Conked Out After Pulmo Rehab

I managed to sleep better the past two nights. There was some disturbance in the force the past two weeks and I had very dismal sleep. I researched for home remedies and it worked even though I have not been able to do my usual gardening exercise. 

I had a hard time during pulmo rehab last week. I didn't have much rest, plus my tonsils were still inflamed. My therapist said I looked much better today. I told him I was able to sleep and I've been consistent with moisturizing. 

I volunteered to use my heavier dumb bells today since I couldn't feel anything from the 1 pound set. I was good the first two exercises, but started to feel the difference by the third exercise. I had back pain too, so I thought it would help. I managed to finish the session with the heavier dumbbells. I finished strong with wall push-ups. 

I was exhausted when we finished and I forced myself to finish my lunch before conking out, haha. I was out once my head hit the pillow on the sofa. I napped for two hours and I'm now gathering some strength to visit the cats. I can't let a day pass without visiting them. They will surely help heal me from today's session. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Achieved New Biking Time!

I'm so pleased with myself. I achieved 11 minutes and 49 seconds of spinning today. Yay! I thought we were doing just 10 minutes, but my PT said he dupped me and set it to 12 minutes. It helps that I'm able to talk while exercising. 

My PT said I'm on schedule to reach my "biking outdoors goal". We're taking it slowly since it's too hot anyway to go out. I also don't have a bike yet, haha. I only have the bell (the that goes kringkriinngg!) which I got from Daiso in Japan many years ago. Yup, that's how long I've wanted to go biking again. 

In time I will!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Pulmo Rehab Masterals, New Goals

My PT changed up my regime on my second pulmo rehab session. We started with spinning and I was able to do 9 minutes! I felt fine after and my stats quickly stabilized. I still had a bit of energy so we went ahead with the other exercises. 

By the 45th minute I was tired and just sluggishly tried to complete all the exercise. My PT though is really good, he can tell when I'm already tired. My perky self disappears and it takes longer for me to lift arms or legs, haha. I still luckily finished the session in one piece.

My problem is I only feel I'm really tired after a few hours. Delayed reaction! I felt really tired after eating lunch and I rested for a few hours. Since I felt better I thought I had the energy to plant some seeds. I just sowed the seeds since the pots already had soil. 

That was a bad move on my end. I should have just rested the whole day. I felt really, really tired after dinner. I went to bed early and I rested the next few days. We're still working on my endurance. We probably need to adjust the exercise and no overdo it. 

I really want to improve and be able to bike around our village. For now my bike won't bring me anywhere since it's a stationary bike, haha. I just need to work up to 5 minutes of spinning per day. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Started Pulmo Rehab Masterals

Just started taking my pulmo rehab "masterals", haha. I will just do it once a week now. I started a few days ago. We did the usual breathing and stretching exercises. My physiotherapist, Ronald, cut it down so I would have time to go spinning. 

We originally targeted 10 minutes, but I was already having trouble by the third minute. Ronald adjusted it to five minutes. Since I was tired already we used the extra 5 minutes for me to rest. The session ended with some cool down exercises. 

I signed up for yoga through an app. I was supposed to start this week, but I've been unstable due to the heat. I had to cancel a doctor's appointment because I spent the entire Monday lying down. It's really tricky, I have to do stuff in the kitchen really fast so the heat doesn't bite me (fans aren't enough). 

Oh well, that's just me, I have to be kept at temperatures below 30'C to be stable. :')

#BeKind #StaySafe 

A Different Kind of Graduation (Pulmo Rehab Journey)

My doctor said I'm lucky I'm still able to walk around without lugging around an oxygen tank. He said he has a patient who only has one ailment, but needs oxygen already. My stats are way worse than her, but I'm still able to function quite normally. Thank you Lord! 

I was in very bad shape last year. My breathing was incapacitated and I had very low tolerance to bad air quality. I could barely do regular activities like watering plants or cooking. My stamina had gone on permanent vacation. I was so frustrated because my quality of life was really bad. It was my cardiologist who recommended for me to do pulmo rehab. This was approved by my pulmonologist.

