Home Sweet Home

Sorry it has taken me so long to update all of you. While I was up in California, I kept thinking "I need to update my blog." But I just had very little energy and to be honest, I was having some depression. As much as writing helps with my depression, it was hard for me to get the motivation to write. There were nights where I would just lay in my bed, sobbing because I missed home and my family so much.

I was in the hospital for about 2 weeks on IV diuretics. The first 3 days of that though were very disheartening though as the medicine wasn't working and I kept gaining more fluid. Thankfully they did some medicine adjustments and I started losing the weight. I was discharged but stayed in the area for another 2 weeks or so, on oxygen 24/7. We decided that my lungs have just been so beaten up lately, since I got the chest cold and it just didn't seem to go away. 

Realizing that my lungs were the issue, we added two more asthma/lung medications. I am also on oxygen 24/7, still. My oxygen saturations have gotten better (I used to de-sat to the 70's with minimal activity, but now it's in the 80's). The doctors also suggest that I try and walk a 1/4 mile everyday, so I got a Fitbit to help measure how much I'm walking each day. 

Since I've been home for a week now, I have tried to slowly get back into my social life. I am concerned about doing too much too soon and ruining my progress and getting me back into another mess. When I do go out with my friends though for dinner or lunch, I don't wear my oxygen. I figure, I'm going to be sitting down and when I sit down, my oxygen does pretty well. Plus, I just hate having to wear oxygen in public. I feel like everyone is constantly starring at me and then I feel bad for the people I'm with - in case they feel awkward for all the stares too. When I'm at home though or going some place with my family (so far it's only been the grocery store or a walk around the block), I wear the oxygen. I know that my lungs still need it, but I worry that my body is going to get used to the oxygen and I won't be able to come off of it. I'm hoping to get my lungs better in time for camp this summer or else I won't be able to go. Going up into high altitude even when I'm well is hard on my body, I know that I can't do that when my lungs aren't at their best. So my plan is continue to walk, take my asthma medicine and hopefully start weaning myself down on the oxygen to eventually off. 

I want to thank everyone for their love and support during all of this. My e-mail was filled with wonderful and supportive messages, so I want to thank you for all of those. I hope that I'll be able to update you guys soon about my lung progress.

Hope and Love,

Becca