Hope everyone had a great weekend! The CF research walk went well! We had a great turn out and the rain held off. I didn't win the weekend away to St. Andrews but it was fun regardless.
We spent Saturday selling all of our stuff at Mom and Dads which raised over 1000$. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!
I'm now exhausted from the weekend and heading off to bed to sleep for several days.
Just kidding, bloodwork to be done bright and early! The whole 'one month' plan lasted less than a week.
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Thursday, 26 May 2016
18 months post-transplant!
It's my 18 month transplant-versary! Woohoo!!!
I heard from Toronto and I'm approved to go up for my assessment at the end of June. I can also stop my antifungal and antibiotic, yay!! (this does mean that I'll need more bloodwork as my anti-rejection levels change with the stopping of the meds but I'll take it.) The team there is planning on sending me to the oncology team at Princess Margaret (the cancer hospital in Toronto) when I'm there for a second opinion on my cancer.
Does that mean they don't trust the Halifax team? Or do they just want to hear from their own people? Either way, I guess it can't hurt and might be nice to talk to a doctor who has actually seen this type of cancer with someone post-lung transplant. I'll have had my PET scan and follow up appointment with Halifax at that point so hopefully they'll have all the latest information. Not sure what I'll do if the doctors disagree on a follow up treatment plan though....
A few weeks ago, my "Facebook Memories" reminded me of how last year I cycled 40km from Toronto to Oakville. It's a great memory but also annoyingly reminded me that I'm not positive I could do that today. Stupid cancer, I'm not in the physical condition I had imagined I would be once I started recovering, post-transplant. And I had been getting to a really good place physically before I got cancer but my low hemoglobin in September brought it all crashing down as it's hard to do much when you feel faint upon exertion
After all the chemo, fevers, and inactivity during all my hospital stays, it seems like I have to build up everything again. It's so much work and even harder when there is no gym in the house (I loved having the free gym in our condo building in Toronto). I mean, we do have weights and exercise mats at home but it's just not the same as an actual gym-gym with treadmills and rowing machines and people to secretly compete against and aspire to be.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still way healthier than I was pre-transplant. I mean, I can breathe and am alive so no complaints on that front. I just had somewhat loftier exercise goals post-transplant than I think were realistic. Although in my goal-planning, I didn't factor in getting cancer. I thought I would be running 10ks and cycling to Amherst at this point, training for a marathon, lifting huge weights, hiking mountains...realistic goals like that...
I see posts of people running 5km three months post-transplant and I don't understand how they do it. That would be amazing if I could do that now, at 18 months, so I've decided that is my goal for the summer (if I can manage to run without busting up my knee again). Not even to run in a event anywhere, just to run for myself would be fantastic. We'll see how well that works. First I need to fully recover from my face plant a few weeks ago (yes, I'm still aching, my chin has healed but my ribs still hurt).
I did manage to go on a little celebratory hike today before picking up Isaiah from the airport. I could feel that it was humid and my lungs weren't a huge fan but I could breathe! It felt wonderful. When I compare where I was two or three years ago to now, it's basically indescribable.
This is why we fundraise. To support research for CF infections. Research and funding for transplants. Research for CF related cancers. Research for CF related diabetes. Funding for CF clinics. Funding for patient support systems. Funding for organ donation awareness.
All without out, I wouldn't be here today enjoying this weirdly humid but beautiful day.
I heard from Toronto and I'm approved to go up for my assessment at the end of June. I can also stop my antifungal and antibiotic, yay!! (this does mean that I'll need more bloodwork as my anti-rejection levels change with the stopping of the meds but I'll take it.) The team there is planning on sending me to the oncology team at Princess Margaret (the cancer hospital in Toronto) when I'm there for a second opinion on my cancer.
Does that mean they don't trust the Halifax team? Or do they just want to hear from their own people? Either way, I guess it can't hurt and might be nice to talk to a doctor who has actually seen this type of cancer with someone post-lung transplant. I'll have had my PET scan and follow up appointment with Halifax at that point so hopefully they'll have all the latest information. Not sure what I'll do if the doctors disagree on a follow up treatment plan though....
