The 7 Worst Things About Busted Ribs

So the pain in my side/ribs/back is actually getting worse, so I figured I take this opportunity to complain :) No, I'm kidding...well kind of. Just think of this as 7 reasons why you should avoid cracking your ribs or trying to keep up with the youngsters and "really showing them how to boogie board" only to have the wave swallow you up and spit you out like the rag doll it turned you into.

1. It interrupts one of my favorite activities. This would be sleeping. I'm generally a side sleeper and no matter what side I roll to I can't get comfortable. It takes me quite a while to get adjusted and put pillows in the correct position to actually be comfortable to sleep, but then inevitably I wake up in the morning in an ever stranger position and my ribs aching.

2. I haven't been able to exercise in any real sense of the word. We've been very good about our walks and bike rides fortunately, but I would love to get a run in or go to the gym. Problem is, any sort of a "jounce", and it sends me through the roof. As far as weight lifting, almost every lift requires some sort of pressure on yours sides. It just ain't happening.

3. I'm trying to stifle my cough while not stifling my cough. This may be the most troublesome. We all know how important it is to be able to cough like crazy, well, when I cough it feels like some one is jabbing an ice pick into my sides. The other problem, it's getting worse. Which leads me to my next point.

4. My vest is even now starting to hurt. Today, for the first time since the injury, I've had to turn down the pressure on my Vest. I did the Vest the day this all went down and it didn't bother me, but now I just can't take the pressure. This is starting to get very annoying.

5. The pain will make me lose my thoughts. I don't have a good memory as it is and I often forget what I'm talking about in the middle of a sentence, but this is making it even worse. I'll think of something that I need to tell Mandi, get ready to spit it out, the pain interrupts, and then boom, thought gone.

6. I'm taking pain killers. Many would consider this a good thing, but not I. I have never ever liked any sort of a pain killer. Generally they'll muffle the pain, but I've never been a fan of the side effects. They usually mess with my bowels and make me a little sick to my stomach. This may be the worst part though, the percocet is starting to not even mask the pain. Boo.

7. Not actually knowing what is going on and even if I find out, not being able to do anything about it. So long story short: Got hurt in Mexico, went to Mexican clinic for xrays, xrays clean, not so sure I believe the xrays, got second opinion on xrays when I got back home, confirms clean xrays, told that fractures may not show up if xrays were taken right away, now questioning xrays, but ultimately told that no matter what it is the treatment is pain control and rest. Any questions?? :)

I Got Hit by a Truck

Day 2: So before you panic, I actually didn't get hit by a truck, but it sure feels like I did. I like to call it the old "antibiotic blues".

Now join me in the (Hospital) Run/Walk Challenge! BTW, does anybody have a more clever name for that? The ____ ____ _____ Challenge! Ideas???

Attack of the Bubbly Guts: The Importance of Digestive Enzymes

Saturday night Ronnie and I babysat for his cousin's kids. I simply adore his cousin's kids, but that's another story for another time. The important part of this story is that while we were babysitting, after we put the kids to bed, Ronnie grabbed a slice of pizza. Seeing the pizza in his hand I yelled from the couch, "do you need your enzymes?" in my most loving, nagging voice. "Naa, it's ok," he replied. Wellll it turned out to NOT be ok. For the next several hours, he was rubbing his bloated, turning, rumbling belly.

He had sharp pains in his sides, was extremely gassy (yes, not taking pills can negatively impact EVERYONE around you) and appeared to be several months pregnant. He (and the toilet) continued to pay for his pizza sans pills after arriving back home last night and this morning. Needless to say, it was a good reminder of why we tote around enzymes with us everywhere we go.

We've started to get strategic with our enzyme placement so that we can avoid incidents like Saturday night's pizza bloat. We keep them everywhere. We have a bottle in my car and 1-2 bottles in his. We have a few bottles at my house and a small arsenal at his. But he has a new favorite location: a change purse that is kept in my 'mom bag' (a purse so large that you can fit anything and everything in but can never locate something once its in there). We've found the change purse method to be the most handy because I rarely go anywhere without my purse.

Before keeping them in my purse, we'd often have to run back to the car or realize after it was too late that the car stash was out. We just always make sure that the change purse is full and we're good to go. Also, it's nice when they're in a change purse because you can avoid pulling out a huge bottle of pills while at a restaurant or with company (if you're shy about your pills). I'm not sure what Ronnie likes better about this solution, the fact that he is more likely to have pills when he needs them, or that it's become my responsibility to always be fully loaded. Regardless, it has worked for us.

