Excuse the Excuses that excuse the excuses that...

I'm on a 'reading' week this week, which is a week they give off to students in our college; a midterm if you will. It's aimed at the 3rd and 4th years to prepare their thesis' and plan their research stuff, but sure if they're not in, then why should the lecturers come in to teach us??! ...Blah I'm not complaining!

Tonight our parish held a Table Quiz in aid of an orphanage in Haiti. It was really very successful, but I'm thrilled for it to be over! I'm not sure what the final count is, as I was marking papers all night, but I've heard on the grapevine it's a pretty tidy sum! I've been spending the last few days/weeks worrying working on that so yay for overnessness.

Tomorrow is Halloween, I have no memory of what I usually do, and as usual I'm not sure what I'll do this year. We had our Halloween ball last week, where I went as an escaped convict in an orange jumpsuit. I had to be an 'escaped' because I'm sure a paroled convict wouldn't wear the jumpsuit. Someone commented that I'm the least likly convict EVER, which I'll take as a compliment. I think it could have been the fake 'anchor' tattoo on my arm and the High School Musical dogtag that made it a little less believable.

And is anyone else rather relieved about the new postponed drivers' law?? For anyone not in the know, they changed the law from today, that anyone on a provisional licence caught driving alone (guilty) would be stopped and fined! My Dad panicked (even though I asked him for an employer's note to skip the queue MONTHS ago) and explained I couldn't get to college without my car so needed the test post-haste! (Well unless I used the reliable 75 bus...). But turns out they're postponing the law until June, because too many people complained or something. Ha!

But the bit they didn't change: If I am accompanied by a fully licenced driver who is over the limit (glug glug glug) then, if stopped, THEY get a penalty point for being over the limit!! Only in Ireland!

Drunkard: Oh..I'm over zeh limshit (they slur their words see)...I need to geh a lifff hommme.. Oh no, I'll get a penaly pointtt (maintain their ability to think)...I'll be safer driving myself!!

Bank Holiday Blehs

In case anyone doesn't realise: Gardaí are the police or the 'cops' ;)

Today is one of my favourite days of the year, because it's the one where the clocks go back so we all get an extra hour in bed. Whether they're going back an hour or back to the original hour is confusing - at what time of year did the 'clock' thing start anyway? It was probably some guy who was always late everywhere he went so one particularly bad day he decided to give himself an extra hour. I wish I was in control of time...

Today was a very fussy day for me. I am on a board for a charity and we are organising a table quiz at the moment. I can't wait until the thing is over to be honest. This morning I was in Dundrum and as I was leaving to walk home I notice it's weeing with rain. I live up the hill from the centre so I figure I'd just risk it.

I was doing fine, but the rain was getting progressively worse. I was almost home, but still walking on the main road and passing all the depressed cars which were sitting in traffic. I saw a group of people running on the other side of the road, and asked myself why I wasn't running; I'd get home faster after all.

So I ran...and I made it no more then 10 steps when the following things happened:

1. My left ipod earphone fell out.
2. My right ipod earphone fell out.
3. My shopping bag swung out in front of me
4. My shopping bag suddenly felt lighter
5. My shopping bag had snapped.
6. My shopping went everywhere.

Damn paper bags!! For anyone who cares, the contents of the bag contained four boxes of chocolates and two bras!! In my bustle to pick everything up again (my boxes of chocolates went in four separate directions), I ended up looking, quite frankly, like an idiot. The hangers were still on the bras, and the whole thing was a mess. And it was raining harder then ever.

I was so close to home, why did I have to start running. I didn't have the heart to look at the cars; I knew the truth, they'd all seen. No Gardaí though.

Garda Updates!!!

Things always come in threes...and fours...and fives...basically more then one! I've always complained nothing exciting ever happens to me, and now suddenly, it's happening ALL AROUND ME! This is GREAT!!! very interesting.

Today while driving, I see sirens yet again. There were approximately four or five cars stopped on the other side (it's always the OTHER side) of the road, with about 6 gardai standing in deep conversation about something. Sadly the traffic and distance proved too much to over hear exactly what they were discussing. It was noted there were no layman's cars about...except the ones speeding(!!) by. As I waited for my filter to go green, it was observed that another sirened car pulled up, and another policeman joined the huddle. My light went green too quickly.

