I was first on the bronch list for the following morning, fellow cfer's Kirstie & Neil were there too which was quite odd as we'd never have thought all 3 of us from Devon would be there with new lungs, all having a bronch on the same day a couple of years ago when we were all struggling to stay alive.... I was really anxious about waking up from the general anthesestic from my reaction I had the last time so I kept repeating myself as they took me into theatre... 'Please let them wake me up nicely' They must have thought I was already on the gas! Thankfully they listened & took great care & a couple hours later I was in my room, feeling sick & sore but ok...
I knew we'd have to wait several days for the results, they had already changed a few of my medications around so I just got on with sticking to the plan. On Wednesday I saw Dr Carby, (love that man) who spent the majority of the time looking at my snake pics & telling me stories about giant burms & salamanders when he went on holiday a few years ago! Eventually he sat down & told me about my bronch (which he did) the following day, he said there was a hell of a lot of secreations in my lower lobes they had pretty much filled up & they couldn't get out a lot of it that day as there was just so much & it was very thick, he thought that my intial infection, the one that I was admitted for a month previously, which the treatment then led to my kidney beans being a pain, hadn't been sorted properly & just got a hell of a lot worse. There was so much gunk down there he knew I wouldn't be able to clear it myself, so was scheduled for another bronch on Friday morning to hoover & repeat another biopsy just to be sure on results. I was seen later on that afternoon & was told the results had come back from the previous biopsy & showed the signs consistant with the infection they had previously mentioned & A1 minimal rejection.
People always tend to get very scared of the R word, I didn't tell people at first, I just wanted to keep a cool head about it, it was mild & I knew I was in the best possible place for it to be treated & they would do their upmost to get me better & I was right.
I had my second bronch on the Friday again slipping off to 'please wake me up nicely' without a hitch other than a nice fat lip when I came round! Not sure who to blame there, but I wouldn't blame Martin anyway I don't think as he always does what he can for me! On Friday afternoon I was seen by the doctors & we decided for me to stay over the weekend as I still wasn't well enough, I would do a lung function on the Monday, see if my results were better & then possibly go home if I was heading in the right direction.
I had a lovely visit from my beautiful girl Hannah on the Saturday which kept my spirits up, she got there really early bless her, & brought dvd's for us to watch, we had a slow walk into the village & she treated me to my fave kebab delight, lamb shish & garlic sauce in a pitta & then we cuddled up until she had to leave. (I also must mention at this point that I was treated to the same yummyness just before nil by mouth on my bronch evenings by Yvonne & Neil, so thank you very much for that!) Hannah was with me about 12 hours in total, it certainly passed the time & she cheered me up no end, I was so grateful, what an amazing friend. Sunday was crap & I was feeling low but the time ticked on & I just knew I had to stay positive & get through it, the following day I could be told I was going home, so suck it the hell up girl!
I was up bright & early Monday & hounding the nurses so I could get to see Stuart to do my lung function tests. I finally went about 10am & to my disappointment it was only up a fraction, but a fraction non the less, Simone had already listened to my chest before I had left for my tests & I was already again on the bronch list for the following day as I still sounded full of gunk, constant wheeze & lots of lower lobe crackles, however soon as I got back to the ward I got my nurse to telephone her to come see the results & she came to my room with the great news that as it was up slightly & providing I go home on the same regieme of medications they had put me on this admission I could go home the following day & work hard for clinic the week after.... I was overjoyed, I just had twenty four more hours to get through & then I'd be on my way home!
By half 8 on Tuesday night I pulled up outside my house, after just over a week of seeing my soul mate & best friend I gave him the hugest hug ever. It was soooo good to see him & he had dinner on the go ready for my arrival, what a star. I am set to return to clinic after the second May bank holiday which gives me a little more time to try & regain some of the lung function & muscle weakness I lost over the last six weeks. As much as it pains me to say it, I am going to have to be extremely vigilant with catching up with people until I know I am properly on the mend, I can't be anywhere near bugs which goes without saying & the doctors want me to be extremely careful from now until I see them again so I don't dip straight down again...
As you know I will do anything to try & protect my precious lungys, I have so much to look forward to over the next couple of months, I really need to try hard to stay well enough so I can enjoy it, as much as I love the hospital & staff, I think a day visit here & there from now on for a while will suffice! Hope you can all be patient with me whilst I try to get on the mend & thank you so much for all your support & well wishes as always.
Ssshhh, In The Quiet Room, Cheers Hannah!
Thank you as always for taking the time to read xxx
Glad to read this post as it seems that you have finally turned the corner with your recovery. Hope that you can start to regain you LF now & enjoy your time at home now :)
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