It's January 2014 and it's also my final month of Gene Therapy trials dosing

So firstly happy new year to all that read this blog.

Well where do I start??

Well the last couple months have been a challenge mentally and physically. CF has been trying its best to give me a rough Christmas period but I've kept my head above water JUST but I think I've come out in 2014 okay. I hope my lung function has stayed consistent I hope but I will know more later today as I'm having lung function tests this afternoon I'm excited but nervous and exhausted. Last nights sleep didn't exactly happen, I think I may have nodded off around 4:30am well that's the last time I checked the clock!! 

And I'm noticing changes with my body not related to my lungs or stomach but definitely as a consequence of suffering with cf. My left ankle now constantly locks up and my right knee is always on fire. I'm now depending on ibprofen gel 24/7 and I need the hospital to work out if it's cf directly causing issues or if it's my tablets causing an issue. Either way the pain is becoming worse and my Ankle is a real worry as I've had problems with it previously and it's been operated on twice and still not fixed it. It's worrying me a lot as it feels like it may collapse or break at any moment. This morning it felt like I hit a nerve and my leg collapsed on me resulting on me falling up the stairs, a skill in itself I tell you haha

I've also noticed that I'm always feeling exhausted despite sleeping loads and chest pains are becoming a regular thing. Oh and I've also had the odd heart flutter.

I thought my diabetes could be causing a problem but I've really been nailing that lately and can rule that out as causing a problem

All of this I will have to discuss with my cf team and no doubt have to have tests and scans to see what's wrong and if they can help. My priorities are sort the exhaustion out and get my ankle figured out.

Chest wise it's been a struggle but lots of autogenic drainage pulmozyme and antibiotics have cleared something nasty that I had over Christmas and during December, I'm not sure it's killed it yet but it's doing something positive.

Like I mentioned earlier I have been having another go at getting more understanding of my body and diabetes and in short I think I've got a better plan to cope with it and control it better which I know is very important to help keep my chest healthier. 

And last but very much not least.

Next week I will be inhaling my final dose on the gene therapy trials. I still don't know what is going on in terms of what I'm inhaling but it's been a privilege to have been apart of the trials.

I'm excited to finish it but will be sad to finish and know that I will soon have to say goodbye to the trial team. They are an amazing bunch of people and it's been great getting to work with them and know them I will be sad to leave for the final time.

Mind you it's not all completely over just yet

I have 3 more visits after final dose to finalise the research and the most important bit of all??? 

Well my final visit for my last bronchoscopy. I'm not looking forward to that bit mainly because I know how awful I will feel after and it takes a few days to get over the effects of it but more worrying is the day after the bronchoscopy I'm due to jet off for a stag do. 

Hhhmmm,, scared??? yes

Stupid???? I always am

Determined??? Of course I am

I will of course keep you updated

I will also write a final trial blog when I know everything that happened and will let you all know what really happened ;-)

I'm off now time to get poked and stabbed by nurses and doctors 

oh and finally and the best news of all.

id like to announce that I asked my girlfriend to marry me over the christmas period and she said YES :-) 

and now we must plan the whole thing :-) 

Thanks for reading