It was all going so well!

It was all going so well! I was on the IVs, getting chubs from the steroids, getting my energy back, my life back then boooooom I get a "cold". Last Sunday I just came down with it and felt so rough. Colds are never fun, but you just have to get through them. So I rested as much as I could.. in between dogs and food shopping, running errands etc but just kept getting worse. I knew I had my end of IVs appointment on the Friday so I didn't need to wait long until I could see a doc and check I was OK. By Wednesday I was cancelling dogs and trying to find someone to drive me to the hospital as I just didn't have the energy. Thursday was just as much of a struggle and Alex and I ended up sleeping downstairs so I didn't have to tackle the stairs whenever I needed the loo in the night.

Friday came and I was sooo ready to see Dr Orchard! I couldn't walk more than a few metres without stopping, couldn't get my breath at all, constantly hunched over and just not at all anywhere near myself. I can honestly say this is the worst I have ever felt in my life. All over a bloody cold!

I was so so soooooo lucky to have quite a few offers from such kind people to take me to the hospital. I am eternally grateful for them <3 My aunty Linda, who lives quite close to Frimley Park Hospital, collected me at about 7.30am and drove me there. We slowly slowly....slooooowly (haha) made our way into the hospital and they pretty much instantly offered me oxygen, which has never happened before so I must have looked a bit peaky to say the least lol. I said that I was ok and we checked my sats and everything and I wasn't doing too bad. I did my weight, which had gone up, and my lung function, which had obviously gone down. Right down to 35%, my lowest I've been. Emy came in to pre-warn me that it was likely I was staying in. Of course I was upset and she asked "what did you think we would say"? And I said that I thought they'd say that as it's a cold they can't do much for it and I'd just have to ride it out. Haha looking back that was quite naive of me!

Dr Orchard came in to see me and agreed I needed to stay in 100%. He thinks I have the flu not just a cold so we did some swabs to send off and he started me on flu meds. I had my bloods and port re-accessed and then as they needed to move a non-CF patient to another ward and prepare a room for me, Linda and I went back to hers for lunch and chill before they called me back.

It's always lovely to go to aunty Linda's, she has the most beautiful garden you will ever see and her house is so homely. I took up my favourite place on their marshmallow sofa and didn't move until the hosp called me a few hours later.

I went back and we settled into my room. Sweetie, one of the nurses decided to start me on some oxygen and omg did it make a difference! Within half an hour I could sit up more straightly, I could talk a few sentences without getting out of breath, I was more awake.... it was such a relief. It's the first time I've needed it other than being on an airplane and it's so helpful just to get a bit of rest from gasping for air the whole time.

Linda was an absolute angel yesterday, she was with me for a full 12 hours. Supporting me, driving me, feeding me, holding my hand, comforting me, laughing with me, entertaining me, educating me haha! She's a wonderful aunty and I'm so lucky to have such a loving, caring family <3

My mum, dad, brother and sister came up in the evening and we laughed all eve. I think my dad is the funniest person in the world and he always cracks me up! I have to tell him to stop otherwise I have such a coughing fit from laughing lol- the best physio there is though!

I have had to cancel all my plans obvs, which means I'm going to miss my cousin and another of my aunties in their theatre production today :( Absolutely gutted! Break a leg girls, you'll have to give me a rendition when I next see you. My brother's new girlfriend is taking my place though, and to be honest, I think they're more excited to meet her than if I were going up hahahaa ;)

My Alex is coming up in the next couple of hours to be with me today <3 <3 <3

And finally, but absolutely by no means least (sorry this is a lengthy post), ANOTHER of my amazing family members needs a mention! My uncle Mark has just signed up for the Great North Run (13 miles) and is so kindly raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. He got the confirmation through last night and has set up his JustGiving page :) If anyone would like to donate, Mark, myself, my family and everyone else with CF would be ever so grateful. Mark has put a target of £200, but I want to smash through that target and help raise as much as possible. The link is below if you'd like to donate. He runs it in September, so expect a few months of annoying posts about it haha:
https://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Hashim

Until next time, xo