Re: Show of hands ? Please

[Guest guest]

I'm 38 years old, I started to get stiffness and pain in the joints along with SOB and frequent chest infections. I was tested and treated for arthritis although my bloods were negative and the various treatments I was given weren't that helpful. My mum had passed away from lung cancer (lifetime non smoker) and had split up with my fiance shortly before the symptoms showed themselves and alot of my symptoms were put down to stress.

I was rushed into hospital when I was 25 with multiple pulmonary embolisms, which were treated and they diagnosed dermatomyositis, I had regular scans following the PE's and my docs just tarted talking about PF, like it was nothing to worry about. Phrases like 'a touch of' and 'slight' were used. I had regular lung functions and things were stable. Other problems were picked up like anti cardio lipins and 'slight' reynaulds.

I was also told that due to my various conditions and my meds, that I wouldn't be able to have children. Although I wasn't thinking about children at the time I was devastated that the choice had been taken away from me. So I was rather surprised to find that I was pregnant in 2001! It was a complicated pregnancy, but as I had no other dependants, it wasn't a big problem as if I didn't feel like getting out of bed, I didn't have to. One cold weekend, 6 weeks before my due date, Rob had gone to a wedding 160 miles away. I had decided not to go as I didn't fancy the journey while heavily pregnant and didn't want to be sitting there while everyone else was dancing. What a good job. Rob had been gone about 20 mins before I was on the phone to the labour ward. My best friend got me to hospital, where they assured me that I wasn't in labour but because of my other problems they'll keep me in over night for observation. 25 mins after that Lilith sprang into the world! She was 3lb 10oz, but described as disgustingly healthy.

My PFT's remained stable up until last year, where they have plummetted and I have gone from 'a touch of PF' to 'some sparing of the left lobe'

I have done all sorts of jobs including riding instructor, florist, office worker and pub manager. My biggest regret is giving up the horses, as I thought it was something I could always go back to. Now I wish I'd stayed with the horses until it either lost it's appeal naturally, or I became too ill to do the job.

I met Rob in 2000 and he is the love of my life, although he drives me nuts from time to time!

I have an elderly retired greyhound, she's my third, I have a huge soft spot for greyhounds. My hobbies include 17th century reenacting, sewing, and anything to do with food, from where it comes from, growing it, cooking it and finally eating it. I love rugby and reading, especially Terry Pratchett.

My Dad is 72 and is waiting for corrective surgery on a hip replacement. He's suffered heterotropic ossification, which is excess bone growth at the site of the replacement and he currently has less mobility than he had before the op, but hopefully he will be having the corrective surgery in a couple of weeks.

Love Ze xx

> I am 58 yrs old I have 3 children 2 girls 39 and 37> and a son who is 35 .I also have 2 grandsons Kenny and> . I was widowed when I was 26 yrs old , My husband> was an air traffic controller at O'hare and we had a> private plane that we owned with 3 other people. It> was nice cause they used it on the weekends and he> rarely had them off, so we were able to go alot of> places. It is really to bad the kids dont remember> being nose to nose with Mt Rushmore but that is> another story. We were having trouble with the landing> gear and it was fixed or so we thought but his plane> crashed and the safety board said it was pilot error.> It was,I thought the hardest time of my life but now> this.My children all graduated from college and are> wonderful adults but this is very hard for them. I am> very close to my parents. They came to the house every> Tuesday to check on me and the kids and we spent> vacations and lots of weekends with them. I have not> told them because they are 83 yrs old and it would> just devastate them . I am not on oxygen yet and cant> do the thing I used to but I put on a good act for> them. My Dad is the main cause of stress for me now> cause he is having TIA's. I cant even think about> losing them . They were and still are my rock . I> married my best friends brother in March 2004 . I have> known him since I was 8 yrs old, > His name is Clyde . His Mom caught the bouquet at my> 1st wedding . She set us up, she thought we were a> perfect pair and she was right . He is a wonderful> man. He was never married so he has an instant family> and he is thrilled as he has seen my kids grow up . I> feel bad that This is what he signed up for. We went> to New Zealand for our honeymoon and hope to travel as> long as we can. I have good and bad days and other AI> that complicate things but I am to crazy about my> grandsons and will fight this monster all the way.> Enough about me . Next> IPF 2/07 IL > > __________________________________________________________> Looking for last minute shopping deals? > Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping> > > > > > ---------------------------------> Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.>