Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Posted last thursday (as a comment):

This is Lucy, Emily's other sister.
Myself and the family apologise for the gap in updates, but I'm sure you'll appreciate that our number one concern right now is getting Em better, and being with her as much as possible is part of that. Thank you so much for all the kind messages. It's such a long and complex recovery process that updates can be somewhat fruitless anyway, as things can change between the space of a day!

As we posted last week I believe, the quintessential drama queen was never going to have a simple, mundane recovery, and instead has insisted on making her time in the ITU very interesting for the doctors. She has had a few obstacles so far, but the Harefield team are very confident about getting Em back on track and on to the ward. She has remained on ventilation, but this is now in the form of a tracheostomy (forgive my ignorance of medical spelling) which is not only more comfortable for Em but allows more freedom, and crucially, full consciousness!

She has been waking up very sweetly over the last two days, with lots of smiles and hand-squeezes along the way. Needless we are a very happy cheering squad tonight. Today she was much more awake and naturally full of questions, but she was able to communicate with the doctors and is much more satisfied knowing everything that's been going on. We have been ploughing through the mountains of cards and reading her the lovely messages, and i'm sure she's so much better for knowing the amount of support she has behind her. After a tough couple of weeks, Emily is looking much more herself and although she might have a while to go in the ITU, the doctors are very happy with her stability right now and we will hopefully be updating you with some more solid and long term good news soon.

If you feel restless and want to support Em in a more active way, then please get out there and promote the wonderful concept of organ donation. Buy a T-Shirt from www.livelifethengivelife.co.uk, tell a friend about signing up to the register, or simply disuss your wishes with your own family. If you've done all of the above, all that remains is to remember Emily's philosophy and go and do whatever makes you smile... life is for living.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for getting back with us. I know Kina has told me it could be a long, long road, just as it's been to wait for these lungs. It's frustrating that sometimes the body and the spirit want to go in different directions. But she seems like the kind of character that everyone wants to do their darnedest to help, so that's encouraging.

Anonymous said...

Thinking of you...it's all a waiting game sweetie...just hope these pink but no longer fluffy lungs of yours perk up soon...
BIG HEALING HUGS
Cat x

Anonymous said...

Keep smiling Emily! Thinking of you and all your family too. Cheerio chick and will post another message soon. Lots of love, and good energy. Justine Laymond. XXXXXX

Anonymous said...

hi,
thanks for the update, i guess its going to take time emilys ben through such a lot (as have her family!!) keep positive, keep strong

Your all in our thoughts,

Love & Support,
Karen and family.

Anonymous said...

much love to you all.
We are off out tonight to encourage pennies out of peoples pockets for cf and will be telling them all about Emily and the need to register for donation. So if your ears are burning Emily and family, blame me.
love
sal

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the update. I log into the blog lots every day to see how Emily is.

I know first hand how difficult a recovery this can be, since I managed 9 weeks in ITU myself, and a tracheostomy twice....having this makes life much easier, and when they put in the speaking valve in there will be no stopping Em, I'm quite sure!

As for buying the t-shirts, have already done that, but my own consultant at the Freeman in Newcastle said I need a t-shirt that says "I've had One" so I'll leave that up to Emily and Emma to sort that out for me.

I wish Emily and all her family and friends all the best. I hope things get better and better from now on, onwards and upwards!

Lots of love, prayers and good wishes.

Pauline

Anonymous said...

i am so glad to hear that emily is doing really well now hoepfully she wiil be on the ward soon give emily a cuddle from my son be had had heart transplant sept 2006 in newcastle i have done some awareness at his school too now

Anonymous said...

please tell emily we raised £450 tonight in Oldham and hope for lots of donor sign-ups
love
sal

Anonymous said...

Keep on taking baby steps Emily until you are ready to take that giant leap - and that day is not too far away now!! Keep on taking care and all the best to you and yours.
Janet

Simba said...

Hey Angel-cake,
How are you doing today my flower? Still thinking of you lots and sending you love and smiles and laughs.

You might be surprised by all this happiness emanating from a grumpy-type-of-me, but guess what?

All your positive thoughtness is finally sinking into my stubborn brain and so I'm feeling much better, hurrah for sweetiebobble power! xxx

Anonymous said...