Then driving down the road, a firetruck came up towards the junction, heading in the direction of aforementioned gardai. Sirens and all. If only I wasn't late for my lecture!!

THEN TONIGHT, I was simply going out to move my car for my Dad as it was in the way. As I did so, I noticed a learner car come on to my road; a black car followed. All of a sudden the black car turned on blue sirens. I presumed they were going to zoom off, but no, they were pulling over the learner!!! Talk about great timing on my part. There was only so much maneuvering I could do with my car when I had to resign to the fact that I had to go inside.

BUT, thank God for windows! The two plain clothes police were examining the licence plate and the driver with torches and all. In the end the crying driver was given a slip of paper. I can only assume she was caught speeding or breaking a red light when she was spotted. You can't say she didn't deserve it! To make matters worse: She cut out trying to drive off! Yikes, How embarrassing!

I went to a party last night. It was fun. It was also out on the Coast which is a bit of a drive which is why I thank my stars that I own a car - no waiting for the 'reliable' 75 for me!!

Anyway, playing taxi - as I seem to be doing a rather LOT this day it must be said - I was driving along about the deserted roads. I then spotted the Gardaí inspecting a car that had been pulled over. Not wanting to mind my own business, and yet not wanting to draw attention to my LEARNER self, I had to get the perfect balance. I drove - at the right speed limit - slowly passed. It seemed nothing more then a routine stop. Booooooo.

So later that night, still driving, it was close to 1.30am, we turn a corner and meet a set of blue flashing lights. At first we thought it was an accident, but on closer inspection we see a couple of dodgy looking guys standing with their arms out being searched!! There are three Gardaí searching the car as well. This was juicy! Unfortunately I couldn't hang about, my passenger needed to get home. As I waited for the car coming in the opposite direction to hurry up, I must have got distracted...

Cue Revvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv of the engine followed by a spectacular cut out. My friend made a big, loud, deep inhale (followed by a meek shriek) as though she was about to hold her breath underwater. I calmly started the engine again and slowly advanced to overtake the scene. With that the six people - three Gardaí AND the suspected druggies all turned (even the ones being actively searched), big googly eyes and stared at me. And watched me.

"Helllloooo! Take a picture - it'll last longer!!" - I (should have) shrieked!...or "Heh, heh, heh, we're all learners at one stage right??" - playing it reaaaaal smooth. But then again, seeing as I'm a learner not supposed to be driving alone, I didn't want to draw attention to myself. Ooops!

Hungry Blog

This blog is getting itchy. I'm still here with a pig voice and blocked nose, but I'm doing very well. Projects and assignments due this week, so between social life and working life, the blog's on the back burner I'm afraid.

My parents arrived home from Vietnam yesterday morning, where they were travelling for 2 and a half weeks. I couldn't say that while they were gone in case an opportunistic thief decided to break in. But now they're back, break away!!

I'll update again later/tomorrow/soon. Apologies!

So we're sitting at the pantomime which was the Ireland - Vs - Cyprus game this evening. It was possibly the weirdest match I've ever been to, with people being removed for fighting, mooning; people were singing songs that went along the lines of 'Stand up, if you want Stan out', Stan being the manager. We booed all through it, except when we scored. I didn't really booo that much, but being the bandwagoner that I am, added to the fact that everyone else was doing it, I booed sometimes too.

Anyway, at half-time they brought on this 6-a-side 10minute football match featuring children. The aim was to promote the 'stamp out racism' campaign to...stamp out racism (clever) in the game.

They gave all the players' names and said where they were from, keeping in mind that all these children are now living in Ireland. We had Mary Byrne from Ireland, Chin Sow from China, Kashira Rlhyouae from Slovakia and so on and so forth, and then poor John Smith from the Travelling Community - obviously he wasn't any nationality then!!

So the announcer, being a bit of a twit, saying everything three times, talking all the way through the children's' 6 a side match ended with 'A great round of applause for these children who are all doing their bit for racism!!!!!".

...Doing their bit for racism?!!!! *shocked face*..Wow, if only the whole world was so good at promoting it! Shame on you!

