Tag Archives: blog life

Clinic visit

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Looks like I forgot to update back in October. I wasn’t feeling good at the beginning of October so I did a round of oral Levaquin for 14 days and prednisone. It didn’t really do much but I held on until last week. I started with a sore throat and sinus drainage on Thanksgiving day. I went to the walk-in clinic last Saturday. It is always a gamble going to doctors that don’t know me or my CF history. I started another round of oral Levaquin (Saturday) and prednisone (Monday). I have a sinus infection that has made its way to my lungs. Today I had a regular CF clinic check up. My lung functions are pretty steady considering I’m sick. My FEV1 was .93L/34%.

My lungs sound junky, especially in the lower lobes. We decided to make a plan since I will be out of town until the 12th. I will finish the Levaquin and prednisone at the end of next week. If I’m no better by the time I get back in town I will start home IVs. I will do cefapime which is a push (just a syringe of medicine that is pushed in over 10 minutes) every 8 hours for 14 days. I will not be surprised if I end up on IVs because it’s been awhile.

I have been having random bruising the past few months so he put in orders for labs if/when I start IVs since they will be drawing labs anyway. My labs were all fine in September but things change. I’m also being referred to an allergy doctor to talk about doing asthma medicine shots, like Dupixent. My asthma has been a problem a lot lately. I’m hoping that will help with my wheezing and shortness of breath.

The national CF conference was not too long ago and they discussed doing an abdominal ultrasound every 2 years as a maintenance test just like the bone density scan. Mainly to look at the liver because the liver is not always good in people with CF. I think that sums up life to this point. I will update about how I feel and if I end up doing IVs.

Until next time…

CF clinic day

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Today I had my 3 month check up. First stop was the lab for my yearly labs. I managed to con my nurse into waiting on my glucose tolerance test for awhile. I hate that test. It upsets my stomach and sometimes gives me a headache from all the sugar. Plus being stuck 3 times in the hand (my arms are too scared for blood draws) in 3 hours sucks. Next stop was pulmonary function lab..My lung functions were basically the same. My FEV1 was 39%/1.08L. Last time was 40%. So holding steady is good. Last stop was clinic…oh yeah I was weighed in the pulmonary lab and I have lost weight which is good. With Trikafta I gained a lot of weight. I think I’m down about 10 pounds. I’ll take what I can get! I haven’t really been trying that hard. I did start calorie. counting and watching my diet but I saw that I was rarely going over my allowed calories so I stopped counting. haha. My doctor said my lungs sound good and I look good. My oxygen company contacted me to let me know it was time for my reevaluation to see if I still need oxygen. I haven’t used oxygen in about 2 years so I will be saying bye to my concentrator and portable oxygen. I’m ok with that because I wouldn’t fail the 6 minute walk showing I need oxygen. I just liked having it as a crutch just in case I was having a bad day. I can always get it back if needed. I see him back in 3 months for another regular check up. Now I just wait for my lab results.

Until next time…

CF Clinic

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I had covid last month and my lung functions went down to 37%, from 41%. I had a mild case of covid. I had a cough and I basically slept for about 5 days. Not much more than that. I did have the antibody infusion and a weeks worth of prednisone for the chest tightness.

Today was my regular 3 month check up. My lung functions went back up to 40% / 1.12L FEV1. I have managed to lose 5 pounds, which is good. My lungs sounded good, no wheezing, at least when he listened to me. We discussed the mental health side effect of the Trikafta that I have been dealing with. It has been worse since Covid as well. I have more blah days than I would like. I made an appointment with my psych doctor to discuss my meds and a possible change in one of them. That appointment is in 2 weeks. Maybe with a med change my blah days will be less and I will have motivation. Summer is my favorite season because of the ability to be outside in the sunshine which usually helps my mood.

I go back in 3 months for a regular check up. I will have my yearly labs drawn at that time to check my vitamin levels, liver function and kidney function, among other things. They check my sputum culture every clinic visit to see what bugs I’m growing in my lungs. I am usually growing only pseudomonas. We only treat it if I am having symptoms of an exacerbation. That would be increased cough, drop in lung functions, more wheezing/tightness, fever (I rarely run a fever when sick though), fatigue, lack of exercise endurance, etc.