Just thought I'd share our enzyme strategy. I've found that working out simple little systems like this makes it all a lot easier. Also, in that change purse, I always carry a few tylenol so that if he gets achy or a headache out of no where, we have them on hand.

How do you remember your enzymes and where do you stash them? We're always looking for new tricks!

Lovin Lane is "CF Made"

When you have Cystic Fibrosis, it just seems like you're cut from a different cloth. I feel that I often view things a little differently. It seems like I really don't sweat the small stuff. To be honest, I think I'm a little "tougher" than most of those around me. What I call "the talents of a CFer", Marcy (a CF momma and author behind Lovin Lane) calls "CF made". I'm sure that many of my fibros and cystas out there can relate to the following blog....

CF Made...

So I have learned that my son is CF made, which is what I refer to as durable...lol... whether diving into a pool, or taking a baseball or two or three to the face, he seems to have a high pain tolerance... Something I have come to realize God has issued CF children a little more of... So his CF made body and his love for life sends him up my fence.... Will I ever get a break from the ER I wonder?? Yes today I was spared, Thank you Jesus, for my heart can take only so many... I am wondering if all the over the top number of crazy things that happen to him, is to some how out weigh the CF.... hmmmm Food for Thought.... And yes I have survived boys (we have two in high school) but this one is going to do me in... This one is dangerously invincible... Or as I say CF Made...

So what do you think? Are you "CF made"?

I know I am.

Running is very hard...

To compare this with last week click here

...and that's exactly why I chose that form of exercise over others. I realize that I could bike, or run inside, or swim, or take spinning classes or a myriad of other things, but I choose to run because it is such a challenge. The last time I ran a mile straight (outside) was in 1996. It was for a fitness test that was administered by our football coach. I ended up running the mile in 6m 14s but vividly remember collapsing on a mat that was set over a long jump pit. I was always good (and fast) at running short distances but would avoid running long distances like the plague.

Over the years, I have literally NEVER ran outside; I would always run on a treadmill. Running on a treadmill is so much easier for me and although I never ran consistently, I was able to do between 2 and 3 miles when I would commit to running for distance. But I didn't like it, it hurt not only my lungs, but my feet, ankles, knees, hips; if it was below my waist, it was in pain. Here's the deal though: It hurts for everybody. I think that many of us in the CF community (myself included) always think we can't run long distances because of Cystic Fibrosis. But I learned something very quickly when I started talking to other runners: I wasn't alone in my pain.

When I recommitted myself to this new fitness routine I wanted to challenge myself like never before. To do that, I knew that I would have to run. There was some problems though; I didn't like running. I found it boring. I found it painful. I struggled to run 30 seconds. I don't like doing stuff I'm not good at. I figured it was to late to become "a runner". I had joint problems already. It's hot in Arizona. My mouth get dry when I run. It's hard to breathe when I run. The list goes on and on and on. Now look back at that list- see anything there that is caused by CF? Neither do I. See when you run, CF or not, it's supposed to hurt. It's going to be hard to breathe. It may be boring. I have yet to talk to a runner that doesn't have breathing problems when they run. Sure, it may come easier to them, they may be able to catch their breath faster than I can, but I'm not trying to be them. I'm not trying to break any distance records. I'm not trying to be the best runner in the world. I'm just trying to be the best runner in MY world. When I run with Mandi, I'm never trying to be better than her, I'm only trying to be better than me. Unless you can find a carbon copy of yourself, there's no point in trying to compare times or the ease at which you run. All that matters is how YOU feel and what running (or exercise) can do for YOU.

Just remember, it's going to hurt. It may not be fun. It WILL be hard to breathe. But it will help with your lung function and your overall health. Isn't that what we all want???

Last weeks results:

Thursday: Walk 5 minutes, Run 2 minutes (4 cycles)

Saturday: Walk 5 minutes, Run 2 minutes (4 cycles)

Tuesday: Walk 3 minutes, Run 4 minutes (4 cycles)

Note: Tuesday's run was way easier than I thought it would be...on the first half of the run...which was downhill. I made it though and coughed up a TON of mucus along the way. I still don't see how I'm going to make it through this new running program, but I know I'll die trying...wait, maybe not die, but Mandi will have to pick me up off the ground :)

Another note: I was so happy after making the run that Mandi and I decided to celebrate....

...maybe it wasn't the best decision, but man did it ever taste so good!