I started doing pulmo rehab in late September. The 16 sessions should have been completed by November. Well, it dragged on since there were days I was unstable and had to cancel my session. I went through 4 therapists, Cyril, Amira, Jeff and Ronald. It was Ronald who's been taking care of me now since he also specialized in cardiac therapy. He's been able to make sure I'm still able to function after a session. Sometimes I end up in bed the rest of the day, haha. 

My pulmo rehab team :)

At the beginning of my sessions we set goals. I told them I wanted to be able to do at least two major things a day. When I started the boys had to take over watering my plants and I stopped cooking for a long time. I could only reach up to 1,500 in my spirometer. Slowly, but surely my stamina improved. I could walk up the stairs without huffing and puffing. I can regularly reach 3,000 to 3,500 in my spirometer. I'm able to spend 30 to 60 minutes everyday watering plants and cook, if my energy allows it. 

After 5 months, I finally completed the first course. The team insisted I have a proper graduation probably because I was a difficult patient to take care of. My former PT, Wendy, would wholeheartedly agree. They'd all agree also I have bad coordination and my timing is always off, haha. 

My rehab spotters, Sweetie and Miggy.
They have to watch over me during sessions to make sure I don't keel over, haha.

I saw my pulmonologist yesterday and after that I visited the pulmo rehab center to visit the team. I was so surprised because they even played graduation music the whole time I was there. I was given a "diploma" and we had a good laugh over the last few months. 

I will start my "masterals" on Friday. I'm excited because Ronald mentioned I will start using the stationary bike again. I eventually want to be able to bike around our neighborhood. I don't have one yet at this time, but when I'm able to stay on the exercise bike that's when I'll probably get a bike. 

Breathe, My Pulmo Rehab Journey

Breathing well whether asleep or awake has worked wonders for me. I started pulmo rehab last September. I'm expected to finish my first set by next week. I should have been done in November, but I got sick and missed 2 months of rehab. I resumed last week. 

My lungs are scarred due to various illnesses I had in the past. It started in 2008 when I had pneumonia. Five years later my doctor said after OHS my lungs looked like it had gone through surgery. It got worse after I had two PEs. I was lucky because my former physiotherapist who was working on my back is also an expert on pulmo rehab. She had to work on my breathing before we could do any exercise for my back. Even though it wasn't the focus of our sessions, the exercises for my lungs helped me a lot. 

I've been advising friends who had COVID to get their lungs checked. I send them the post-PE exercise video which I followed before. Exercising your lungs will help prevent scars. Scars in your lungs cannot be removed. The best way is to save and strengthen the healthy part of your lungs. That's what our focus is on right now for me. 

My stamina dwindled since mid-2022. My body went through a lot and it was frustrating because I could barely do anything. I can't cook. Can't clean. Can't do any gardening. Going out is a huge challenge. So I asked my doctors what should I do to improve my stamina. They prescribed pulmo rehab, had me do a sleep test, and work on my nutrition. 

It's been a lot of work, but I'm seeing the fruits of our labor. Sweetie and Miggy play a big role in my health activities. They take turns to spot me while I do my pulmo rehab sessions. Make sure I eat well and on time. Miggy has been strict about getting us to the bedroom earlier (he has to because Sweetie and I tend to hang out downstairs past midnight). 

What changed my game was when I started using a CPAP machine. Pulmo rehab + better nutrition helps, but I needed better sleep. My doctor explained that breathing well in your sleep is important to restore your body. Good sleep + my daily gardening exercise has so far kept me stable and I've become more active at home again. Maybe this year I'll finally be able to organize our home better (together with my boys of course). 

 "Even as little as 10 to 15 minutes a day to deep breathing can help reduce stress and tension, lower blood pressure." - Harefuah Medical Journal#BeKind #StaySafe

My Pulmo Rehab Journey

My therapists suggested I should blog about my pulmo rehab journey. I'm supposed to complete 16 sessions within two months. It's been a month since I started and I have not met the target. My immune system and stamina hasn't been able to keep up, so there were weeks I was only able to do one session. 

I had done cardiac rehab after heart surgery, rehab for my shoulder, and rehab for my back. Pulmo rehab is the "lightest" kind of rehab I've experienced. Light because it's mostly breathing exercises targeted to expand your lungs. The goal is to strengthen my lungs and save the good parts. The exercises look easy to do, but they wipe me out. 