A few weeks ago, my "Facebook Memories" reminded me of how last year I cycled 40km from Toronto to Oakville. It's a great memory but also annoyingly reminded me that I'm not positive I could do that today. Stupid cancer, I'm not in the physical condition I had imagined I would be once I started recovering, post-transplant. And I had been getting to a really good place physically before I got cancer but my low hemoglobin in September brought it all crashing down as it's hard to do much when you feel faint upon exertion
After all the chemo, fevers, and inactivity during all my hospital stays, it seems like I have to build up everything again. It's so much work and even harder when there is no gym in the house (I loved having the free gym in our condo building in Toronto). I mean, we do have weights and exercise mats at home but it's just not the same as an actual gym-gym with treadmills and rowing machines and people to secretly compete against and aspire to be.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still way healthier than I was pre-transplant. I mean, I can breathe and am alive so no complaints on that front. I just had somewhat loftier exercise goals post-transplant than I think were realistic. Although in my goal-planning, I didn't factor in getting cancer. I thought I would be running 10ks and cycling to Amherst at this point, training for a marathon, lifting huge weights, hiking mountains...realistic goals like that...
I see posts of people running 5km three months post-transplant and I don't understand how they do it. That would be amazing if I could do that now, at 18 months, so I've decided that is my goal for the summer (if I can manage to run without busting up my knee again). Not even to run in a event anywhere, just to run for myself would be fantastic. We'll see how well that works. First I need to fully recover from my face plant a few weeks ago (yes, I'm still aching, my chin has healed but my ribs still hurt).
I did manage to go on a little celebratory hike today before picking up Isaiah from the airport. I could feel that it was humid and my lungs weren't a huge fan but I could breathe! It felt wonderful. When I compare where I was two or three years ago to now, it's basically indescribable.
This is why we fundraise. To support research for CF infections. Research and funding for transplants. Research for CF related cancers. Research for CF related diabetes. Funding for CF clinics. Funding for patient support systems. Funding for organ donation awareness.
All without out, I wouldn't be here today enjoying this weirdly humid but beautiful day.
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Cooking: Baked Egg in Avocado
Before Isaiah left on his trip, he bought a ton of discounted avocados and then jetted off to Ireland leaving me with a fridge of avocados to eat. Since mashed avocado on my sandwiches and hamburgers wasn't using them up fast enough, I decided to try the seemingly popular "baked egg in avocado" for breakfast the other morning. I've seen this recipe everywhere online, especially on lists like "top 10 gluten free breakfast ideas" or "10 things you didn't know you could do with a avocado."
It's a good idea. Avocado, egg, bacon, sea salt, how could it be bad? Well, it was weird. It kind of fell flat for me. It was just...weird. I'm not sure why it's so popular. I have a suspicion that people share recipes on list-sciles without actually trying them first.
My other problem with the recipe was that, despite my scooping out a bunch of the avocado to make room, half of the egg white fell out before I could get it in the oven. I should've scoped out more but then it would've been less of actually eating avocado and more like I'm just baking a egg in an avocado shell.
I would rather just eat bacon and eggs.
It's a good idea. Avocado, egg, bacon, sea salt, how could it be bad? Well, it was weird. It kind of fell flat for me. It was just...weird. I'm not sure why it's so popular. I have a suspicion that people share recipes on list-sciles without actually trying them first.
My other problem with the recipe was that, despite my scooping out a bunch of the avocado to make room, half of the egg white fell out before I could get it in the oven. I should've scoped out more but then it would've been less of actually eating avocado and more like I'm just baking a egg in an avocado shell.
I would rather just eat bacon and eggs.
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| If you have large eggs, you need to scoop out more than this otherwise egg will go everywhere. |
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| Egg pre-baking. I fried up bacon separately. |
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| It looks so delicious! Too bad it tastes weird. |
Tuesday, 24 May 2016
Fundraising!
Hope people had a good long weekend! I spent it spring cleaning which is about as exciting as it sounds. I took a bit of a break on Sat to go to the beach and put my feet in the water. And then immediately put my feet back in the hot sand to warm back up. I was feeling pretty optimistic when I put on my bathing suit that morning.
Even though spring cleaning is annoying, it is nice to have a clean house. The only annoyance is a pesky mouse that's been skittering around. I cleaned all the cupboards, put everything in containers and totes, and hadn't seen any signs in several days so I thought maybe it just went back outside on it's own (this weekend has been full of failed optimism).
This afternoon however, it dashed out from under the oven when I turned it on to make cookies causing me to scream a bit louder than I'd like to admit. I tried fleeing the house from it but then it started to rain so that didn't work so well. On the plus side I now have about 5 dozen pumpkin cranberry cookies ( I decided it was time to cook up the last squash we had saved from the fall, cold cellar FTW) if anyone wants to stop by.
