I will apologize that it's been so long since my last post. Didn't realize how long it had been.
So, overall things have been like a bi g roller coaster. One moment I'm up, and the next I'm down.
The week leading up to my trip to Gettysburg, PA, my lungs decided to spiral downhill and so did many other issues. My home health care nurse came to see me and was not happy at all with how fast I declined and the fact that it all happened 2 days before I was supposed to head out of town. Of course, during that time, my pulmonologist was also out of town. On the fortunate side of things, every other pulmonologist in the hospital knows me. The only thing he could offer me was a medicine that we were planning and trying to stay away from due to some of the side effects that I get. My options were to take the medicine (to hold me over for the weekend) and try to enjoy as much of the trip as I could, or don't take the medicine and be admitted into the hospital that day. Seeing that the doctor covering for mine wasn't my primary pulmonologist, he didn't feel comfortable switching anything up or offering anything else for me..
Decisions, dec isio ns...
Well, I think we all kn ow what I cho s e... take the medic ine, mu ster up the stren gth, and go enjoy my trip.
*Fast forward to 3:00am, October 17th*
Since I often experience insomnia from the medication, I was awake when time to "finish getting everything together" and leave. My hope was that I can sleep in the car, (with 100% help from being loaded on my anxiety, anti-nausea, and headache meds) and also that would help prevent me from being carsick. I never slept but, on the plus side, I never actually got sick! This might be TMI but 7 hours in a car without vomiting, is a major thumbs up!
Anywho, we finally get to Gettysburg and very shortly after we get there, I noticed that I'm feeling much better than the days leading up to my trip and of course, the way I felt in the car. This lasted the whole day Saturday and even a little bit of Sunday! I was incredibly happy that I made the choice to still travel out there, and had a blast!
Friday afternoon I met up with my BFF and stayed with her for the night. We only ended up spending less than 24 hours with each other but I think the quote "The thousands of hours we spend apart are worth the few hours we spend together" fits perfectly in this situation. It didn't bother her that my lungs were acting up, or that I had to do my nebs, or that I fell asleep on her, COUNTLESS times. She just smiled, tucked me in bed, and gave each other a million more hugs before falling asleep. ♥
So, overall things have been like a bi g roller coaster. One moment I'm up, and the next I'm down.
The week leading up to my trip to Gettysburg, PA, my lungs decided to spiral downhill and so did many other issues. My home health care nurse came to see me and was not happy at all with how fast I declined and the fact that it all happened 2 days before I was supposed to head out of town. Of course, during that time, my pulmonologist was also out of town. On the fortunate side of things, every other pulmonologist in the hospital knows me. The only thing he could offer me was a medicine that we were planning and trying to stay away from due to some of the side effects that I get. My options were to take the medicine (to hold me over for the weekend) and try to enjoy as much of the trip as I could, or don't take the medicine and be admitted into the hospital that day. Seeing that the doctor covering for mine wasn't my primary pulmonologist, he didn't feel comfortable switching anything up or offering anything else for me..
- I'm not sure there was much to offer anyways.
- because this was now 2 days before I leave & I just needed something in my system, quickly.
Decisions, dec isio ns...
Well, I think we all kn ow what I cho s e... take the medic ine, mu ster up the stren gth, and go enjoy my trip.
*Fast forward to 3:00am, October 17th*
Since I often experience insomnia from the medication, I was awake when time to "finish getting everything together" and leave. My hope was that I can sleep in the car, (with 100% help from being loaded on my anxiety, anti-nausea, and headache meds) and also that would help prevent me from being carsick. I never slept but, on the plus side, I never actually got sick! This might be TMI but 7 hours in a car without vomiting, is a major thumbs up!
Anywho, we finally get to Gettysburg and very shortly after we get there, I noticed that I'm feeling much better than the days leading up to my trip and of course, the way I felt in the car. This lasted the whole day Saturday and even a little bit of Sunday! I was incredibly happy that I made the choice to still travel out there, and had a blast!
Friday afternoon I met up with my BFF and stayed with her for the night. We only ended up spending less than 24 hours with each other but I think the quote "The thousands of hours we spend apart are worth the few hours we spend together" fits perfectly in this situation. It didn't bother her that my lungs were acting up, or that I had to do my nebs, or that I fell asleep on her, COUNTLESS times. She just smiled, tucked me in bed, and gave each other a million more hugs before falling asleep. ♥
After forcing Charlotte to wake up at the crack of dawn, so I can meet back up with my family for the activities we had scheduled for Saturday, we said our "see you laters," hugged another hundred times and left knowing we'll see each other again within the next several months.
Saturday was my "really good health day" and it couldn't have happened at a better time. It was just in time for the busy day! Gettysburg is amazing and gorgeous, especially this time of year. (Yes, I got lots of pictures!) We took a bus tour around the town, we saw a film & cyclorama, and we visited every different part of the battlefield, starting from day 1 of the battle to day 3. I'm very fortunate that I was able to handle everything I did. The sitting on the bus, and traveling by our car helped a lot because then I wasn't forced to walk as much!
Since arriving back home, I am holding up pretty well. I'm overwhelmed with fatigue and a lot of pain but I like to say it was well worth it! At the moment I am still on the medication for my lungs, and have a few more days left to go until I'm done with this round, so I am stable from that aspect. I will hopefully have word on my care conference and when that will take place, within the next few days!
"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth."
Isaiah 42:16