Update: 2 Weeks

I've now had 2 weeks of IV treatment (in and out of the hospital) and I went for a check-up yesterday....The plan is for them to keep me on IV meds for 1 more week, and I will officially be done next Friday :). I am so excited!

So...how's my health? My pulmonary function test numbers were up just a little (this test measures my lung function- tells the docs how much I am able to breathe in, out etc.). As of yesterday, my PFT was a bit higher bringing my percentage to 62% which is higher than it has been in a few weeks! That means, the meds are working and my body is fighting off this infection...I am getting better!

What's the plan? I'll do my IV's for 1 more week and still take it easy, not go back into normal life full-time just yet. I'll be working 2 days this week, just to get my feet wet, and then hopefully I can continue to gain my strength and feel more and more back to normal. I'll be trying to exercise (that helps bring my lung function up), and also resting a ton to let the meds and treatments continue to do their job without wearing out my body. If all is well, I should be back to normal (mostly) by next weekend! Yay!
Thanks for the continued prayers and support...it's been an interesting few weeks, I may blog about it sometime soon. As for now, I'm going to take a nap, ahh how I love Saturdays :)
Love to all,
~Em

Check-Up Today

I'm headed back to USC to to Cystic Fibrosis Clinic for a full check-up. I am hoping that my PFT (pulmonary function test) shows that i've made some progress in my recovery from this infection :). Pray for good communication and good results from all my tests (and maybe even finishing my IV's this week!)

It will be good to see my docs and chat about how I'm doing...I'll post an update when I get back :)
~Em

Dr.'s Visit Today

If you think of it today, please pray for me. I'll be visiting the dr. today at USC for a few reasons. I haven't been feeling well and have been very congested for the last few weeks- I had thought it was from traveling and being tired, but it hasn't seemed to go away...Also, I am in need of some new enzymes to digest my food.
So, if you think of it, I'll be going this afternoon- I'd love your prayers for me and for the doctors. That together we can make good decisions for my health.

Its been tough knowing that I need to go to the doctor after such an amazing summer. It's almost like I don't want it to end, i've been so excited to be involved in the CF community, involved in Pipeline to a cure, and surfing a ton. Even though when I am doing all those things, CF is directly in my face because i'm talking about it and being an ambassador for the CF community, it became so surreal that it's easy for me to keep going and think everything is ok...I've taken great care of myself this summer but, the reality of CF is, no matter how much I take care of myself, my body does not always cooperate. So, I am finally taking the step to be looked at by my doctors today and hopefully my lungs are not too bad and there are some good antibiotic solutions!

Thanks for the prayers, I appreciate it- friends!
~Em

USC Update

Thank you for praying for my first visit to USC...it was a great visit! I spent the entire afternoon there- the visit was jam packed with chest x-rays, blood tests (yeah..they took 12 tubes of blood, I was a little woozy!), PFT's
and also a sputum culture. I also filled out a ton of forms about medical history and got to meet the entire CF team of a dietician, nutritionist, pharmacist, and respiratory therapist. I spent the most time with Debbie, the RN and clinical coordinator and also my new dr, Dr. Rao....Everyone was great! They took a lot of time to get to know me and help me get to know them, I was very impressed that they had read and discussed my chart beforehand, and they were VERY organized and ready for me- they made me feel very welcome :).

Considering this will be my new 'home' away from home for the many years to come, I was very impressed with the way they ran the clinic, I was impressed with their attention to keeping the clinic clean and exposure between patients low (We all wore masks and gloves, and nobody was in the waiting room together- CF patients can't interact as much due to the ease of passing bacteria back and forth), and they were very knowledgeable and personable...

Minus the drive and the farther distance, I think I'm going to like being a USC Trojan... :)

~Em

Today is USC day!

This afternoon I am visiting my new CF Clinic at USC University Hospital

Please keep me in prayer today as I get to know my new doctors and medical staff, that I would begin to build good relationships with the new people that will be taking care of me. Pray for trust to build and for good and thorough care for all my health needs. Also, pray my lungs are doing well- sometimes I have difficulty with the smog in the summer, so it will be good to see where I am at and how i'm doing.

I'll give an update tonight when I get back, my appointment should take the whole day since its my first time there...
Here's to new adventures :)
~Em