Recovery confirmed

I continue to recover from my brush with CO2 poisoning recently,and attended a check up at the Churchill Hospital where I was fitted with my Bi pap machine after my discharge at the end of  January.I have been wearing the mask every night since then .I was hoping it was removing the CO2 in my system overnight,but I had not had confirmation of that fact and was feeling a bit worried.
I was seen by one of the sleep nurses who offered to answer any questions that I might have about the equipment. I mentioned that I had broken part of the mask after a week of  using it and she kindly bought me a new mask and suggested methods of cleaning the water tank that humidifies the mask .

She then stuck a needle in my ear to check my capillary blood carbon dioxide level,which sounds bad but on the whole it is painless compared with arterial blood sample from the wrist which is one of my pet hates.
It look very little time to check that the Bi Pap was doing its job well and my CO2 level had been reduced to normal levels.This was great news and I felt relieved that I was not in danger of a collapse again.I have another appointment with the doctor at end of March so I hope to find out more about the long term plan then.But on the whole I was relieved and went home happy!
 
With this recovery confirmed  I decided to start doing more exercise. Sunday the weather was good I took opportunity to walk to the local shops for a paper and some bread, it was much further than I had tried to walk before and as I set out I felt quite a lot of apprehension. Would I be able to make it? I started to get worn out at the half way point, but I resisted the urge to stop and continued on.When the shop came into view I was over the moon and was able to catch my breath while in the shop I searched for a paper for my wife and a loaf of bread.

I bought a sandwich and sat on a bench near the shop and ate it before I attempted the return journey.I didn't have any food before I left and I have found that if I don't eat after my anti rejection medication in the morning it upsets my digestion. I started back home but about half way the road was inclined slightly up and the bag of bread and the Sunday paper was quite noticeable on the return journey and I felt myself slowing down.when I did get to my house I was breathing heavily and it took a while for my breathing to return to normal,but I had done it,I felt great.

I had thought that I should be able to do the walk easier than I had, but then I was reminded that in the last five years the prospect of a walk to a shop down our road was beyond me, so I felt happier and I resolved to do much more walking as the weather gets better and as my strength increases, and  look into other ways of building myself up again as I gain fitness such as swimming and maybe some weight training.  

Walking to the shop for the Sunday papers is not a big deal.

But I am reminded by this walk to give thanks to my donor who has given me the chance to walk again!
If you haven't signed the organ donor register please consider doing so.

Give someone else the chance to walk again please
You can follow the link at the top of the blog on the left hand side, the flashing heart !
It is sad to remember that still only less than 30% of the population have signed the register