Mom and Dad are having a yard sale on Saturday as a fundraiser for the CF walk on Sunday. So in my cleaning I've also been sorting stuff to get rid of. We have such a big house now that things tend to pile up and, seeing as when we move again it most likely won't be into a 4 bedroom house, I would rather not accumulate too much.
If you're in the Petitcodiac area on Saturday, come to the yard sale! Petty is having a village-wide sale that day so even if you're in the surrounding areas, it may be worth the trip.
Also, a reminder that it's the last week if you want to donate to the walk for CF research. We would all really appreciate it! There are also tickets for sale for a night and dinner at fancy places in St. Andrews, NB if you'd rather try to win something with your donation instead of getting a boring tax receipt. The tickets are only 5$ and the draw will be on Sunday. It's a great prize for anyone in NB or for anyone who knows someone in NB. I bought a whole bunch for myself so I should actually stop advertising them to give myself better odds. But still, message or email me if you would like one and I'll put your name in the draw!
Here is the link if you want to donate to the walk! Let's raise some money so we can research the hell out of CF! And by we, I mean the scientists, not me personally. Although I have been part of a few research studies. So I guess I do help out from time to time. Big thank you to everyone who already donated!
Even though spring cleaning is annoying, it is nice to have a clean house. The only annoyance is a pesky mouse that's been skittering around. I cleaned all the cupboards, put everything in containers and totes, and hadn't seen any signs in several days so I thought maybe it just went back outside on it's own (this weekend has been full of failed optimism).
This afternoon however, it dashed out from under the oven when I turned it on to make cookies causing me to scream a bit louder than I'd like to admit. I tried fleeing the house from it but then it started to rain so that didn't work so well. On the plus side I now have about 5 dozen pumpkin cranberry cookies ( I decided it was time to cook up the last squash we had saved from the fall, cold cellar FTW) if anyone wants to stop by.
Mom and Dad are having a yard sale on Saturday as a fundraiser for the CF walk on Sunday. So in my cleaning I've also been sorting stuff to get rid of. We have such a big house now that things tend to pile up and, seeing as when we move again it most likely won't be into a 4 bedroom house, I would rather not accumulate too much.
If you're in the Petitcodiac area on Saturday, come to the yard sale! Petty is having a village-wide sale that day so even if you're in the surrounding areas, it may be worth the trip.
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| A unicycle! |
Here is the link if you want to donate to the walk! Let's raise some money so we can research the hell out of CF! And by we, I mean the scientists, not me personally. Although I have been part of a few research studies. So I guess I do help out from time to time. Big thank you to everyone who already donated!
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| Win dinner and a night away! |
Friday, 20 May 2016
Cooking: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
I made a fantastic supper tonight. Stuffed peppers. Yum!
This morning I cooked up some quinoa in broth and while that was boiling, fried up a carrot, garlic, and onion. I threw in some leftover cooked chicken and when the quinoa was done, mixed it all together with some of David's tomato sauce, salt, pepper, basil, and cumin. Then I stuffed it into the peppers. I was just going to do two but then I made too much filling and ended up with three.
I wrapped the peppers in foil and put them in the fridge for the day. This evening I threw them on the BBQ for 15 min (rotating every 5 min or so) in the foil. I took them out of the foil for the last few min just to get a pretty char on the sides. This worked best for the pepper that was cut lenghtwise, the ones that were stuffed from the top threatened to spill the filling out when I turned them on the side so that didn't last very long. I mostly just charred the bottom of those. I would recommend cutting lenghtwise for the BBQ for a more even cook. I think cutting from the top would work well if you're going to bake them.
This morning I cooked up some quinoa in broth and while that was boiling, fried up a carrot, garlic, and onion. I threw in some leftover cooked chicken and when the quinoa was done, mixed it all together with some of David's tomato sauce, salt, pepper, basil, and cumin. Then I stuffed it into the peppers. I was just going to do two but then I made too much filling and ended up with three.
I wrapped the peppers in foil and put them in the fridge for the day. This evening I threw them on the BBQ for 15 min (rotating every 5 min or so) in the foil. I took them out of the foil for the last few min just to get a pretty char on the sides. This worked best for the pepper that was cut lenghtwise, the ones that were stuffed from the top threatened to spill the filling out when I turned them on the side so that didn't last very long. I mostly just charred the bottom of those. I would recommend cutting lenghtwise for the BBQ for a more even cook. I think cutting from the top would work well if you're going to bake them.
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| It's so pretty. |
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