Pulmonary Fibrosis.......it takes U're breath away.

Diagnosed Feb '05 with the IDIOPATHIC kind

CLICK on ACORNS & learn 'bout it

IDIOPATHIC means they don't know what caused the PULMONARY FIBROSIS scarring of the lung.

Had a Bronchoscopy 16.3.05 @ Bathurst Hospital. It waz me Specialist who performed the Op which waz good. I really like & trust him 100%. He listens 2 what hubby & I have 2 say & explains things really really well.

Currently weanin down from 25mg of the *dreaded pred* PREDNISONE 4 the inflammation. NOT a nice drug. So many side effects. I'm havin troubles RE me Type2 Diabetes & I've been such a good little vegemite. SUCKS big time.

Goin from 15mg 2 10mg I waz like the BITCH from hell. NOT a nice person 2 B 'round. The things I said,thought & did ~ OMG. The cryin 4 absolutely NO REASON waz weird & really did a number on me head. I am so glad I'm ova that part.

Nov '05 & I'm on 10mg of the *dreaded pred* & will B till I see me Specialist in March '06.

Me Diabetes haz finally stabilized THANKS 2 the mob @ A.D.I (me Diabetes Yahoo group), a complete change in mindset, diet, bein proactive & test, test,testin me suga levels upon wakein, B4 & afta every meal then B4 bed. Oh & Marilyn who iz a darlin, posts the most yummiest recipes.

Also thanks 2 Cathy from Boston in me PFF group 4 twiggin me 2 COLD DRINKS & FOOD makin some people cough YES TRUE I am now able 2 sleep the night through without wakin up coughin me guts up. I still have me mornin hack & 4 some reason I cough a lot when I'm on the phone ~ go figure.

I'm also takin MAGNESIUM 4 the worstest cramps eva, plus a CALCIUM supplement which assists in preventin & treatin Osteoporosis. Peanuts, which R the best source of concentrated protein in the plant kingdom. Tuna & Sardines 4 the Omega 3 factor. Oh & a swig of Extra Virgin Olive Oil each day, which iz good 4 inflammation.

Feb '06 I have a BONE MINERAL DENSITOMETRY scan 2 see if that *dreaded pred* haz done any damage RE: Osteoporosis.

There waz 1 good thing 'bout the *dreaded pred* YES TRUE it gave me back the motivation I'd lost afta bein Hospitalized back in '97. Have gotten so much done round the house it's not funny. Plus I'm rapt 2 B able 2 help hubby out. Az long az I pace meself & remember 2 do the pursed lip breathin I'm OK.

CLICK HERE 4 Pursed Lip Breathing which iz a really really good thing 2 know how 2 do. It haz helped me heaps.

Saw me Specialist in March & the results from me BONE MINERAL DENSITOMETRY scan were clear of Osteoporosis. YAY.......he waz happy with the way I waz goin & didn't want 2 C me till September. Ohhhhh yeah, when I had the scan done, I waz measured & it turns out I'm 5ft 3 NOT the 5ft 2 I always thought.

Got snapped out of me semi complacent come denial by some kind soul givin me the flu of all flus. It haz taken me jus on 6 weeks 2 overcome it. Cupla times I honestly thought & felt I wazn't gonna make it. Ended up with fluid on the lungs. Wicked pain, yukky phlegm, lotta sittin up sleepin 'cause I couldn't lie down. Evree week I waz C'n me GP. He upped the **dreaded pred** prescribed me Uremide 2 take the fluid outta me bod & 'cause it also takes out 2 much Potassium I now havta pop a cupla Potassium tabs. They played merry hell with me tum @ first. The trick with 'em iz 2 take 'em on an empty tum, with lotsa water B4, durin & afta takin it. Me GP got me an earlier appointment with me Specialist. I had the Blood Oxygen test @ Bathurst Hospital that me Speialist ordered.

In2 a new phase. When I saw me Specialist June 20 the breathin tests I did were shockers. He ordered & I am now on oxygen @ night. I'm luvin what it haz done. The first mornin afta usein it, I changed outta me pj's & got dressed, it wazn't till I waz halfway down the hallway that I stopped, turned round & thought 2 meself HEY I did all that without gettin outta breath & havin 2 take a break 2 get me breath back. WHOO HOO.......