Hey chick, hope you are getting better and starting to feel the benefits with your new lungs. I assume you are still in ITU, and I hope u r being treated like a special lady that u r. Keep smiling. Wishing u a continuous progress to get onto a ward. Sending lots of love to you, your family, and A. Lots of love, from me,Justine Laymond + my fiance, Jon, and my parents and family too. XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

graet news Emily has been up and out of bed and is breathing more for herself. Go Emily, go.
Sending you lots of love from Oldham.

Emmie said...

Just a note to say I don't think Em has been up and about as such just yet! I think she may have managed to stand up with some help briefly yesterday but is still pretty delicate. Not that she won't get there soon but I didn't want people confused thinking she was walking about ITU etc! It's all little baby steps at this stage but each one moves our lovely Em further towards the day when she can finally get through this long hard recovery period and onto a new life of big breaths and fun times :o)

Love you Wemmie and we are thinking of you constantly here and longing for the day we can see you again and have lots of fun together. Daisy sends special furry kisses!!! xxxxxxxx

ex_pat said...

Please tell Emily she has a following in Iceland! I'm a friend of Joy, who is a friend of Emily and found my way over here. I wish her a full recovery so that she can get back to all the things in life she loves (which sounds like kinda everything!). Surely the "full" part is more important than the "speedy" part? A bit of labouring now in hospital seems worth it for the future that awaits her.

take care, that goes for family too.
Rachael

Anonymous said...

Sending lots and lots of love and pink sparkly hugs to you Emily, especially from Lucy. She keeps asking me if I have heard anything.

She like Emmie, can't wait to see you.

I know it's a long hard road, but we all know that with your strength of character, if anyone can do it, you certainly can.

Sending lots of love to your wonderful family too.

Take care of yourself sweetheart.

Bev xxxx

Mitch said...

Hi, my name is Mitch. I wanted to just give a few words of encouragement and share my story with you. I've had two brothers with CF. My half brother had two lung transplants during his life. The first was a full set from a donor that died in an accident. Sadly there were complications and they were rejected. The second transplant in 1998 went more smoothly. His mother and I were the donors. I hope you are doing well, and that you make a full recovery.

Anonymous said...

Hi Em
it's one month today. It's good to hear things are slowly getting better. I have the feeling you will get there!!!
Hope you have a really nice very pink room overthere in icu :)

Love, Marjolein

misdee said...

Still wishing your strong 'get up and go' vibes from here in icey herts. i was at harefield on wednesday, seeing to my husband who decided he wanted a bit of drama in the middle of the night. I crossed my fingers and prayed on my way through the doors to E ward past ITU waiting room. Loads of people are waiting for you Em, hope to hear some more news soon.

Anonymous said...

Take it nice and easy Emily. You have been through so much so you have to give your body every chance to pick up gently. You are doing great............
all love to you and yours,
Janet

Anonymous said...

Hi Emily and family - so hope things are going well... praying that no news is good news... my thoughts are with all of you for a large proportion of each day!! hope to see you all soon,
Lots and lots of love Pip X

Anonymous said...

Positive word on the Ewell gossip mill [and you were told in History class that it produced gunpowder] is that the High Priestess of Pink and Smileyness did 10 minutes walking on the spot with her physio-terrorists yesterday (6th Feb). Lack of Blogging is only due to those in the know rushing between work/uni/Harefield and not being sat in front of a computer!

Anonymous said...

thank you Flipper for the update, that is a relief for everyone I suspect. Good for Emily, no doubt the turning point has been reached and she will be on the up and up from now on.

Great news..........
Janet

suzie said...

Thats smashing news, sending her much love and some 'get stronger soon' vibes so she can leg off and hide when she see's the terrorists entering the ward.

Thanks for the update flipper.

Anonymous said...

thats great news yay :)
lawse x

Anonymous said...

Great news Flipper! Thanks for the news update! Every little bit of good news cheers us all. We are wishing Emily gets better and better each day.With love to her and all her family, Love Diane T xx

Anonymous said...

Hey Emily...just about to my tablets and nebs and go to bed...and read now that you have been walking on the spot! Go Emily..Go Emily!! Woohoo!! Still thinking of ya - and sending lots of love and smiles and good energy your way. