I CAN BREATHE!

The doctor said that I needed to continually exercise my lungs...I wonder if he meant night trains, roman tours and walking more than Ive walked before? Probably :)

My mom and I were able to see tons of sculptures and sites that I remember studying in school (especially my Art History class at El Co...just applying what I learned...) It was a huge treat. But my legs were like jelly and my lungs were like...hmmm....any suggestions of a simile would be helpful. But they were being exercised a lot!

Dr. Rolle said that when I left the hospital my lungs were working at about 35 percent of its original capacity. He said that after about 6 months I would be back up to 85-90 percent. I think right now I'm at...50? percent. The scars are looking good as well. Both are looking the same which is good.  I still get out of breath when walking up a flight of stairs...but I dont think I should be that hard on myself...I know people who don't even attempt a flight of stairs so...haha :)

Ill be flying to UT on the 10th of December and will be spending a week-ish with family and friends out there...and ill be home just in time for Christmas!!! YAY! 

I hope everyones Thanksgiving was great...and Ill write again soon...

Bryce

Sorry it's been a while...

A lot has been going on this past week. As you noticed I was a little frustrated while I wrote the last post. Things were taking longer than expected and I was getting impatient. Monday, Tuesday passed and still no real word about when I would be realeased. Finally they took out the last tube on Tuesday after a horrible weekend.

I had a hole in my lung (or two) as I think I said...and to get lung to stick to the lung cavity they fill the space between the lung and the cavity with sugar water...well...the place where they put the sugar water in was the spot where I had a hole...sugar water in the lungs; not the best experience. After coughing out the sugar water I was not in the mood to do much the rest of the day. That was on Saturday. And they decided that it went so well on Saturday (sarcasm) that they would try it again on Sunday. Same results. So Sunday and Monday were boring...Tuesday they took out the last tube. I was hoping that Friday I would get out but because Wednesday was a holiday in this area we weren't able to get out of the hospital until Saturday morning...I have never been happier to leave a place in my life.

So...last night and tonight we're staying at the Vogler Families house. Tomorrow morning we're leaving on a train south to Munich...and then to Verona....we're crazy...we know...

But I'm feeling good right now...tired of course...but nothing hurts (a little sensative but doesnt hurt) I can already sleep on my side...not just on my back...that's a good thing :)

Hope all of you are doing great...and that your Thanksgiving weekend is filled with pumpkin pie...

Cough cough fizz fizz oh what a relief it is...

...except for the times when coughing feels like your lungs are about to explode out of your chest and you can only take quick short breaths...

Last night my medication ran out in the middle of the night...needless to say that sucked. Every breath pained me. The nurse came in and shot me up which helped me get some sleep. Im just really tired now and moving around makes me winded very quickly. I took another x-ray today but the doctor still hasn't gotten back to us about what's going on. The drainage tube in my expert opinion needs to be taken out ASAP. Its already draining less than 100 ml's which is what they said is good for taking out the tube...I don't know if something popped or got poked or what but to get up and do something in the room even is a long mental debate. I had to go pee so I decided ok...if I go pee then I'm going to check emails etc 'cause I'm NOT getting up again later to do that...so...here I am!

A HUGE positive though is that they took out half of the staples today....and on Friday they take out the rest of them! YAY!!! ...and I showered this morning...with my mom's Auburn color treated shampoo...I think my hair has a nice auburn glow to it :\...yeah...

LATER!
Bryce

Grease: Not only the word...but great to keep the in place

So...havent't showered since last Monday evening...which makes it a week exactly. That means that the hair has a nice and natural sheen to it. It's very becoming of me I have to say.

Today at around 11 am they moved me and all of my equiptment back to the regular hospital room. Im out of Intensive Care YAHOOOOOOOO!!! Im still of the same attitude as last time though...there were more people my age in the IC unit to talk to than here. BUT I can't complain.