All in all it was a good visit. We did talk about adding Spiriva (inhaler) for my asthma if I feel like I need it later. I didn’t want to add it just yet. I’m going to try using my albuterol inhaler before I do the treadmill to see if that helps with the wheezing while I exercise but that is the only change.

Until next time…

42…Take that CF!!!

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I know I haven’t updated in awhile but count that as a good thing this time. I did have a birthday. I turned 42 on February 1st. When I was born, the life expectancy was late teens. So to say that I am very proud to have turned 42 is an understatement. It hasn’t always been an easy road but I’ve kept pushing.

Since 2016, January is not an easy month for me with the anniversary of my mom’s passing. By the time my birthday comes I’m ready to be happy. It’s still a hard time without my mom because my mom wanted nothing but the best for me and was my biggest supporter. I keep fighting in her memory. She is greatly missed.

Now for a health update… I am doing well for the most part. The weight gain I have had from Trikafta is not fun but it is what it is and I have to endure it. I have been sleeping a lot. I take after my mom and grandma when it comes to being a night owl and sleeping late in the mornings. I have to get up to take my morning meds and do a breathing treatment but I have been laying back down when I’m done if I have nothing else to do. I have had some blah days mentally/emotionally. I do have SAD ( Seasonal Affective Disorder) or commonly known as the winter blues. It’s real and it sucks. I need sunshine…real vitamin D and warm temps. Granted here in Tennessee we don’t get crazy cold and lots of snow so I’m not complaining too much but I’m still ready for summer. I don’t miss midwest (KS/MO) winters what so ever.

I think that’s a good update for now. 😆 I have a CF clinic appointment in March, I’ll update after that.

Until next time…

CF Clinic Day

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Today was CF clinic day. I am seen every 3 months, so today was a regular check up. However, I have been wheezing more so it was good timing. They had me do my lung functions at home on my home spirometer. My FEV1 was 35% which is my baseline (average). If you are new here the 35% FEV1 means I am using 35% of my lungs to breath. Most healthy people are 100% or more. They checked all my vitals and they were all good except that I had gained some more weight. Usually that would be a good thing for a CFer but I have gained quite a bit over the last 2 years since starting the new CF drug Trikafta. So basically they aren’t concerned with my weight but I am. The extra weight doesn’t make my breathing any easier that’s for sure.

We spoke about all my meds and what changes we could make, if any to change. They are going to try and up my inhaled steroid Budesonide (Pulmicort) in hopes that it will help with my wheezing. I have been wheezing a lot and getting out of breath easily with activity. My oxygen sats are fine so oxygen is not the answer. I am thinking it is a combo of the extra weight and the weather changing. The season changes mess with me every time.

They drew labs while I was there to check my thyroid, iron and vitamin levels to see if any of that could be contributing to why I’m always tired and sleep a lot. They decided to do an oral antibiotic, Augmentin, for 2 weeks and a prednisone taper over a 10 days. Hoping that combo helps with my wheezing and rattling in my chest. I see them back in December for another 3 month check up.

Until next time…

Cough cough cough

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Well first of all my side pain is gone! It could have been GI (intestines) related because I did a “clean out” just in case and it seemed to help the pain. It didn’t take it away but it was less. What’s a “clean out” and why did I do it? A “clean out” is when I drink lots of miralax to get the poo moving in case there was a blockage starting. If a blockage gets bad enough it can require surgery. No thank you! So all is well in that area now, thankfully. Continue reading →

Pre transplant check up

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I have been on a bit of a whirlwind road trip. I started off my road trip visiting my friend that lives outside of Chicago for a few days. Next up was the drive to St. Louis for my transplant clinic check up. My check up was good. They drew 14 vials of blood, took a chest X-ray and I saw the doctor. I’m doing well, sounded good. I didn’t have to do lung functions because I was able to send my last ones I did at my clinic. I am scheduled to come back in 6 months.

The last bit of my road trip was heading east to Kansas City to see my family for a few days. I will then head back home on Monday. All in all it was a good check up and has been a good road trip, except for the boring driving part. Haha

Until next time…

Waiting…

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When you have a chronic illness waiting is part of life.  Waiting to get better, waiting/holding steady or waiting to die.  Yep, I said it.  It’s a part of my reality and when I have friends waiting for lungs and others who are not candidates for transplant or don’t want to go that route who are basically waiting to die.  Maybe you could call it “living to die.”  Whatever it may be, it is life. Continue reading →