Penthouse suite 1011

I was admitted into the hospital on Thursday.  I really didn't want to come back in already. I was just in from April 22nd to 29th and then was home on IV's for a week.  My hospital stays are becoming closer and closer together.  As much as I don't want to be here right now I physically didn't have a choice.  I was really having a hard time breathing, I was coughing bad, and had fevers.

As I said before Cystic Fibrosis causes an increased amount of mucus in the lungs.  This thick mucus is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, especially P. aeruginosa (which everyone just calls Pseudomonas).  Once the lungs are infected with Pseudomonas, it is nearly impossible to get rid of.  When the bacteria infects the lung it causes an inflammatory response and a whole bunch of other sci-ency stuff happens that I am sure would bore most of you. lol  The body can't fight it off and it is really hard to treat with antibiotics.  So because of this, people with CF have to go into the hospital every once in awhile for a "tune up".  Some people come in more than others.  I didn't have to come in until I was twenty-one, then a year after that, then ever four months for a little while and now it seems like I am coming in every twelve weeks.  Coming in so often is not what upsets me the most.  What really sucks is getting the picc lines.  For those who don't know what a picc line is.  It is somewhat like an IV except the catheter is longer.  It is put into the arm and then the catheter goes into the large vein right before the heart.  These are used because it doesn't irritate the vein like an IV does so it can be used for extended amounts of time.  I get one every time I come in here.  It was never easy to get them in because the process is uncomfortable, but it wasn't too horrible.  But lately they are getting harder and harder to get in.  Also I am sick of these little scars on my arms and having a picc line stuck to my arm for two weeks is really annoying, so I have been considering a port.  This is a more permanent type of access that is put in surgically.  It goes into my chest right under the skin.  I can keep it for as long as I want and this will prevent me from having to have a picc placed every time I am admitted.  I think I am going to get one right after this stay.

Right now my PFT's are 26.  Hopefully I can get them up a few points and then leave here on Friday to do IV's at home. The IV meds are given for two weeks, but I am normally able to do the second week at home.  Twenty-six is is the lowest PFT's I have ever had so Friday might not be enough time, but I am hopeful.  I really want to get home because believe it or not me and Jason are in the middle of a move.  The rent went up at our place and we are already paying too much.  We sat down decided we were going to move, four days later Jason went to look at it (the Thursday I came in).  He really liked it so Friday he came and kidnapped me from the hospital to see it.  I really liked it to so we signed the least.  Jason started packing the stuff up and is moving it a little at a time.  I hate that he is doing all of this on his own, but we really don't have a choice. We have to be out by the end of July or they are going to charge us another month's rent.  Either that or they are going to keep our security deposit.  We don't like either idea so Jason is really working hard to get all the stuff moved.  The plan is for me to get out of here Friday and then have my family come up and help move in everything.  My dad will help Jason with the furniture while my mom, gram work on emptying boxes.  I am really excited about the move though.  We are going from an apartment building to a townhouse.  Our parking spots are right outside our door, right now we have quite a walk from the car to the apartment.  We have two floors and a basement, two and half baths, central air, our own laundry hook ups, the list continues.  I am definitely excited to get out of here and help Jason out.

For now however, it is vest and nebulizers four times a day, IV antibiotics and being waited on for the next week.  It sucks having to come in so often so I try and look at it as a mini vacation from life.  I don't have to do anything for awhile.  I can sit on this bed watching TV, reading, or on the internet and have food brought to me.  Granted not all the food is great, but Jay comes and brings me stuff from the outside world.  Get the title now?  I got it from a friend who had CF.  I didn't know anyone else with CF growing up.  I never had the chance to meet someone and then recently they have found that us CFer's transfer our infections to one another so we are warned to keep apart.  I met this girl because we seemed to be coming into the hospital at the same time.  Jay said he had seen her the last three times I was in.  So I talked to one of the respiratory therapists and he exchanged information for us.  We started talking on Facebook and AIM.  One time when she was admitted I saw that she posted "penthouse suite 1009" on Facebook, I liked it and it always stuck with me whenever I was admitted.  She passed away this February.  We really didn't know each other too much because we just starting to talk, but I think about her a lot.  From what I learned with the little time we knew each other, she was really nice, sweet and loved life. I was thinking about her today so the title and the picture just fit.  The picture is from her Facebook when she went to Hawaii.  In memory, you are missed....