Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Oxygen Dependency

Although I can't blog about the patient advisory board meetings at my university hospital, a meeting is this afternoon. They are stimulating, thought provoking and challenging. We leave feeling like we have helped a process. Moved the yardsticks forward. But frankly, I love the drive up and the drive home. Michael is usually a bit nervous before the meeting but very chatty and excited about all the discussions afterwards. And they feed us a very healthful dinner!

Before the meeting, I am having my hair colored and a facial. Time will be tight so I will have to apply makeup in the car while Michael is driving and completed when we park at the hospital. Early this morning, I am going to wash and iron our sheets, make some sugar-glazed walnuts for a friend's parents and our company, pick up the fallen camellia blossoms in the garden then make some lunch. It is going to be a full day.

I am feeling a tightness in my breathing. My saturation readings were still above 94% but I felt I needed a bit of oxygen hauling in the groceries yesterday. Someone asked me if I felt that the more I used supplemental oxygen, the more I needed it. Nope. I began to use oxygen ten years ago and have continued to use it at the same rate the entire time. As the disease progresses, I expect to need more. Maybe I am coming to that time. Recovering from making the bed and other chores seems to take longer and I notice my breathing more than usual. When I think back to when I actually got the disease in late 2002 yet was not diagnosed with an ILD until 2004 and Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis in 2005, I am amazed that I am not totally dependent on supplemental oxygen all these years later. I credit my workouts.

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