When he compared scans the latest showed signs of me shoulder bones thinnin. Damn Osteo Took me a cupla days of decidin whether or not 2 take the drug FOSAMAX 4 it. Sooooo now evree Saturday mornin @ 8.30am afta a big glass of water I pop one, then more water, keepin upright 4 half an hour. That way it should go straight down & not do any damage on the way. So far so good, jus a touch of constipation. Also joined a cupla Osteo Yahoo groups & purchased the followin book which waz highly recommended.

Strong Women, Strong Bones

Everything You Need to Know to Prevent, Treat, and Beat Osteoporosis
Miriam E. Nelson - Author

Sarah Wernick – Author

ISBN 9780399526565

BTW Evel Knievel has IPF. CLICK here 4 the story.

June 07 update

On the 1^st me & hubby went 2 C me specialist. I waz & still am recoverin from pleurisy & a small wedge of pneumonia in me left lung az diagnosed by me GP. In the past it’s always B’n me right lung that’s given me hurry curry. Sooooo!!!??? I waz armed with week old X-rays which were 2 B compared 2 ones taken this time last year.

In me Pulmonary Fibrosis Yahoo group there waz a post from somebody sayin they were leavin the group’cause they were diagnosed wrongly & didn’t have PF. Afta readin that & thinkin that the only time it waz said in regards 2 me waz way back in me 1^st visits. Sooooo B4 leavin, I asked hubby 2 wait till the visit waz jus ‘bout ova & 2 ask casually if in fact I did have PF. I wish I’d neva read that post cause in me mind hiz answer waz no I don’t it’s blah blah blah…NOT bloody shouldn’t of gotten me hopes up.

B4 goin in 2 C him, U go in2 a small room & sit in a cubicle & do some breathin tests with this young lady. B4 I’d usually complete ‘em all with the odd coughin fits NOT that day. Maddest cougin fit which bought the Doc in & he told her 2 hook me up 2 oxygen. Hubby waz right on hiz heals & said we have a portable setup in the car out front. Doc said get it, he also said somethin else but I missed it……Mmmm next thing she comes in pushin a wheelchair. Jeeze louise I didn’t know what 2 think or do az I felt all these hands on me az I slowly shuffled 2 the chair, sat down, got me feet on those foot thingy’s & got the whatsy up me nose 4 the oxygen. When it waz my time 2 C him I made ‘em let me get outta the wheelchair & walk through hiz office door 2 a chair.

Back 2 the X-rays. There iz progession of the PF in me left lung. I 4got 2 ask & he neva said anythin’bout the osteo in me shoulders. Must email 2 find out. I know I said NEVA AGAIN but I’m back on the dreded pred (PREDNISONE) 4 the inflammation till next Monday. So far no moody side effects. Am enjoyin how it’s increased me appetite & hope 2 put a bit of meat on these bones LOL… Plus there iz the motivation factor & have B’n doin some spring cleanin. Am on the antibiotic Kalixocin which iz good 4 respiratory tract infections (throat,airwayz & lungs) & will alwayz have a script handy. Jus B4 chrissy last year I waz put on a low dose, slow release morphine tab 4 the pain. Fantastic does the job. He said another benefit of it iz that it relaxes the airwayz. Sooooo it will B me best friend from now on. Well I think that covers it all 4 now…….

Mediations I'm on

Untitled (How Could this Happen 2 Me) by Simple Plan

When I first heard this song playin on our local radio station ROK FM 95.5 I waz like F'n'ell GET OUTTA ME HEAD!!! Afta it finished, they neva said WHO or WHAT it waz. A cupla days later it came on when I waz talkin’ 2 the daught on the phone. I pumped it up & screamed HAVE U HEARD THIS ~ WHO SINGS IT ~ I WANT IT. BLESS her, she said "MUM settle down. When I first heard it, I went & bought it. I’ll bring it round. YES YES YES.

Now when I'm not havin a good day or feelin sorry 4 meself, I'll listen 2 it with the headphones on ova & ova & cry cry cry.......

Click here 4 Simple Plan's website