live at a higher elevation so for lower ones you might only need to bake for 15-20 minutes.

8. Let cool for about five minutes and then dig into all its bacony goodness.

For us who are watching nutrition facts, here's the lowdown on one ramekin.

260 Calories, 19.2g fat, 592mg sodium, 1.6g carbs, 20.7g protein

This is by no means an "eat only one" type of breakfast.

Lots of Updates

I've noticed it's been a while since my last post. Things got pretty busy once I was able to return home from the hospital.  The theory about what caused that stay is dehydration. It could be true, I started to recover after massive amounts of IV fluids.

I got home in time to celebrated my 31st birthday.  My boyfriend made a day of it.  He made home made mac'n cheese (I had been craving it the whole time I was in the hospital, and he couldn't find any).  He also made my birthday cake (very chocolatey).  We spent some time at a used book store.  Nothing says, "I love you," like a few hours in a book store.  Later that night, we went star gazing.  That part was comical.  Since I was still on IVs and my next med was due when we would be out.  So my boyfriend brought a lamp out to hang my meds on.  So we were out in a field with a lamp.

I have to say that it was a great birthday.

About a week after my birthday, my boyfriend and I went to the midnight showing of Dark Knight Rises.  Now I'm the type who will wait a while after a movie comes out before I'll even see it in the theatre.  I don't like crowds.  My boyfriend is the opposite.  He loves attending the midnight showings.  He'll plan months ahead of time just to be there.  You would think I'd be miserable going to these showings, but I have found ways to be occupied.  People like to dress up for these things.  For someone who likes to sew, the work put into the costumes is pretty good.  I can appreciate the creativity involved.  Someone even went as far as to make their own Bat Mobile for the showing. It was pretty cool.  And the movie itself was worth the lack of sleep.  So I have no complaints about attending these midnight showings with my boyfriend.

August hit with me getting ready for my Bible Study's annual camping trip.  Since there were no outlets at our site, my boyfriend had to learn how to do the CPT.  I think he enjoyed beating me a little too much.  I guess it's every guy's dream to have an excuse to beat his girlfriend.  We had a lot of fun together.  It was our first trip as a couple and it was great seeing each other each day.  The trip itself was pretty busy.  From the time we woke up till the time we went to bed the day was nonstop.  We had to purposely skip some activities just to get my treatments done.

Despite being so busy, I don't think neither my boyfriend or I wanted the trip to end.

The rest of August was spent preparing for movie night and planning for me to spend a week staying in the same town as my boyfriend. By middle August I did have to pack up and stay with a friend for a week.  The California wildfires had gotten pretty bad.  It was too smokey at my place for me to safely stay.  I definitely didn't want another hospital stay so soon.  It was good timing to leave.  My side had really started to hurt whenever I coughed or moved.  After a couple of weeks of anti-inflammatories and some heat therapy, my side is doing a lot better.

I have to say the week in town was great.  We were able to see each other during the daytime instead of waiting till evening.  We even were able to do coupley stuff, like meeting up for lunch or hanging out at the park.  That week went by way too fast.

Now, I'm officially back at home.  Decided to mess my back up moving furniture.  Sometimes I forget that I have limits.  Or I should say that I forget that there are things that I used to be able to do that I can't do anymore.

At this moment, I'm resting my back while blogging and sitting next to my boyfriend while he plays Zelda.  Perfect way to relax on a Saturday.

Another Day in Lock Up

Still in the hospital.  Was supposed to go home today but my white cells weren't cooperating.  Apparently, they aren't going down to the level my doctor wants them to.

The good news is that I'm not on oxygen anymore.  I can't go running, but at least I can brush my teeth without getting short of breath.  And my nose is happy about this change in events.  It was really starting to hurt. Now I'm just irrigating a bunch of blood out.

For the most part today has been pretty uneventful.  My boyfriend and I are having our last date night before he returns home.  I have to say, he's definitely set some new standards for boyfriends.

Date Night

Well, I have some good news.  I should be able to go home on Monday.  I could have gone home today, but one of the meds won't be available till Monday.  So I have to finish out the weekend here.  I am looking forward to going home.  Sleeping through the night will be so nice.  Here getting two hours of uninterrupted quiet time is a miracle.

I do have to say that this has been one of my better stays.  I am going to have to give my boyfriend credit for that.  Last night he decided that we would still have our date night even though I am in the hospital.  So he dressed up and made me a peanut butter shake.  Then we did dinner and a movie.  It was really sweet.  instead of letting the hospital ruin our plans, he found a way to make our plans go through.

I can honestly say that this stay has been very amusing.

Lock Up Update

Thought I'd try updating everyone on what's been going on.  I was transferred to UC Davis on Sunday afternoon.  I figured the earliest I would have been transferred was on Monday, but when two hospitals work together instead of arguing, things get done pretty quickly.

So I had my first ambulance ride that I was conscience for.  My boyfriend rode with me.  He rode up front while I was in the back.  I wish I could say the ride was exciting, but it really wasn't. Between Chico and Sacramento is mostly farmland so I dozed the bulk of the way.

Since getting to Davis, I've been pumped full of fluids.  My bladder is not enjoying this.  They've taken plenty of blood. Done X-Rays.  Still no real conclusion as to what happened, just a theory.

My boyfriend has been staying with me.  He's been really helpful through this.  Since I wasn't able to move around, he basically carried me where I wanted to go.  He's good at distracting me during lab draws.  One time, a nurse came in for blood and my boyfriend started talking about food with me.  We were describing different dishes, finally the nurse said, "stop, your making me so hungry I can't concentrate." I got a good laugh from it, and it was one of my easiest lab draws.

