Since my last post i have been focusing all of my attention of improving my fitness. Firstly to improve my lung function and to feel better generally and secondly if a transplant is needed in the next few years or sooner my body will be in better shape to accept it and hopefully cut down recovery time and complications.
One good thing that has already come out of it is my appetite has improved, i suppose where i never usually burn much energy my body doesn't crave food as much, i could easily survive on one snack or small meal in a 24 hour period. Yesterday i ate 3 good solid meals, cereal and fruit for breakfast, dippy egg and soldiers (as my nan calls it) for lunch then a jacket potato stuffed with mushrooms onions and cheese with pork chops for dinner. I love to cook and its the thing i miss most when in unwell as im to tired to stand for long periods of time.
The day before i made chicken breasts stuffed with mozarella and red pepper pesto, new potatoes in a butter, garlic salt and chili flake dressing with fresh veg all prepared from scratch.
Friday night i went swimming with my sister, i have always loved swimming since a young age and was always called a water baby as i just took the water so have swam most of my life.
Unfortunately i had to take a year off of swimming as i had surgery on my cervix and the water would have posed to much of an infection risk in the healing process.
I had a smear test when i was 22 and although this was before the recommended age of 25, i was experiencing painfull and prolonged periods so went to my gp. My mum suffered cervical cancer age 22 so as there was a family history he recommended an early screening as i was symptomatic already. The smear test was abnormal so they sent me to basildon hospital for a colposcopy a test which can look at the cervix with a camera to see any abnormal cell growth. Unfortunately this test was positive showing a result of CIN3 so was booked in for surgery. Cell growth at CIN1 is monitored, CIN2 is lasered and CIN3 needs surgery to remove the cells from the cervix to prevent cancer from developing. 2 Weeks later i was wheeled in to theater but had to be awake for the procedure as my lung function was low so a general anisetic would have caused problems to my chest, although the area was numbed and i was sedated it was quite an uncomfortable procedure. It wasn't however successful as at my 3 month check the cells had grown again but this time at CIN2 so had a laser treatment. This was successful for 5 months but again at my check up cells had regrown again but only at CIN1 this time so am being monitored closely for any further changes, which although is a pain i do get to swim again.
So here we are back to now, as i said i went swimming with my sister. It was something i was very worried about as the last time i swam my lung function was 63% it is half that now so i knew my stamina would not be half as good as it was so was quite anxious to go alone in case i struggled to breath. I was shocked and pleased at how well i actually done i managed 14 lengths, far from my best but still a good starting point. I went swimming again on my own this time Monday morning and managed 20 lengths, very happy. Already almost half way to my usual best :)
I think i have mentioned in my blog somewhere before my passion for yoga but again i had let this slip over the past 3 months, so i got my mat and blocks out to see how flexible i still was, the verdict = not very lol. I really struggled with some of the poses i previously done effortlessly, i struggled to touch my toes and was quite a way off putting my leg behind my head, my balance was off to as i was wobbling a lot in head and shoulder stands. I wasn't discouraged though infact it made me all the more determined to push on and get my fitness and flexibility back. I forgot how much i loved yoga not just the postures but the way your mind is during and after the exercise i felt revitalized and happy, i felt like my mind had been focused and centered and i lay on the floor for a while after smiling lol.
For Christmas my dad bought me zumba for my wii, another form of fitness that kept me well previously was dancing so i thought having zumba at home would also be a great way of keeping fit, i have used it twice and it was brill, i was sweating so much after and my heart was pumping like it hasn't in a long time. Its true what they say exercise really does release happy endorphins. So im going to continue with my fitness regime and will hopefully get an improved lung function on the 3rd of Feb when i meet with my team, im hoping i would have gained a few pounds to as i have been eating like a Trojan !!
The only thing i have to complain about at the minite lol is that i had my flu jab and as it does every year its made me poorly, i feel all fluey, bunged up and achy so am doing extra physio to keep my chest clear
So for now im very happy, so think i will treat myself to a large caramel macciatto in Starbucks today for all my hard work :)
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