The Top10 Things You Should Do If You Test Positive For Alpha1

  • Have A List Of Questions When You See a Doctor About Your Alpha1(If you try to remember the questions you want to ask you may forget half of them)
  • Learn To Breathe Effectively
  • Limit Or Eliminate Your Alcohol Consumption
  • Don't Be Afraid To Be Proactive About Your Alpha1
  • Get Plenty Of Rest(You will likely have a higher oxygenation level)
  • Avoid Sick People(You have a lower immune system than most people)
  • Drink Plenty Of Water
  • Eat Healthy/Avoid Processed Food(Carbonated beverages)
  • Start A Careful Exercise Program/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program(Your muscles will become more efficient so they won't use as much oxygen and if you have surgery you will likely recover quicker as well)
  • Stop Smoking

Sunday, August 5, 2007

I thought of a few more things! Hey, Mister Morgan!

...Mister Morgan is our family soldier boy in harms way over in Iraq. He doesn't do email right now by choice. He does chatting. Internet chat and phone calls to his Mom. The info I want to share with him will be my closing topic!

When my sister Mary was going along with me to one of my all day appointment/tests days...we were walking through Mayo's subway from the Damon parking lot. I had to tell her I couldn't walk as fast as she was. I think that was the first time I ever had to tell somebody that and she's 10+ yrs older than me. I'd always wondered how that would effect me some day. Oddly enough, it did not bother me but, I suspect it might have bothered her(I do concede that it was kinda humid in the subway though and subways are great for stale air).

In thinking about that...I also thought about the fact many of the girls/women my age could do circles around me walking or biking but, the fact is I realize I can still enjoy those activities inspite of that fact. Those activities help me physically continue to cheat the oxygen tank and they help me mentally, too! I also have realized I STILL WANT TO TRAVEL AND STILL FEEL LIKE I COULD ENJOY IT!!! I want to see Austria, I want to see Switzerland, I want to see Scotland, I want to see Greece and I want to see Ireland. I'm sure there are others I will think of but, WOW what a sweet realization!!

I also have it set in my mind next year I am going to buy a piece of land and build a healthy handicap friendly house on it. Now, I did want a particular parcel that is about a mile from where I currently live but, I think it would finacially be too much of a stretch. There is another parcel that is 30 acres just a couple miles from the cabin and it is over priced IMHO. I feel like the land prices up here are softening and it will still be on the market next year. If it isn't I'm sure there will be another parcel somwhere within my means.

Mister Morgan....I thought of our discussion after I spoke to you when your Mom & I were leaving Rochester last Friday. 1) It was awesome to get to talk to you!! 2) Numerous people have said " Nah, Katie! YA GOTTA go to Strictly Sail!! You love sailing!"

So, I've thought about it. About that time, my inheritance money from Grandma will be rolling over. I invested it in cd's. I would be using a small percentage of the interest from it to pay for me/us attending Strictly Sail. Strictly Sail isn't that expensive. I/we can stay at Jones on Friday night but, if you do you're going to have to be able to dress "dressy casual" because it is my understanding they would like to take me out to eat somewhere respected. I still would like to stay at Chicago Red Roof Inn Saturday night because it's like 1/2 mile from Navy Pier. I got really tuckered out last year after staying there at Navy Pier all day! It's a cinch driving around Chicago on weekends, too!

2 comments:

noreen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
noreen said...

Hi, Katie!

Google is messing me up today. I deleted my last comment by accident,..hope I can retype what I wrote from memory. Gads, this must be a test for me. So,..is the drainage tube out yet? Or did I miss that post? Chest tubes sure can be a bother. If it is out,..happy days! This means you are on the road to recovery. Or should I say that you are "sailing" into calmer waters? Your choice,...but I bet it in olves water. LOL

Take care and keep beating the odds!