I think him being here is probably the only silver lining to being in the hospital.  We usually don't get much time together.  And right now it's in abundance.  I don't think the sleeper chair he's been using is all that comfy, but he isn't complaining.  I do think the lack of good sleep is probably draining on him.

The hospital food is still a mystery to me.  Yesterday, they sent something that they called Chile Verde, but what it looked like was a dog vomited up a bunch of canned food.  Looked pretty nasty.  Now I love Chile Verde and this stuff definitely wasn't Chile Verde.  This time around, I've been craving chicken alfredo.  Can't wait to get home and have some.

As for when I get to go home, there's no say on that.  I think the doctors are waiting for me to be able to do normal things without oxygen before they will consider letting me go.  So that's what I am working on.  It's a challenge since everytime I unhook the oxygen I feel like a fish gasping for air.  My doctor did order a bike be brought in so I get to start on that.

Not much else here.  Mostly trying to catch up on lost sleep.  Sleep in a hospital, what a novel idea.

The ER and Lock UP

So I did plan to do some blogging about the amazing busy time I've been having, but instead I found myself unable to breathe.  I was having such a hard time that when I called UC Davis the Pulmonologist didn't think I could make it there, so I went to a local Emergency room instead.  So I am in Enloe.  The people so far have been nice which makes the nerve wracking part of being a new place a bit less so.  It looks like I was dehydrated again.  As soon as they pumped some fluids in me, I started having an easier time breathing (with the O2 on).  I still can do a lot of moving around but there is some improvement.  The doctor here spoke with my CF doctor and they both agreed that I would be better treated at UC Davis. So they're trying to get me stablized enough to transfer.  Not sure when that will be.

The silver lining to all this is that Enloe is located close so that my mom can get some rest at the house and my boyfriend can relieve her.  He met us up at the ER and stayed the night here with me.  My mom had worked yesterday and needed to get some rest and care for my niece.

Another good thing about being here is that we have a couple of friends from our Bible study who work here.  They've stop by to say hi.  One of them came just in time. The hospital was getting ready to move me from the ER to a room.  They sent a guy from the lift team to bring me up.  I still had a bunch of EKG stuff connected to me and he was going to remove.  I sitting there thinking, "I don't even let my boyfriend see this part of me and here a complete stranger about to lift my shirt."  Luckily my friend told him no, shooed him to the other side of the room, shut the privacy curtain, and removed all the stuff.  She did this during her lunch break.  I was completely relieved.

So I've survived my first night here.  My boyfriend is trying to catch up on some sleep.  He's been up with all my coughing attacks, and my short of breath moments.

I think being a loved one of a CFer can more exhausting than being a CFer at times.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Things have been busy since my last post.  Busy is better than boring, but sometimes I need time to take a breather.

Friday, I got my hair cut.  It's shorter than it has been in quite awhile.  I do like it though.  Less shampoo, more curls, and much lighter for this summer heat.  I can make a pony tail and not have a bunch of hair touching my neck. A plus side is that my boyfriend likes it (or at least he says he likes it).

Friday was one of those hot days.  It hit at least 103 outside.  And that was the day I had to go to town.  Luckily, I packed Gatorade on top of ice water. 

Friday was also my Bible Study's Movie Night and potluck.  We had plenty of food and lots of laughs.  Most of which were at my boyfriend's expense.  The movie we selected was Signs.  It has plenty of points for discussion.  Overall, I'd have to say that the night was a success.

Saturday was spent with my boyfriend.  It was another hot day so we had to stay in.  We did dinner and watched Secret of Nimh.  Sometimes it's nice to relax and watch those childhood classics.  I don't think we ever truly outgrow them.

Sunday was Father's Day.  My mother and I had brunch with my grandfather.  We brought Mick with us.  It's funny seeing my grandfather with that little dog.  They really adore each other.  So Mick got spoiled as well as Grandpa.  My mom and I headed home after brunch and I took a long nap.  I think having days of stuff back to back really takes it out of me.  I woke up in time to have a weekly call with my dad.

Monday was an appointment with my CF clinic.  Apparently the flu really did take it out of me.  I lost five pounds and my lung function is down again.  So now I'm back to square one trying to get the weight back on.  I'm back to square one on exercising.  And because it's summer I have to work extra hard to stay hydrated.  Maintenance is a full time job. 

My boyfriend has offered to help me with the weight gain and exercise.  I've decided to see what ideas he can come up with.  He might think of a few things I never thought of.   I do foresee some extra peanut butter shakes in my future :o)  Right now, I am trying to eat every three hours.  Sometimes it's just a small snack, but it's something.  That's every three hours while I'm awake.  I'm not setting alarms at night to eat.  And because of the heat, I've been eating plenty of ice cream.  The funny thing about trying to gain weight is that I'm craving apples.  So I'm thinking of picking some up and eating them with peanut butter.  I know it's not a ton of calories, but if I don't give in to my food cravings I can get moody.

Tuesday was Bible Study.  It was fun, lots of food.  My boyfriend had the night off so we had some one on one time afterwards.  For us those times are a rarity.  So we take them when we can.

Today, I relaxed.  My body needed the rest.  Besides, it was too hot outside to do anything.  I should get a kiddie pool set up so I can just relax outside in cool water.

It's time to eat again.