Another 48 hours

ICU.

48 hours...

It got boring and I had to cut our date short. I've been telling the doctors that I'm ready to go home for days now. I believe my exact words are "I have things to do".

So once again I make it out of the ICU; I guess I didn't have enough of it in 2008.  If you want any advice on how to zip past the ER waiting line and get yourself checked in to a cozy room where your every breath and heartbeat, etc are monitored - give me a call.

Last Thursday went downhill pretty fast. Linds and I made it to physio (were there long enough for me to do an amazing 10 arm rolls) and then to the St. Michaels CF Clinic before things got ugly. I didn't mean to scare poor Linds...she said in a matter of minutes the room went from a couple of docs to about 10 medical professionals.

It was nuts. I just couldn't breathe and it kept getting worse; not exactly a good time. I tried to reason with my crusty lungs but we all know how they like to ignore me. Thankfully, Linds was by my side through the whole ride and Brad showed up early to come hold my hand. When I woke to find him at my bedside the monitors went absolutely berserk.

Beep, beep, beep, flashing lights, people flinging themselves around, chaos up and down the street.

I was put on a Bi-pap, which helps push air and oxygen into the lungs and then helps to hold the lungs inflated, which allows more oxygen to enter. It is highly attractive, as illustrated in one of Brad's posts. I'm still on it at night as I'm retaining carbon dioxide.

For $5 I'll give you 5 minutes on it.

I was transferred to a regular floor on Saturday and as I was being rolled to my room we passed a very familiar face. Turns out Heather, one of my best buds, came to Toronto to surprise me!! Believe it or not, the last time she came to surprise me (in Halifax), I was also in the ICU. So, unfortunately, I was only able to see her inside the hospital, but that's better than last time when she wasn't able to even get in to the ICU.

****I have some very sad news****

Make sure you are sitting down...

Ok...

Ready??

I was examined by an RT the other day and after listening to my less than desirable windbags, he declared...

 "I think you have CF!"

This came as a tremendous shock and I'm still deciding how I'll break it to my family and friends.

Two days ago I was informed that I have Clostridium Difficile (also called C Diff). It's a bacteria that causes severe problems in, what I'll say to keep it clean, "the guts". Being in the hospital and on antibiotics set me up for this and I'm now contagious. Everyone who comes in my room has to wear a sexy yellow gown and gloves. When I go out for my graceful walks down the hall (to avoid the huge needle full of blood thinner (heparin), I also get to be adorned in this beautiful attire. 

I'm sure it'll be in all the fashion mags now that I've worn it, since the paparazzi continue to stalk me in the hospital. Helicopters flying by my window, cameras flashing.

The days are just kinda rolling by in a blur. I can't distinguish one from the other. The excitement in here is just insane. The day I finally had the strength to shower and wash my hair was off the charts.

Sponge baths just can't compete.

The food in here is to die for. Here's Brad dissecting my dinner:

Surgeon Lawlor

The best part of the hospital may just be the unlimited time on our hands to do nothing but take ridiculous pictures:

Heather left today, which totally sucked. Linds leaves Friday, which will totally suck. However, the good news is that Ted & Judy, Brad's parents, come on Friday.

Want to make bets on whether or not I'll convince the docs of St. Michaels to let me out by Friday???

Thanks everyone for their well wishes; I am once again overwhelmed by the support and love.

I will never understand how I got this lucky in life. I guess you could call me a deliriously happy girl waiting for exceptional new blowers.