I've got a bug and his name is Annoying Little Bugger

After thinking I didn't want to post anything because there was no change, I can now write something for youse all. As I said, since my last post there hadn't been too much to tell. I was going to the pool and swimming, doing all my physio, and not doing anything too hard on my health. So there wasn't much to inform you on. However, since Friday night, I have once again caught something in the air. Or more probably from Dana. She has been quite sick and when I went home to get some stuff, that may have just been enough time for me to catch the dreaded bug. I've been having really bad sinus headaches, runny nose, and body aches. This morning the headaches have subsided a bit but my throat has once again flared up. But changing sypmotoms usually means that I'm getting better, so here's hoping.

I'm guessing the cf will catch up and it will take me a while to get back up again, but I'm prepared to do that. It's much easier to get better when it's just cf rather than other viruses or bugs. I just need to up the exercise and physio and that usually does the trick.

So there ya go. Another little hurdle that I need to get over, but the way I think of it, it's much better to get these little niggles when I'm quite healthy overall rather than get them when I'm quite unwell. It's much easier to fight them. Oh, and I've decided to add one other thing to my posts - a rating out of 10 for how I'm feeling. While some of my posts may sound quite bad with symptoms etc, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm not feeling that bad (if that makes any sense). So this way I can say what my body is doing, yet still tell you how I'm feeling. It might make a bit more sense then and not cause any unnecessary worry.

So for the first rating... 5.5

Water, eggs and mud - all part of a better, healthier you

Believe it or not, but yesterday I went to the Aquatic Centre and paid for a 10 visit multipass. That means that I'll at least attend the pool 9 more times. Proud or what?? I didn’t do too much yesterday, as I pretty much have 0% fitness at the moment, so I didn’t want to overdo myself. I plan to go today again and hopefully increase it a little more. It felt really good to be able to do some exercise without sore joints again. So with time, I should easily be able to pick up my fitness again (that is if I can be arsed going all the time, but I'm definitely going to try) and along with all my other treatments, I'm hoping to get my lung function back up.

I'm also happy to report that while my health is still a little bit down from the other week, I'm almost back up there again. I think I'm getting over the damage the sore throat caused, and my sputum has decreased significantly. So I'm very excited about that.

One last bit of news – last night I went to the Eggs (Exeter) and hung out! It was really nice – especially because it wasn’t too busy. We were able to sit in the non-smoking room and really have a nice night. It’s a small step, but I soon plan to be making more of these little trips out and about. Just don't want to rush into things. I'll try to explain how I'm feeling at the moment regarding my health.

When I'm really healthy and have been so for a while, I imagine that I have a solid brick wall around me. Going out every now and then, even to really smoky places, doesn’t usually do too much damage. It might dent the wall, but if I rest for the next day and do all my treatment, I usually get right on top of it again. However, when I get sick, I have absolutely no wall around me, so even doing nothing is sometimes not enough to hold off an infection. Now when I start to get healthy after being sick, like I am at the moment, I feel like I have a wall, but it’s VERY thin. In order for it to become a thick wall, I need to stay healthy for a decent amount of time. Then I'm able to go out a bit more since my body can handle it. But because it’s still in the early stages, I'm scared that if I go out regularly, it will crush my wall straight away and I'll be back to square one. A good indication of this is how sick I got from the sore throat the other week. Normally that wouldn’t have done anything, but it shows how fragile my body still is. With all this swimming and treatment, I'm really hoping that I'll continue to get stronger and then I can start relaxing and not being so anal about things. But until then, its early nights, lots of exercise and physio, and other things that are good for me.

On the way up (slowly, oh so slowly)

I haven't written in a while because I didn't want to write with bad news. I had clinic on Tuesday, and it didn't go too badly. My lung function is 65%, which is 1% better than last time. Considering how poorly I was feeling a few weeks ago, I'm pretty pleased that it's up at all. I got a printout of all my lung functions since I've been going to the RAH, and to my surprise my best percentage is 75%, and that was sometime in 2002. So I'm only 10% off my best, which is pretty darn good, considering that was a few years ago. I've got a goal to try and reach that elusive 75% before I go overseas. Hey, why not? It's not like I've got anything else to do. I've got another clinic in 6 weeks, so I'm hoping it will get even better (but let's take it one step at a time).

I went to the beach again yesterday to take advantage of the stupidly hot April weather, and once again it seemed to stuff me up (not having much luck with the beach lately). I even had to leave work early because I had a bad headache, was feeling dizzy and almost threw up. But I think this was due to the fact that I haven't had much salt lately and since cf's lose lots of salt in their sweat, this is probably what caused it. One dose of KFC soon cleared that up and I was feeling much better.

It looks like the sore throat did a bit more damage than I first thought. Only last night did I start to get really well in the lungs. All week I've been quite productive and not really feeling as good as I was last week. But last night success - physio was great and I didn't really cough up that much. We'll see if this morning brings the same result.

