Surviving the Holidays on IVs

My oldest friend Erica and I at my Birthday Bowling party

Well, I survived the holidays on IVs - and oxygen, I should add, since that was a big new adjustment for me.

My birthday bowling party was a ton of fun! Had a great time with friends. It was also kind of like a "coming out" party for me with the oxygen. And it went rather well I think. Obviously my friends are pretty awesome so that helped. :)

We really wanted to make it up to the mountains but that didn't end up happening. Between my bi-weekly labs and medicine delivery schedule it just wasn't possible. Plus, it was probably best for me to hang around here anyway and to enjoy mountain time when I'm feeling a bit better (in other words, when I'm needing less oxygen.)

Christmas Time is Here 

As anyone knows who has ever heard the song "Christmas Time is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas, there is both a sweetness and a sadness about the holidays. When we're young, Christmas is pure joy. But as we get older and start to value family time over presents, we can't help but be reminded of people we've lost, those who are no longer here to celebrate with us.

And there was plenty to be sad about this holiday...  It was our second Christmas without Todd's dad, who always made a huge deal about getting presents for all of the grand-dogs and having a big Christmas morning with them. Todd's cousin who has been battling (I hate using that word) stage 4 cancer for several years almost died a few days before Christmas. My health is clearly not doing well. One of our good friends is moving out of the country.

BUT, lucky for us we have all of that to balance with having an amazing group of friends, a supportive family, nieces and nephews to spoil and whose holiday excitement can't help but be contagious, our furry children who provide endless entertainment and (cheesy alert) each other.

Sam, taking a breather after opening Christmas gifts

Speaking of amazing things, some news about my job

I told you about how I unapologetically (for the first time ever?) took these three weeks on IVs completely off of work - three weeks which, incidentally, ends today! (More on that in a sec.) And the crazy thing is, I actually stuck to it. I haven't worked, and I haven't felt guilty about not working.

But, at the encouragement of my boss, Todd and pretty much everyone around me, I have decided to go on short-term disability for a while longer to extend the time that I have to recuperate and hopefully get my lungs in better shape with pulmonary rehab, etc. I am not quite sure what this "focusing on my health" time will look like, but I will definitely keep you all posted.

Lastly, an update on my health

Last, but never least, here is an update after 3 weeks on IV antibiotics:

• I am feeling pretty good, but I caught a cold on Christmas Eve that has hampered my improvement and has made the IVs less successful overall than I hoped.
• My lung functions have come up a tiny bit though! I am at least consistently over the 1 liter mark.
• My kidneys did great with the Tobra, my port is working fine after a period of suspecting a partial clot, and all of my blood draws went very well thanks to my amazing nurse who can do some serious acrobatics with a butterfly needle.
• I had my first 2-hour session of pulmonary rehab yesterday. It went really well! I think it's a good sign when they have to tell you to slow down. :) It's going to be really hard, but I am up for the challenge.
• One question mark hanging out there is how my back is going to deal with this increased activity from pulmonary rehab. It has been bothering me a little - some of that is good because I know I need strengthening - but I hope it doesn't become a problem. I have had to take Tramadol for the first time in a few weeks.