It began on the weekend, continued yesterday and will be in full tilt today. Moving. Working out. Sweating. The weekend included lots of yard work and tree removal and staining of wood. Yesterday, I did my entire routine at the other rehab and today will be my first day in a long time to see my rehab boys in the class. But before class, I am going to take a walk along the ocean early this morning.
By 2:00, I should be needing a nap!
My body is feeling better, looser, thinner and happier with all the movement. I am also sleeping so deeply I feel stupid when I awaken. And the dreams! Oh, the dreams.
The only thing that is worrisome is that I don't feel I am breathing well. It feels laboured. Michael said that the air was "heavy" yesterday and maybe that is why I was at 94-96 saturation rates while sitting. Should be higher.
I have been thinking a lot about my friend Marty who is post-transplant, had my disease and is not doing well. After receiving one lung just over a year ago, he is back on supplemental oxygen 24/7 and needs a wheelchair to get around. He was in good shape pre-transplant though underweight and the top end of the age limit. In my mind, once one received a transplant, their life carried on for a few years. A better quality of life. This along with the death of Susan from the ILD Support Group earlier this year has rather shaken my understanding and has given me a reality check about the entire transplant process. There really are no guarantees. It is a crap shoot. Health of the patient and quality of the new lungs are the unknowns once committed to a transplant.
But what is the other option? The new anti-fibrotic drugs for IPF will have to be approved and used for a few years before insurance will cover their tremendous costs for other ILDs. Too late for me. So I will be relieve to be qualified for transplants when that time comes. At least there is a chance that I could live a few more years. It suddenly feels like that time is growing closer and closer.
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