oat groats, oats, raisins, applesauce & cinnamon
Mmmm!
Wednesday, October 8
Tuesday, October 7
Lookee, lookee, lookee!
My parents went to an orchard. See what they picked up for me?
These are just some of them!
And some great news...my husband got some work for a couple of days! Let's pray there more after that.
Monday, October 6
OK, I am weak!
I need God's strength right now. I knew that using this verse (see bottom of page) would keep me accountable!
My husband has had very little work lately. Very little. Nothing this week yet.
A time to put my faith to work and wings on my prayers. Easier said than done, but I'm trying.
Guess that's the problem. I'm not supposed to be doing the trying. I'm supposed to let God take care of everything.
----------
Please pray for Tricia, as she's sick and back in the hospital. See CFHusband for details and updates!
My husband has had very little work lately. Very little. Nothing this week yet.
A time to put my faith to work and wings on my prayers. Easier said than done, but I'm trying.
Guess that's the problem. I'm not supposed to be doing the trying. I'm supposed to let God take care of everything.
----------
Please pray for Tricia, as she's sick and back in the hospital. See CFHusband for details and updates!
Saturday, October 4
Where are my apples?????
Oh how I miss my apples! When we lived in PA I would get 60-120 lbs of apples. Some we'd pick at an orchard, some I would buy from orchards bins. I'd make oodles of applesauce, Apple Chip Cake, Apple Crumb Pie. I'd simmer the peels in water with cinnamon sticks and cloves. Mmmm!
Ho hum, I live in the PEACH state now. There are very few apple orchards in this area of Georgia. And with our shortage of gas I can't drive 90 min. to get fresh apples.
There are some other favorite things of this season, however. Even though my husband is presently getting very little work and finances are weighing heavily on the mind, these things are helping lift my spirits.
One is a candle that I brought South with me.
Oh, it smells so good and makes the house so warm and welcoming!
These are another nice fall addition:
I am enjoying our Fall weather, too. It's one of my favorite times of year since I can be outside. No humidity, slight breeze, lots of sunshine. It's been in the upper 70's and low 80's and just perfect for my breathing. I've been taking a good book and laying in the hammock. It's been very relaxing. We need relaxing right now!
I hope I can add some more recipes to my other new blog soon. Keep watching!
Ho hum, I live in the PEACH state now. There are very few apple orchards in this area of Georgia. And with our shortage of gas I can't drive 90 min. to get fresh apples.
There are some other favorite things of this season, however. Even though my husband is presently getting very little work and finances are weighing heavily on the mind, these things are helping lift my spirits.
One is a candle that I brought South with me.
Oh, it smells so good and makes the house so warm and welcoming!
These are another nice fall addition:
I am enjoying our Fall weather, too. It's one of my favorite times of year since I can be outside. No humidity, slight breeze, lots of sunshine. It's been in the upper 70's and low 80's and just perfect for my breathing. I've been taking a good book and laying in the hammock. It's been very relaxing. We need relaxing right now!
I hope I can add some more recipes to my other new blog soon. Keep watching!
Thursday, October 2
My late diagnosis
Since someone has asked about how I came to be diagnosed so late with CF, I thought I would write about that tonight.
All of my life I had a cough. I think the doctors mostly attributed it to allergies. By high school I was having many episodes of bronchitis and in college I started coughing up blood. I kept telling my doctor that something just wasn't right and I thought I should see a pulmonologist and he said that wasn't necessary, that I just had allergies.
In 1987 we were married and my husband said I needed to switch to his doctor because he didn't think my coughing, and coughing up stuff, all of the time was normal. That doctor immediately saw a problem and sent me to a pulmonologist where I was diagnosed with Bronchiectisis. For years I was treated for extensive bronchiectisis without responding to treatment.
I then started having continual sinus infections. They were like my bronchitis, where I would barely be off the antibiotics for a few weeks when another infection would start in.
In 2003 I was sent to Johns Hopkins because of my diminished breathing. When they went into my lungs they found a lot of pseudomonas bacteria. They admitted me for two weeks of IV antibiotics and sent my blood to a genetics lab because pseudomonas is mostly found in CF patients. My test came back positive, naming my specific CF genes. I have what my doctors call "Adult CF". My symptoms manifested themselves more as time went on, unlike the "childhood form" where the symptoms appear right away (which is the form Tricia has, wife of CFHusband).
Basically, I was misdiagnosed by doctors all of my life. Even now, many doctors are not aware that someone my age could have Cystic Fibrosis.
At this point I do not respond to any oral antibiotics. Because you can't totally erradicate pseudomonas, I need to have IV antibiotics periodically. My lung capacity runs between 35-45% of what a female my age/size would be (if that makes sense). I am on oxgen at night now, and during the day when I walk for more than a few minutes or do anything active (i.e. vacuuming).