Three out of the five sessions I've done rendered me useless for the rest of the day, haha. I have four therapists who switch with each other depending on how I did previously. Yesterday, Ronald took charge of my session. He said he used to do cardiac therapy. My other therapists, Jeff and Ameera, popped in during my session to say hello. 

Jeff mentioned that I have a classmate who's just like me. They have to adjust our exercises to match our endurance. I'm glad they did because I was able to function the rest of the day. I even got to do some light gardening. Yaaas!

I reported to my pulmo doctor last week that the handful of sessions I've done have improved my endurance. I fell ill again though with a viral infection and missed a session. I decided to see my doctor because I've been feeling unwell and lethargic. He said I just needed to rest and drink more water. I oftentimes feel guilty when I miss sessions, but it seems common for people like me.

Pushed myself to attend yesterday's session. I wanted to rest more, but I didn't want to fall behind on my sessions. I do some of the exercises everyday. I have to remember though not to overdo things so I can improve steadily. I'm just so far happy that I have more good days now than bad days. 

If your doctor recommends you to do pulmo rehab, do it! I realized I'm 5 years late for it. I should have probably been recommended to do it back in 2018 when I had my first PE. And probably more cardiac rehab after my heart surgery. But, it's never really too late to start. Just keep going! :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Pulmo Rehab

Had my fourth pulmo rehab session yesterday. I guess the center thought it was time to level up my exercises. We did last Thursday's one hour session in 30 minutes and I was taught new exercises in the second half. We are working on increasing my endurance since I am limited to doing one activity per day. 

Ended up resting the rest of the day. I took two long naps after. I was winded since we also went out yesterday. I did 3x the usual steps I make. Usually it takes a couple of days to recover whenever I go out. My cardio and pulmo worked in tandem to have me do pulmo rehab. They said it should help strengthen my lungs and reinforce the healthy parts. 

I've been doing my pulmo rehab online. I originally wanted to do it in person so the PT can gauge my capacity better. Ended up doing it online which is fine since I don't have to travel to the hospital. Saves me time, energy and gas. 

Been in touch with my former PT. She's back in London and has been busy teaching. She was really good to me. I was sent to her to do PT for my back, but she realized she had to deal with my lungs first before I could do any of the back exercises. The sessions were excruciating and I'm really lucky she was very patient with me. We developed a friendship and have been in touch since I last did a session with her in 2021. 

I have so far experienced 3 PTs now. I think they switch around depending on your progress. They are all efficient and kind and I'm surprised they keep tabs on what you go through. They also don't shy away from questions because I raised the issue about climbing stairs. Told my PT yesterday I encountered steep stairs last Monday and it was really hard for me. He taught me how to deal with it. I'm going to practice it when I've recovered. 

I have 12 more sessions and have to see my doctors midway to check on my improvement. I think it's so far been very helpful. How I wish I did this sooner (like since 2018). I could have probably avoided gaining more scars and lung issues, but doctors have different schools of thought. My PT told me yesterday, "Well at least you know you're one of a kind." Haha, yes, indeed. 

#BeKind #StaySafe 

My 5th Clotiversary

Commemorated my 5th clotiversary the other day. Sweetie asked me, "What is a clotiversary and why are you celebrating it?" I explained to him that clotiversary is the anniversary date when your blood clot was discovered. Why is it important? It's important because it's the date you survived an illness that has up to 30% mortality rate. 

Patients who have had pulmonary embolism normally commemorate the date because we are grateful to be alive. Many do not and find out when it's too late. I had a huge clot in my left lung. It was misdiagnosed for a year that's why it grew so big. I had to fight to get a second opinion. A GP scoffed at me and said that I was just going to get the same diagnosis, asthma. I wouldn't be here today if I did not insist on getting a second opinion. 

Twenty eight months later I had a second PE. It was caught early, but it affected my right lung. By that time the clot on my left lung hadn't dissolved yet. My doctor couldn't give me a higher dosage of meds because I kept bleeding. I had a harder time recovering from the second one. In fact, I never did and we went for stability. That's why my doctors in Singapore advised me to retire. 

