Today's Expedition

Hello everyone,

Today has been great so far! The day is not over yet 
I had my gripper needle out to day ... i am tube free!! YAY

I knew that today was the end of my IV’s and this meant, i was due to have my LF’s checked. I woke up, had my IV administered and then went into the gym just to wake my lungs up ;)
I did 15 minutes... not much but it was something. I then got dressed after clearing myself; this took 30-40 minutes. (Physio)
I was so determined to have my LF’s increase today. A doctor had told me previously that they wouldn’t pick up for a while; this drove me to prove him wrong. Therefore, i have been in the gym for 30 minutes every day getting a sweat on! ;)
Yesterday i even went in for 50 minutes, i wanted to push it to an hour but my chest said “NO!”

Anyway, we picked my BEST friend Aimee Burns up and left for Boothall.
Yes you heard correct people ... i took my best friend to Boothall. It was a wonderful day trip out for her :D ..... Your all thinking, “God i wish i had a friend like Sophie, who takes me to hospital to watch her cough her head off attempting to succeed in her challenge to increase her LF’s”
Okay maybe not word for word but still it’s something along those lines right? ;)
Well, i just want to add that Aimee is my best friend and she wanted to come to Boothall before the previous blog. Hence, the message at the bottom highlighting that not my entire group are ignorant towards my CF.
So, off we went to Boothall Children’s Hospital. Parked in my usual spot and entered the physio department.
We waited for the Physio to come as i explained the machine that measures my lung capacity to Aimee.

Lung function tests (also called pulmonary function tests or PFTs) evaluate how well your lungs work. The tests determine how much air your lungs can hold, how quickly you can move air in and out of your lungs and how well your lungs put oxygen into and remove carbon dioxide from your blood.
You blow into the machine as fast and as hard as you can for as long as you can.
This measures FEV’s = this is how fast you can push the air out.
FVC’s = this measures the how much you can breathe out.
The machine has a cartoon character which i name George and he has a milkshake. The aim of the game is for bubbles to be blown from the milkshake.
That’s my secret goal anyway; this shows me that i have done a ‘satisfactory’ blow.

We went into the cubicle and i grabbed device and blew.
On my first attempt, i didn’t get any bubbles 
On my second attempt, Guess what?!?! I Got Bubbles
On My Third Attempt .... I Got BUBBLES!!
I coughed a few times but that was okay .. i got bubbles!!
The pyhsio went to get my notes and i had a sneaky peek, i was certain they were better then last weeks.

She returned and my lung functions were up a WHOLE 20%!!
Last Week:- FEV= 54% FVC= 61%
Today:- FEV= 69% FVC= 82%
I was CHUFFED !! My mum was CHUFFED!! My dad was CHUFFED!! My physio was CHUFFED and PROUD!! My Best Friend Aimee Burns was both PROUD and PLEASED!!!

After there we went to the holzel centre which is specifically for CF’s to have clinic’s etc.
Here we were to meet Sharon, the CF nurse to have my gripper needle removed. She was really proud of me when i told her and showed her the photocopied chart of my LF’s.
Yes i photocopied the chart!! 
I wanted it as proof, proof for me to put in the gym as motivation. I want to get my LF’s back to where they were before my op. Back in the 90’s and 100’s.
It will take alot of work but i have never been so motivated and determined in all my life.
It’s like a new me, i really am trying in the gym and enjoying it. Also, i’m doing ALL my meds and airway clearances (physio).
I proved the doctors wrong before; i wanted to do it again.
I walked out after my op no later than a week. Against everyone’s expectations i want to amaze them again by getting my LF’s bigger and better than they ever were.

I quickly want to say thankyou to Aimee for showing a genuine interest into what goes on at hospital, i honestly think she was enjoyed herself a little bit 
I’m glad too, it was nice to have someone there with me ... other than my mum that is. 

Thankyou for reading, tomorrow’s post will be alot more interesting ... i just wanted to share my excitement and good news with you. 

Take Care, Sophie xoxo

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