Now you know the story of my medical life. Aren't you glad you asked?
I'm going to go watch the VP debate now. Go Palin!
All of my life I had a cough. I think the doctors mostly attributed it to allergies. By high school I was having many episodes of bronchitis and in college I started coughing up blood. I kept telling my doctor that something just wasn't right and I thought I should see a pulmonologist and he said that wasn't necessary, that I just had allergies.
In 1987 we were married and my husband said I needed to switch to his doctor because he didn't think my coughing, and coughing up stuff, all of the time was normal. That doctor immediately saw a problem and sent me to a pulmonologist where I was diagnosed with Bronchiectisis. For years I was treated for extensive bronchiectisis without responding to treatment.
I then started having continual sinus infections. They were like my bronchitis, where I would barely be off the antibiotics for a few weeks when another infection would start in.
In 2003 I was sent to Johns Hopkins because of my diminished breathing. When they went into my lungs they found a lot of pseudomonas bacteria. They admitted me for two weeks of IV antibiotics and sent my blood to a genetics lab because pseudomonas is mostly found in CF patients. My test came back positive, naming my specific CF genes. I have what my doctors call "Adult CF". My symptoms manifested themselves more as time went on, unlike the "childhood form" where the symptoms appear right away (which is the form Tricia has, wife of CFHusband).
Basically, I was misdiagnosed by doctors all of my life. Even now, many doctors are not aware that someone my age could have Cystic Fibrosis.
At this point I do not respond to any oral antibiotics. Because you can't totally erradicate pseudomonas, I need to have IV antibiotics periodically. My lung capacity runs between 35-45% of what a female my age/size would be (if that makes sense). I am on oxgen at night now, and during the day when I walk for more than a few minutes or do anything active (i.e. vacuuming).
Now you know the story of my medical life. Aren't you glad you asked?
I'm going to go watch the VP debate now. Go Palin!
Wednesday, October 1
CF and lab results
Cystic Fibrosis effects more than just your lungs. Most people don't know that. The mucus will effect many or most of your digestive organs, also. I have one gene with the pancreatic insufficiency trait and another that isn't, but I've been having more digestive problems lately. (My gallbladder was removed years ago.) Today my lab results came back that I am showing mild to moderate pancreatic insufficiency.
What does this mean? Well, in addition to my gazillion prescriptions I'm already taking (you now, 18???), I now need to take enzymes and ADEK's on a regular basis. ADEK's are a specially formed prescription vitamin for CFers. Both of these things are very expensive and we have very lousy insurance. Also FYI, medications for CF tend to be quite expensive. One is $1500/mo, another $3500/mo, plus we're still paying off IV antibiotic's from last year that were $2500/DAY for 15 days!!! But I digress...
Just what we need. I am feeling a little discouraged right now. My husband hasn't had any work in the last week, the economy is a LITTLE BIT on the scarey side, and these expenses just keep going up.
Being a more recently dx (diagnosed) CFer (meaning, dx in the last 5 yrs) and not growing up knowing that I have it, I have the tendency to blow off treatment. It isn't an established habit. When the health maintenance feels so time-consuming and the prescription & other health costs are squeezing the tar out of us, I have the tendency to blow off treatment. I know I shouldn't, but I do.
Anyway, just a little discouraged tonight.
Hopefully my husband will get a call tomorrow that there is work for him. For one thing, we depend on his income and for another, it isn't easy having him around 24/7!!!
What does this mean? Well, in addition to my gazillion prescriptions I'm already taking (you now, 18???), I now need to take enzymes and ADEK's on a regular basis. ADEK's are a specially formed prescription vitamin for CFers. Both of these things are very expensive and we have very lousy insurance. Also FYI, medications for CF tend to be quite expensive. One is $1500/mo, another $3500/mo, plus we're still paying off IV antibiotic's from last year that were $2500/DAY for 15 days!!! But I digress...
Just what we need. I am feeling a little discouraged right now. My husband hasn't had any work in the last week, the economy is a LITTLE BIT on the scarey side, and these expenses just keep going up.
Being a more recently dx (diagnosed) CFer (meaning, dx in the last 5 yrs) and not growing up knowing that I have it, I have the tendency to blow off treatment. It isn't an established habit. When the health maintenance feels so time-consuming and the prescription & other health costs are squeezing the tar out of us, I have the tendency to blow off treatment. I know I shouldn't, but I do.
Anyway, just a little discouraged tonight.
Hopefully my husband will get a call tomorrow that there is work for him. For one thing, we depend on his income and for another, it isn't easy having him around 24/7!!!
Indecisive
As you will see, I am still playing around with finding a background and look that I like for my blog. I didn't want to copy anyone elses, so didn't keep the first one. But I'm having a hard time finding the look I want.
Don't get dizzy with all of the changes!
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