Since I've just been coasting along and my tests and scans aren't any better than those I had in Singapore, my doctor recommended me to do pulmonary rehab. We hope to strengthen parts of my lungs that are still healthy. I am still lucky that I don't need supplemental oxygen. I can get by as long as the air quality is good. I have an oxygen concentrator which I use when my oxygen saturation goes very low. 

Finally started my first pulmo rehab today. It took awhile to schedule. The center wanted me to do a pulmonary function test first. My doctor made it optional. I didn't get to do it because I couldn't last the night without my regular maintenance meds. I had asthma and had to take meds, so had to cancel the PFT. My doctor anyway said I didn't really need to do it since my last PFT shows my lungs do need rehab. 

First day exercises were actually very light. Just breathing exercises with some stretching. I was super tired though after the session and had to lie down the rest of the day, haha. I had grand plans to make homemade pancakes. Of course, that didn't happen, so many will attempt again later this week. My goal is to have more energy and stamina. I told the physiotherapist that I eventually want to be able to ride a bike again (originally wanted to run a marathon post OHS, haha). 

Let's work it, work it and pray. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Wellness Wednesdays: Addressing Personality Flaws

My doctors told me that my biggest flaw is my type A personality. They told me I'd end up killing myself if I don't slow down. I kept brushing off their observation and would just laugh it off whenever it was brought up.

I didn't believe them. It came to a point one of my doctors wrote a note to my manager to prohibit me from traveling. I stopped for awhile, but eventually went back to my old ways. My thick head couldn't accept the fact that what my mind thought I could do, didn't measure up to what my body could deliver. 

After my second PE* my doctors sat me down and advised me to retire. I followed their advise because my body gave up. Looking back, I should have thrown in the towel after my first PE. I wouldn't be this weak today if I listened to my doctors in 2018.

I thought after retiring I'd get better. I didn't because I once again battled issues that I should have delegated. I just got worse and worse and here I am today still in survival mode. One good day can be followed by several bad days. It is exhausting.

I realized that my issue is intrinsically tied to my personality flaw. I'm such a go getter, I get so anxious just watching things happen. I also feel so bad when there's something I can't do. 

I got good advise from a neighbor who told me to block someone who kept pestering me even though we've told this person countless times that someone else is in-charge of the matter. It took all my will not to respond. I lost a lot of sleep worrying over it. 

Since stress causes my heart to enlarge I have resolved to finally address my flaw. I know it's going to freak me out because I'd feel I'm being irresponsible and uncaring. I just need to remind myself that I have done what I could, delegated to able bodied people and let them step up. It's also the only way for me to hopefully get better. 

*PE - pulmonary embolism 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Miracle Sundays: Be Steadfast

The new year feels wore off just after a few days. I busied myself in the kitchen because I wanted to see the floor which was still covered in boxes. 

If there's one thing I learned about managing a chronic illness, it's to take things one day at a time. A subset of that is to do at least one percent better from the previous day. 

There was probably around 20 boxes of kitchen items the angels packed before the renovation. It was the combination of two kitchens. Miggy helped me with the first ten boxes and then I worked on the rest. 

Tried to do as much as I could but it left me tired, unweyand grouchy. Changed tactics to just one box a day. That worked and I'm down to two boxes and a bag of stuff. It took up a lot of time because I had to handwash everything.

I'm truly grateful I could move around more because I haven't been able to do these things in the past three years. There is always hope and I'm thankful for all the prayers. 

Be steadfast in your faith.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Wellness Wednesdays: My Wellness Goals for 2023

My recovery has been long and very slow. I have honestly been very fragile. The key to staying well is listening to my body and keeping my well-being stable. My main kryptonite is bad air quality and when my PTSD is triggered. Those are two things that I have to avoid so I stay stable. 

I reached my wellness goal last year which was not to be hospitalized. I didn't! And my doctor told me to avoid hospitals because it's a huge risk for me to pick up COVID-19. Not getting hospitalized is part of my 2023 goal, but my main goal this year is to recover and gain more stamina. I want to be able to do the things I used to do for my boys and create more happy memories with them. 