Slow Update...

...to follow in Red-Book blog some stage before next year.

<---Mean while, if you see me driving along in my little Delilah, chances are I'll be doing this!!! It's called a Rhino Horn thing...thing. My doctor pronounces it as 'Rheeeno Hown', but that's OK, he's Swiss. Anyway it's for clearing my Sinuses. Can somebody say 'Halloween Outfit Sorted!' please! Well, if I get two of these that is. It looks ridiculous not to mention SOOO unattractive but I've a pig's voice at the moment so it'll be worth it!

The summary of my appointment is definately a good and highly surprising one! I'm beginning to wornder if the Physiotherapy I'm doing is helping strengthen my muscles, as despite having a GREEN cough (ahemhem) my lung function is the higest it's ever been in my whole life. Whooop Whooop! I'm now at 3.03Litres which is 98%. It's really confusing and certainly doesn't play along with my symptoms but it's extremely encouraging that if I can just lift this infection I could be doing so, so well. I mentioned to my doctor out of curiosity what would happen if I forgot to take my Prednisalone (steroids) - the ones they always warn you "not to stop taking this medication suddenly....DANGEROUS...etc, etc", because last time after clinic I actually did forget. I remembered that afternoon, and nearly had a heart attack as I threw the two tablets down my throat! Anyway I said this to him but I think he took my up wrong. He gave me a lecturefriendly but serious talk about not being tempted to skip any of my medications, explaining the biology of my Prograf (anti-rejection tablets) and saying how he knew of cases of people who got sudden rejection by skipping. He then told me about a lady (19years post transplant) who is doing so well because she's never decdied to get lazy and skip.

I sat there, nodding, agreeing, shaking my fist to the ceiling and after his lecture friendly but serious talk, I said to him "Oh right..hmm..so what would happen if I missed a dose? Would it be really dangerous? What should I do?". He was about to start again, I could tell (I saw a lot of myself in him if I'm honest!) and then I rudely interrupted him, as I threw my internet based knowledge at him... "Like, I know it depresses the adrenal gland, so therefore I'm wondering would the side-effect be instant or?...". He liked my question and I felt it was the right question to ask in order to get my answer

"Ah yes, very good. You are quite right." Basically he said that there was nothing I could do if I forgot completely. He said that it would take 4-5 days of skipping and not just one dose, which was a relief.

...Oh except that I never forgot in the first place anyway!..Except yesterday, when I forgot if I remebered to take them or not. It's confusing taking so many tablets. Well since I'm so well now, maybe I shouold just stop taking all my medications -what's the worst that could happen?!

Quick Update...

..to say that medically everything looks very well! Will post more later!

Tomorrow is...

...clinic. I'm really eager to see how my lung function performs. Or how my lungs perform in the lung function test, that should be. I'm pretty confident they won't be down too much but I do reckon they will probably be down nonetheless. I'm going to carry a big sign that says 'Down With Ciproxin' just in case they put me on that (oh wait, no, I'm already on that!). I'm fearing IVs again, but to be honest I don't see how they'll make that one work, barring the insertion of a central line (big fat juicy line in neck). Maybe there's a mega powerful oral antibiotic out there... or some sort of...something.

Hmmm. Anyway, I'm off to sleep/do physio/do assignment stuff/watch TV. I'll update some time tomorrow!

In case you wonder...

... no EILEEN, aka, Country Girl, Girl from Mountains, Girl Who Live Farath Awayith, I made it home this morning in one piece. Mind you at 3.15am, there aren't as many cars to distract you.

Speaking of cars and distractions, I was a witness to a CAR CRASH today!!! It was so shocking. It was like slow motion, I saw it happen before it happened.

I was standing at the lights, with dog on lead, waiting to cross and I saw this car. He was going way too fast. And then I heard the breaks, and then I heard the bang as he just thumped into the car in front. 'Crash' is a bit dramatic, but it was still a bad bump. His car was badly done in, her's not so much but she was upset.

I tried to hang around, you know, in case I was invited to give a witness statement or something exciting but I wasn't asked too. I don't think they saw me. And I was the only person who actually saw the whole thing from a perfect, unobstructed, undistracted angle.

