A Breathless Challenge

16Nov - 17 La dee da!

Today is our friend Sharon’s birthday so a BIG shout out to Sharon and a rousing chorus of our standard birthday greeting, adopted way back when I turned 17...Seventeen - la dee da! and best wishes for an wonderful year to come Sharon!  Miss ya!

Carman and I are off to Toronto Western Hospital this morning. We have an appointment to have our seasonal Flu shots. An absolute requirement when you have or live with someone who has a compromised pulmonary system. IPF patients cannot take any of the cold or flu medications the rest of us turn to when afflicted. They must ride out the course of the viral infection and usually will suffer far worse through the experience than the rest of us healthy folk do. Additionally, a cold or flu infection usually results in loss of lung function. Carman has had two infections in the past year and lost almost 10% of his lung function as a result of the first cold and then lost another 6% with the 2nd. This loss is permanent. When your lung function is already compromised, even a 1% loss has a huge impact on your day to day living. 

Breathless Challenge:

Tonight when you get changed for bed, try holding your breath and see how far you get until you just have to stop and breathe. Then take only 1/3 of a breath and keep going, repeat this - 1/3 breath and hold it till you have to take another 1/3 breath - until you've changed, brushed your teeth, etc. and are settled in bed. How are you feeling? Now, take that feeling and imagine completing your full day like this... 

When you take 1/3 breath, you are still getting more oxygen into your bloodstream than Carman and his Breathless Buddies do, every breath of every day.

Happy homecoming
Ruth & Don

Susan and I have arranged to do some packing for Ruth & Don this afternoon. They are discharged to head home (real home, not TO home - yeah!) after her transplant, but she has been back in hospital for a few days - the days on which she had planned to do the packing. Susan and I figure that we can get a lot packed for her with the two of us working on it, and we’ll just let Ruth sit, sort and supervise.

When we arrive, Don shows us the treats in store for us at break-time (he’s been to the bakery around the corner). We get to work pronto, wrapping up some furniture to protect it in-transit, then head to the kitchen, armed with tape, packing paper and boxes. In a couple of hours we have the cupboards bare and washed out, boxes taped and labelled and all surfaces scoured! Time for our treat! Sue and I split a Cobblestone...one tractor-trailer-sized cinnamon confection, fit for a king!

Shortly after, our friends Rob & Retta arrive, (post-physio for them) for a last visit before Ruth &  Don head home. Susan and I stay for a short visit with them and then make our way home. Moments after I arrive at our condo, Kyle and Iain knock at the door. I make the boys pose for a visitor shot and then we all head to the Blake for supper.

Iain, Kyle & Carman - my supper dates!

15Nov 

Earlier in the summer we had a gentleman doing his practice stilt walking on the cobblestone lane in the courtyard by our building. Yesterday afternoon, there were two people out for a stroll. I’m wondering if they’ll be participating in the upcoming Santa Claus Parade. They seem very comfortable, walking up and down the length of the lane and stopping occasionally to bend down as if talking to shorter folk. Whatever the plan, they are fun to watch from the window!

I forgot to show you the dragonfly pin that Heather gave me so here is a photo of it pinned to the Pashmina scarf that Sonya & Elisa gave me. I think they go together perfectly. Thank you each very much.

Physio today and Jess is needing her buddy to lean on. She hasn’t been feeling well and   is finding the workout very taxing today. I think there’s a bit of mutual leaning on a friend happening actually. 

After physio we plan to take the Carvers home and stay for awhile. Carla has offered to make us  dinner so Carman keeps her company while Jess and I take Griffon to the park to catch up with his friends and...well, you know.

Jess’ new ride, Archie, maneuvers effortlessly thru the traffic to the park and we meet all the regulars who come to water their dogs in the early evening. Griffon and I have a good run with Chester, the newbie puppy on the block. He is full of pep so they have lots of fun and burn off stored up energy! 

After a couple of helpings of Carla’s Seven Layer Casserole we bring out the cards for a game of Sequence. In spite of the fact that Carla & Carman repeatedly threaten to give Jess and I a trouncing - the game ends in a tie!

Thanks for the great dinner Carla!