Here's my plan to reach my goal:

1. Pray
2. Be grateful and be grateful for others
3. Eat well and eat more nutritious food
4. Lose more weight
5. Complete daily exercises and increase exercise capacity (and try to go out more)
6. Follow doctors orders and do the tests
7. Drink meds on time
8. Re-start meditation
9. Solidify coping mechanims
10. Less social media 

I'm still keeping my circle small for now, but I hope to spend some time to see my friends. I was only able to meet up with friends once last year and after that I couldn't plan anything because of my stability. And that is why my goal this year is to be stable and gain more stamina. :)

What are your wellness goals for the year?

#BeKind #StaySafe

No Throwback Today

I was planning to make a post on my top 10 most read posts of the year today. Unfortunately I'm still not feeling well. The boys forced me to rest so I could recover faster. Bad AQI is really my kryptonite.

Tomorrow will hopefully be a better day. 

Miracle Sundays: Thrombosis Day 2022, What You Need to Know About Blood Clots

It was World Thrombosis Day on October 13. I completely forgot about it since I was busy with my quilt projects. I thought I'd blog about blood clots today since I noticed there are more people joining the patient group I'm in that had it due to COVID-19. 

I had pulmonary embolism in 2018. It was detected after being misdiagnosed as asthma for over a year. It was only found after my second opinion doctor ordered a CT scan. My first respiratory doctor kept dismissing my complaint for shortness of breath as severe asthma. Even the ER which I visited several times thought it was mild pneumonia. 

That time I had a second venogram, one of the many tests I went through.

Blood clots in the lungs (PE) or legs (DVT) can be caused by several things. It can be genetic, a compression in your pelvis (May Thurner Syndrome) or provoked by pregnancy or birth control pills (common). And now it can be caused by COVID-19 (read more here). After the boys had COVID-19, I insisted having them checked by a pulmonologist. 

The cause of my clots is unknown. After going through so many tests I thought I'll just let it remain a mystery. I'm just grateful I survived two episodes of pulmonary embolism. The huge clot though from 2018 is still hanging out in my lungs. It did not dissolve and has progressed to pulmonary hypertension. That's the reason why my doctors told me to retire. 

Be vigilant. Blood clots can be fatal (mortality rate of up to 30%, read more here). Clots also cause stroke, heart attacks etc. (read more here). I used to be so stable, but like other patients my mental health has been affected by the recurrent clots (read more here). It is, after all, a traumatic event. 

If you've recently been diagnosed with PE or DVT, it's best to join a patient group. I found comfort through the group and learned so much on how I can improve the quality of my life. Here are some helpful links -

• Thrombosis.org
• Stop the Clot Support Group 
• Patient Resource Guide - https://www.stoptheclot.org/new-patient-resource-guide-2/
  
• Questions to ask your doctor - https://www.stoptheclot.org/peer-support/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-about-blood-clots/ 

Surround yourself with loved ones and those who would support you. Avoid stress and keep praying. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Wellness Wednesdays: Know Your Kryptonite

Now that my breathing has improved, I have a bit more energy now to move around. My doctor was happy with the progress I made tripling my daily step count. I truly believe that faith and putting your mind into getting well really helps. I've also been religious at taking my medication. I am still hopeful that the maintenance meds I take can be reduced. 

Faith, following your doctor's recommendations, taking your meds religiously, eating and sleeping properly is just part of the battle to being well. I want to have more good days than bad days (and maybe elimate bad days altogether). One thing that's worked well for me is knowing my kryptonite. This requires knowing your body well and listening to it. 

We came from a family trip recently and I'm really happy we were able to enjoy it. My major kryptonite are heat and bad air quality. We crossed the street earlier and I got dizzy even with an umbrella. We didn't make it to our targeted lunch place and instead went to the nearest resto. Whenever that happens to me I know I have sit in a cool place so I don't overheat. We immediately went inside the resto, sat down and drank water. I stabilized after a few minutes. 

I have many other things that affect my body. We're able to manage it well by knowing the triggers and avoiding it. I always bring a water bottle wherever I go and Sweetie has a portable fan in his bag. We bring a small air filter whenever we travel so I could rest well at night. Thankfully we haven't had the need to lug around an oxygen concentrator. I do need to avoid wearing a mask though, so we go out only when really needed. 