I realise that 'my' excitement for the real scoop is probably less important then the two poor people involved in the incident, but like...they weren't hurt or anything. Well...not too badly... So it's all gravy!

Lost...

I think if someone handed me a map, with the aim to get from 'A' to 'B', and all I had to do was drive in a straight line, all the way, no possible way of getting off track or going the wrong way...I would still end up at 'C'.

How does this happen? Discuss.

Weaken-end!

Physio continues. It's the weekend, and I'm so relaxed knowing I'm not working tomorrow. I'm off to the Ireland soccer match in fact, and then I'm going to use my last €1 of credit to stalk EILEEN afterwards.

This weekend will be spent doing terribly boring things: shopping, tidying, writing, working. I seem to be napping again, so I need to CUT THAT OUT.

The psychology is going well. It's interesting which is good, because I find one is always more enthusiastic to learn when they're interested in what they're learning. I had to enlist the help of EILEEN for one of my homework assignments yesterday. Predictably she refused to take the exercise seriously. Well, eventually she sort of did, but I had to change some of her answers int the end - I had to paint myself in a good light after all.

The task was to describe me in 10 words. I had to write down what I thought she'd say and then I'd compare them. For confidentiality reasons I won't post her answers as that would be a bit unfair since I didn't ask (...actually did I ever ask her permission to mention her on the blog in the first place?!) but it was interesting nonetheless. She did mention I was forgetful and hungry. I took out the latter one. I like to eat, that's all. And I left in the first one because I get headaches with my forgetfulness. I think. Do I? She also may have said I was 'cocky' but I switched that to 'confident' - it sounds better that way.

So, all's going swell on that side of things. I'm off for a sleep now. Have a nice weekend!

Learn from experience

I pretended to make a phone call earlier, but really rang to check my credit. I swear it's not something I do often but sometimes you need to look as though you're doing something when standing alone...Anyway I was shocked and dismayed to learn I had €1.81 left. This morning I had nearly €4!! Stupid credit.

When I got home to the house I listened to the voicemail messages and the second one was very hard to understand. I could almost make out my own nasally pig voice, but upon looking at my phone, it was clear I wasn't making a phone call by accident or anything. Gosh this message is never ending, I thought to myself! Seriously...Never.Ending. I didn't have time to listen to it all to get to the 'delete' options- it was so gosh darn LONG!!!

And then it dawned on me, €4 this morning, €1 now...I hadn't sent that many texts...Upon checking our caller ID, my heart sank when I saw my number flashing. That cost me €3!!!! Why can't i learn to LOCK MY PHONE!

Hmmm....

I did more physio tonight, and more not-so-nice stuff came up. On the upside, while surfing the Internet, I came across a recipe for some hypertonic solution for sinuses. Having added about 1000kilos of salt to water I squirted it up my nose. The recipe suggested snorting it up, but luckily we invested in a home made hospital a few years ago, so syringes were a plenty. Not so pleasant (to watch or do) but the most effective remedy yet! I swear I'm sounding less like a pig already...

Of course, as I look towards my next clinic appointment (where I'm fingers-crossing against IVs) reality and perspective kicks in as I read a post on one of the message boards I read from time to time. A girl of similar age to myself, had a lung transplant for CF a month after me. Unfortunately her's hasn't been as successful as mine, and while I don't want to go into details, suffice as to say she got a fairly crappy hand dealt with the new lungs she got. At the moment, her doctors are all doing doctor talk and have mentioned the possibility of a second transplant to her. Yikes. If that happened me, I think i would paint this blog black, but her attitude is so positive, it's inspiring. Anyway, I know she sometimes reads here, so You-Know-Who-You-Are, I hope you feel better and more confident about things soon!

I'm off to bed early as I have a busy day ahead tomorrow, and I don't want a repeat of this morning's antics. Can you believe I woke up at "8.09"am for my 9am class, and while sitting thinking at the place where everyone does their most philosophical thinking (...) I began to question myself. Did my phone say '8.09am' or '9.09am'?! I was right (second time!); I had completely slept in, do'h! Never matter, we have a hippy (is that P.C.?) teaching our 9am so he didn't mind me being a little late. I hope he's a creature of habit like I am...hem hem.