At first after the surgerz I was feeling surprisingly great! Maybe it was the drugs...but I really felt conciously better than I remember feeling right after the last surgery. I was coughing a little but it wasn't as much of a strugle as it was last time. I think I got a little carried away with coughing though. The next morning I woke up with air pockets in my upper chest and neck area. It didn't hurt but it made me look buff. One negative side affect was that all the added pressure on my vocal chords made me sound like a little girl. Everyone enjoyed that. I kept my answers and conversation to Ja and Nein. I was still doing really well over the weekend expecially as the puffy hulk-ness went away and I could start to speak a little more normally. Sunday was especially a good day for me. It started out with Markus (the nurse who helped me get to the interenet the last time...and who if I remember correctly did this last time) taking out my cathater! (Markus and I are almost as close as the Ben...the Iron Clam Shell nurse as UCLA...) Then I got my first tube out...such a relief...and then lastly (just as "relieving"...ahem) I got my anema...Aaaaaaaaaahhhh...so gentle...So...

Needless to say I was rather distraut when I tried to go to sleep and all I could do was cough. I couldn't sleep and the more I coughed junk up the more came into position. My lung started hurting noticably for the first time Sunday night/Monday morning. I woke up tired and sore. I got some pain meds from the nurse. But after staring at my bread, butter and honey for an extended period of time thinking, "Do you really want it...'cause if you do you're going to have to lift those arms and butter it yourself..." I knew today wasn't going to be as wonderful as the last few days have been.

I got to the regular room around 11 am and my mom got there 30 min later. I ate lunch but stayed in bed still hooked up getting pain medication. Everytime I moved to a knew position it hurt and then if I stayed still it would slowly go away. Finally they got a Dr. in to look at me etc and hey says it may be the last tube moving whenever I move to a sensative area. He was saying that They may take out the tube tomorrow (which they were planning to anyways due to my good drainage) and that hopefully that will ease a lot of the pain.

But I've been high as a kite since lunch...so Im ready for bed now. Tonight will be better im sure...and tomorrow I may be getting a Doener... :)

Thanks for everyone good thoughts and prayers this past week...Love you all...

Bryce

Can I get one that matches please...

The only thing I'm worried about as of late is that the scar on the left side will not match the one on the right. I mean...if they're gonna give me another scar they may as well make sure it matches right? I still want to look bilateral....

This morning I had my second round of the same tests. Ear prick, plexi-glass box breathing, EKG suction octopus and sweaty shirtless bike-riding...They said that I performed just the same/as well as the last time which is good...As of now everything is on for tomorrow...which means I wont be posting again until after I've been drugged up and lasered...

I know all will go great!

Ill write as soon as I can

Brye

Can They Handle a Second Dose...I know I Can!

...Tomorrow I get to check into Germany's finest hotel again...They cook your meals for you...change your bedsheets...and cut out any pesky tumors you may have...a real "full service" establishment...

Yesterday I was feeling a little nervous for the second surgery. I wasn't nervous thinking it wouldn't go well...I was nervous because I now know what to expect...and I don't like the feeling of coughing up blood ewwww!...But now I'm over that nervous feeling. I'm actually looking forward to seeing some of the people working in the hospital again. (well...everyone except the physical therapist lady...she never enjoyed that fact that I would rather walk around the city then go to "fitness hour"....) And I'm sure they'll be happy to get some help translating for the other English speaking patients again...

But this time I am thrilled that I have knowledge of the secret menu...something I wish I had known earlier...I will take full advantage of roast chicken, omlettes, STEAK! OH MAN I'M HUNGRY!... :)...I will also take full advantage of the pain medicine...

I'm confident that everything this time will go as well as (if not better than) last time. Hope you all are doing great...and I probably won't write again until after I get out of Intensive care (or if my friend the nurse guy springs me from IC for an hour to write something...)

Bryce

Back and ready for more...

So im back in Germany...Frankfurt to be exact...making a stop on my way back to the Dresden/Coswig area. The time between surgeries has flown by...it's hard to believe that a month ago I was just leavng te hospital and now im already making my way back to be poked and prodded.

But my time in France was awesome...just what I needed. I was able to really have some well needed rest...as well as some fun of course. The city was close enough that I walked to town almost everyday which was good to get my lung strength back up where it should be. Almost all of the soreness has gone away and the numbness has amost completely worn off.

I leave Frankfurt tomorrow morning and arrive in Dresden in the afternoon. Then Saturday some of the kids at church my age and I are throwing a Halloween Party!!! Im uber excited about this...There will be pictures I can assure you...

Then on Monday the 2nd I check back into the Hospital for round two...and after more tests (ear pricking and plexi-glass box lady im sure) I'll be ready for he surgery on Wednesday the 4th...

Hope you all are doing well and I'll write again soon...
Bryce