Did you know that starfish can heal themselves? They can regrow arms that are severed from their central disc and can grow again just from an arm (Source: The Guardian). Dr Joe Dispenza believes that humans can heal their body through their mind. My doctor was really surprised with my progress. Now that I have improved from less than 1k steps per days I have to make sure I don't slide back. I'm now trying to maintain 3k steps per day and including activities I wasn't able to do before I started progressing. Still a long way to go, but at least I'm a bit more productive everyday. 

Take care everyone! Keep your mask on whenever you're out!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Wellness Wednesdays: Tips for Those with Invisible Disabilities

If you look at me you'd never think I am disabled. People always assume I function very well. What they don't know is my mobility is limited and I need help with many things. My energy and stamina is also very limited and I can only last 15 minutes on video calls. I rarely go out because I am immunocompromised and well there are good days and bad days. My boys keep me indoors so I don't get sick. 

Managed to pull myself together the day after a bad night.

I'm a handful to take care of, so here's a few tips for you and your carers (and spokespersons):

1. The Nile is not just a river in Egypt. Denying your medical condition is just going to make things harder for you and your carers. This was probably the best advise I got from my OG allergologist. It's easier to power on when you know what you're up against. 

2. Know your body. It took me awhile to understand whether I need medical attention from a doctor or when I can just solve an issue at home. It becomes more problematic when you have PTSD. Since I got home I've been more mindful of what's going on with my body. My doctor here advised that I should avoid going to the hospital as much as possible. 

Bad night due to bad AQI. Oxygen went down to 90 and I thought I was going to pass out. 
Really useful to have an oxygen concentrator. Solved the issue in 40 minutes and then I went to sleep.
 

3. Voice out what you need. I immediately tell the boys when I am having a bad day or when the AQI is bad. They change "modes" depending on how I'm doing for a day. When my triggers are turned on I discovered that sometimes you just need to rant to a trusted person and then you'll be okay. [See also my post on "Managing Stress and Triggers"]

4. Address issues as they come, don't wait for things to get worse. If you're in pain, it's better to do something about it than wait for it to go away. Things normally just don't "go away", they get worse! My physiotherapist advised that oftentimes there's pain that can usually be resolved with exercise. I exercise whenever I have back pain, leg and arm pain. I follow the exercises my PT taught me and that oftentimes resolves issues. 

5. See a doctor when you are "concerned". A lot of patients in the PE group I'm in ask whether they should see a doctor when they experience symptoms (i.e. leg swelling, shortness of breath). The advise of other patients is always the same, "Don't search your symptoms on Google. See a doctor." Our bodies are all different, so if you are having concerns, go see a doctor. 

6. Surround yourself with people who understand. I've been ridiculed because of my medical condition. Not everyone would understand so let it be. Just focus on those who truly love you. 

7. And most importantly, pray. Draw strength from your faith and the love from your family and friends. 

Having invisible disabilities is hard to manage and not easy to understand. Don't let it keep you from doing things you love. Just accept it and adjust as needed. Work with your doctors to see how you can improve the quality of your life. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tripled My Steps!

I have a measly base of 1,000+ steps per day. Post-PE in 2018 I was able to do 6k per day when I'd go to work. This dwindled in post-2021 PE, but I was able to work it up to 3k when Sweetie and I would go to the park at night. I'd average 2k per day at home now, but this spiraled down to 800 to 1,000 in the past two months. I deteriorated after experiencing heat exhaustion in March. 

My new cardiologist worked her magic on me and I'm happy to share that I feel I'm getting better. I've been forced to move around more in the past two days when both Sweetie and Miggy had to isolate. I've been able to triple my daily step count average. And I had uninterrupted sleep last night. Yay! 

Renewing my stamina has been hard. I told Sweetie it's actually good I've been forced to fend for myself for now. I've had to rest in between serving* them meals. I only wash my own dishes since the boys have their own dishwashing paraphernalia so we could avoid contact. It's been therapeutic even though my knees shake after going up and down several times. What it tells me is I have hope. 

West Coast Park, Singapore, 2020.

I want to have a better quality of life. I don't want to live cooped up in the maker room and I definitely don't want to become a recluse. I'm lucky I have bosom buddies who I can chat with about mundane stuff everyday. And I definitely don't want to do an activity and then promptly get sick for a few weeks after. 