Of course, that's not as bad as my D... someone who once spent the whole morning not realising his watch was an hour behind! Seems it was a watch he hadn't worn in some time (since the clocks went forward in fact) and didn't realise his the watch's mistake. One must question why someone would only look at one source for the time though?! How stupid!

Jinny: Thank you for your lovely comment. You made me blush!...Which actually isn't that hard to do, since I go pink once the temperature of a room changes, or I do something like wake up late, but still, thank you!

Time flies...

...it does actually. I had a nice post written yesterday, but I need to fix it a bit to make sure I'm as diplomatic as I can be. It'll probably be posted next year at the rate I'm moving.

I did physiotherapy for the first time in over a year tonight as I'm feeling chesty. It was a weird sensation as *gross warning, gross warning* what was coming out was very much infected and reminded me so much of my old infected, ravaged lungs. The difference was though, that I was not rendered breathless and sleepy after doing one round of it. The volume there wasn't as much as I thought so I only needed to do three rounds (auto-genic drainage for those in the know) but worryingly it was rather not-so-nice looking...

I visited my local pharmacy to see if they had any suggestions for my blocked sinuses (available over the counter) but apart from sticking a syringe of saline up my nose, which I am already doing, there's not much help there. I was hoping to get some sort of salty spray, but she reckons I should ring my team and get them to prescribe me something stronger. She was a bit confused at the Ciproxin talk too - I'm not so insane after all!

I actually called up to my proper pharmacy (the one where I 'worked') but there were six people working there all in a state of confusion. Yes, SIX people. They were trying to sort out pricing and stock. As I stood there, I was praying they wouldn't realise who I was. I kept going towards the door to "check on my car". When the pharmacists made a mistake on my payment (they charged me, when I'm actually a freebie) they had to go and fix it which did two things a) drew attention to me and b) meant I was standing there even longer. I tried to act like a 'normal' customer, and in between 'checking on my car' I wandered around as though entering the pharmacy for the first time, looking a bit lost at times. I didn't want to over do it - the place is about the size of a bathroom - and also didn't want offers of help. I think I got the balance about right.

Once I had my anti-rejection medications sorted and having received them free (I'm shocked that any transplant patient in the UK or US or anywhere has to fork out for them by the way), I legged it. I needed advice from the pharmacist about sinus rinses, but at the risk of exposing who I was, I thought better of doing that. Hence the going to my other local pharmacy.

My other local pharmacy is actually lovely, and I almost prefer it to my own. Plus it's 5 minutes down the road. But I think I'll stick it out where I am as my own pharmacy is probably helped by my 20 or so regular medications that I'm on.

Jac: Great to hear from you, sorry to hear you haven't been the May West of late - get well really soon. And if they don't let you home on Monday, have you tried stealing a load of sheets, tieing them together and escaping out the window? Just a thought....

Fruit And Fibre King: Hope Vietnam is swell! I don't know why you'd go so far around the world for a good time, when the best party in the world is right here...in our house! Enjoy the night on the boat. Hope you can source some Fruit & Fibre there!

Yesterday I went for a long walk. Sandy (the king dog of the house) wanted bringing. I said I would, but we were going to walk at my pace. It may have resulted in the dog nearly choking himself, but he's still alive this morning, so that's a good sign. I think the walk was nearly 2 miles which wasn't half bad. And in that near 2 miles he only stopped to 'go' once. Once is enough for me though, because he doesn't 'go' like a normal dog - he pulls this stupid face while he does it, and he takes forever. *Embarrasing*

Since getting my car, my exercise has gone down the pan; I simply don't. It's awful because I really should, these lungs are a gift, I didn't get them so I could sit and drive everywhere!

It's Friday and I'm just about bouncing again.

Good things that have happened in the last couple of days:

• I went to see The Coronas in the Student Bar. With a bit of pushing, I got up to the very front.
  
• After The Coronas, I spotted money on the floor, and in my collectings, I made about €7.


• Sweet


• I got a call from my hospital to say that they didn't need me in for bloods (they actually didn't collect enough the last time) after all.


• I have no work tomorrow! -Strictly speaking that doesn't come under "last couple days" but it's still good.