And I'm determined to start swimming this week. So you all have to tell me to get off my fat arse and do it - you all know how forgetful I can get. But yeah, so that's it for now. I'm happy to say that I'm feeling better again. It was getting a bit annoying to tell you the truth. I'm still taking the Ambrotose, but I'm not sure if its going to have the same effect. No reason why it shouldn't, but I'm trying to stop myself getting too excited and carried away.

p.s. Ben Folds and Femmes absolutely rocked the house down!!

Update no. 6

Well, once again I've decided to change my style. I'm feeling rather frisky today, so capitals and punctuation it is again! No promises it will stay. But it will be oh so fun to find out next post, won't it boys and girls?!

Well, enough banter. My dry, sore throat seems to have calmed down quite a bit, which is a relief. I made sure not to do anything last night and rest, which I think paid off. However, since I missed a few sessions of physio, the cf caught up a tad and now I'm a bit more chesty than normal (you all know that when I say chesty I really mean phlegmy, but it sounds nicer), but I expected that and hopefully with physio back on the menu that should clear up. And even though I feel a bit sicker than I was a few days ago, I'm still better than I was before I started the Ambrotose, so that's good. However, even after considering this, I'm still quite peeved that I'm sicker again. But I guess these things take time so I'll assess things in a few days.

Anywho, nothing else to report. I've got the Femmes concert tonight so hopefully that won't do too much damage. I'll say hi from you Benny, and see if I can get 'In Style' played for ya.

Peace out y'all.

an apology, explanation, whinge - call it what you will

this is to get everything clear and out in the open regarding my social life (well, i wouldnt really call it that, but to make it easier on everyone i will refer to it as that). most of you probably havent seen me much in the social scene. i havent really been going out like i used to and havent had a general night at the exeter for AGES. basically my health has been so fragile lately i cant even think about going out and socialising, especially not in a smoky pub. those types of things never really affected me health wise, but the last few months ive really been susceptible to it all. one night in a pub and the next morning ill be coughing chunks for hours.

so im writing this to tell all of you that it has absolutely nothing to do with not wanting to see or spend time with you. or even me just being a slack arse. to tell you the truth, theres nothing more id rather do than go out and drink and have a great time. but the state of my health at the moment is making it near impossible for me to even consider it. i know this is sounding quite dramatic, but i feel i really need to get on top of my health before i subject it to the harshness of night life again. ive experienced too many times going out when im quite unstable, like i am at the moment, only to end up sick as a dog and needing another hospital admission.

this isnt to get you all down and feeling sorry for me or anything like that. truth is, and i cant stress this enough, apart from this niggle in my throat, im feeling the best i have been for months and months. i seriously cant remember the last time i felt this way. but i guess im just being cautious jaan and not wanting to ruin any of the good work by going out and wearing out my body. so if you are having a gig, a gathering or a party, and i either dont rock up or only stay for 10 mins, its only because i need rest my body so it can get healthier, and we all want that dont we?! but if this good health continues, which im really hoping it will, then ill be out there again in no time at all, swigging down paleys and sparkles and sharing good times. until then however, ill have to play it safe and see you all in short doses.

your support and friendship, especially during this last year, has just been amazing. seriously, it means so much to me. and while i may not see you all as often as i should or want to, just remember, you are all in my thoughts and prayers and i love you all dearly (insert sappy music, close down all windows and start up carmageddon).

what's with this weather?

well i knew it was too good to be true. nah, just kidding. nothing that serious. since i have been feeling quite tops since my last post, and to take advantage of the hot weather yesterday, i thought i would go to the beach to clear out whatever was left in my lungs. however, when i got home i started feeling a bit worse for wear.

my throat was quite dry and sore and i was getting a headache. this could be due to the fact that i was coughing quite a bit and therefore my throat was just dry from that, and it could also be a bit of sun stroke. well, it got quite worse during the night so i didnt do any physio since thats usually not the best thing to do with a dry, sore throat. my headache wasnt so strong, which was good. since then i have been sucking down butter menthols like theres no tomorrow. and then due to my stupid sleep in before work i didnt get time to do physio this morning, so im really hoping its not going to affect me too much. good news though is that my throat is alot better, so im hoping it was just the coughing that did it and not actually a virus.

so theres an update. because i wasnt feeling too good last night it did upset me quite a bit. here i was, feeling the best ive felt in the last 6 months, and then i get sick. it just seemed like it was one thing after another. as hard as it is, im trying to remain positive. im thinking maybe the throat was due to coughing, and maybe its due to the ambrotose flushing out all the crap thats in my body. either way im hoping this is just a little stage that ill get through easily.

ill make sure to do all my physio tonight and get some nice rest. ive got clinic on tuesday, so we'll see if the ambrotose has actually helped my lung function and not just made me feel better. heres hoping.