I prodded the boys to do an e-consultation today. I reached out to my pulmo, but he resumes his clinic on Monday. They're trying it now. Sweetie's antigen tests have been negative the past 4 days, Miggy also for two days. This is a good sign! I just want to make sure they don't have an infection, so they're talking to a doctor now. Maybe tomorrow Sweetie can rejoin me in the outside world! Yay! 

*Thank you to the trusty delivery service!

#BeKind #StaySafe

My Heart Skipped!

It does every day, haha. It was different though yesterday. Sweetie went to our old unit to finally pull out all the boxes. We commissioned a company to do some touchups. They will just repaint, fix the floor, replace cabinet doors and fix the lighting fixtures. They started working on the unit last Wednesday. 

My heart skipped when Sweetie sent a photo of a door being repainted. From brown it's now white! We just approved the colors the architect showed us and gave him free hand on what to retouch. I didn't know they were going to change the color of the doors too haha. 

They're also changing the ugly floor in the bedrooms. Luckily the living room and bathroom floors are still okay and would just need re-grouting. It would have been harder and more expensive to change them since property management requires a bond to do heavier renovation work. 

The work should be finished by end of the month. This also means we should finish unboxing and reducing our things in our home by then because we'll be working on our house by then. We're finally working on our to-do list now. We prioritized Mom in the past few months. Need to pace myself though, was out for three days straight and by Thursday I had slight fever. 

I think the new medication my doctor gave is starting to work. The pain has lessened and I could breathe better. We're trying to figure out how to use the oxygen concentrator. My doctor said it will help alleviate the strain on my heart. The sad news is according to the 6-minute walk test, my walking capacity has been reduced by 33%. I still hope it'll improve so I can still make lakwatsa!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Hope from a Tiny Thing

"I'm always excited to meet a new complicated patient!" 

Finally met my new cardiologist this morning and that's what she said at the end of my appointment. I haven't had a proper check-up since I left Singapore. I've been feeling out of sorts since I got my booster shot and thought it would be good to see a doctor. I'm also overdue to do tests. I was supposed to do the tests in Singapore in August, but I don't think I should wait. 

I pushed to see a doctor because I've been feeling miserable. My activities have become more limited in the last six months. It's frustrating because I can't even cook regularly or spend more time gardening. My back has been complaining again from sitting too much. I've had to force myself to do wall-pushups everyday and hope I can eventually do some spinning again. 

The most important thing I got from my doctor today is hope. She's having me try a pill. She said she has many patients like me who have been able to resume their activities. That's what I hope will happen because I still want to be able to do things with my family. I'm grateful my doctor gave me some hope. I'm really glad my pulmonologist sent me her way since she specializes in patients like me! Yay!

#BeKind #StaySafe

 

Be the One Who Goes for It

My energy has been going kaput by midday the past few days. We've been very busy and I've been forced to take the stairs and that's partly to blame for my stamina drain. My energy though is hinged on faith, love and willpower. I would not wish what I'm going through on anyone*. 

I'm still very fragile and last week my PTSD was triggered when someone nonchalantly trivialized my pain. This person had not even bothered to review all the doctor reports and test results they had asked me to submit. I immediately felt unwell midway through the meeting and wanted to walk out. I asked Sweetie to be my spokesperson for the rest of the meeting. 

No bed? No problem, can rest on a rug and a bubble-wrapped rug. 

I tried to rationalize that they probably had no idea about my illness. I've been experiencing the same treatment since I got sick last year. The lack of compassion is just really sad. It's also been frustrating because I just want to move on and live my life the way I want. 

"Be the girl who just decided to go for it. Live life with no regrets." Saw this on IG and it made me realize that I shouldn't care so much about what other people think (even though my future depends on it). I already made the decision to follow the advise of my doctors to live a stress-free life and I should just live by my choice. It is at this point that my faith tells me not to worry because God will always take care of us. 

Aja!

"God disturbs our comfortable day-to-day existence. Jesus' kinship goes hand in hand with His Passion." (Pope Benedict XVI)

#Home30 #NewG216 #Xmas22 #StayHome #BeKind   

*Going up on a stairway is probably similar to the last leg of hiking on Mt. Everest or maybe try going up a stairway with a sack of rice on your back.