Not so good /Annoying things that have happened in the last couple of days:

• People pretended to know us at the Corona's gig so they could get up the front. (Technically we did know these people as they were in the year below us in school, but they didn't really know us.) We were having zero of that.


• After The Coronas, I spotted money on the floor and as I was collecting it, people spotted me and copied me. I made less the I could have.


• I got lost driving at 2am in the morning because Eileen lives up the mountains and insists on lifts home. Luckily my sense of direction saved me and I still made it home in good time.


• I keep falling asleep.


• My Mama & Papa are away at the moment. Although they deserve this postponed trip, (someone wanted attention so had to have a transplant last year-whoops) it still annoys me*

So that's pretty much what I've been up to lately. Not a whole lot.

*Who am I kidding, free gaf!! Whoooop, whoooop!

Today I ate nothing. My Mum made me a scrambled egg with loads of butter and put it on toast for me for breakfast to get some protein into me. I couldn't really taste it and with a dramatically blocked nose I felt a bit nauseas. So I swallowed some and then left it. And I didn't eat a single thing all day after that. I didn't feel hungry but my taste buds were looking for something intermitadly. I kept asking myself How did I do this my whole life (before transplant)? Of course I was being fed 3000 calories over night every night so I was satisfied before I woke up anyway, but still. I can't imagine ever going back to that now.

My cold thing is developing so rapidly, it's almost reassuring. My throat pain came on on Sunday and got progressivly worse within hours. Tonight that pain has almost gone, and the sinuses pains are reduced to just a blocked nose really. I think if the "infection" were more sinister, I wouldn't have such textbook 'headcold' symptoms, so quickly. I have loaded up on Vitiman C tablets, Strepsyls, Vicks Nasal thing, Nasonex and paracetemol. I wanted to take Sudafed as well but I didn't hear back from the hospital as to whether I could take that. I will take that as a no.

My prediction: I will be bouncing by Friday. Of course I will finish out my two week course of smarties antibiotics for the chest infection that I don't have, because I don't want to end up on IVs for that nasty chest infection, that I don't have.

Blaaaah

Red book blog updated...

I took a day off college today and went to the hospital. The clinic results are both positive and annoying - but then again I find reason to complain about most things so there you go.

My lung functions are back up to 2.96 (which I think is about 95%ish) which is a relief! But my throat is still sore, so the doctor put me on two weeks ciproxin oral antibiotics. This will be my seventh and eighth week of antibiotics now. I sat him down (!) and calmly told him that the last two times, these were about as good as taking smarties. He didn't listen, or he didn't understand me, or I didn't understand him. He said if I didn't want these then I'd be on IVs (yikes), but I told him I didn't have a chest infection so didn't need IVs which he agreed with(?!?). I was, and still am puzzled. ALL I NEED IS SOMETHING FOR MY THROAT. Ugh. Miscommunication is the zest of life I feel.

I've to go back in two weeks where they will review me and try to take my blood again. We got two mils today and that took three tries. My veins were playing up, as the nurse who tried is usually quite good. Maybe I was annoying her too much. I have a tendency to fuss a little bit. And she did say I was fussing a little bit. And then she asked me was it "just needles I have a fear of"...hmmm. We sent that two mils off for a full blood count, meaning my immuno suppression bloods will just have to wait. Tough.

And then I got home at 1.45pm, my next class was at 2pm, but I hadn't had lunch, I was sneezing all over the place so I said 'Sure efck it, I'll get lunch with my bro' and off we set to MacDonald's. And we both lived happily ever after...until the guy in MacD's told me they were out of Icecream. Poor guy. I bet he regrets living now...

...I joke, I joke.

Hmmm. Pesky throat is still sore, but since I don't feel unwell, have no temperatures I'm not all that worried. These things happen. Plus I'm going to clinic tomorrow so they can stick their torch things down my gob and see if there's anything actually wrong with me for sure.

In the meantime I'm still scouring the interweb, and video shops for my Val Kilmer film "At First Sight". I've checked tv-links, daily motion and the lot. I can see a trailer on youtube, but that's about it. I actually need this for college so hellllo!!...


I say 'HELLLOOO' too much these days I think.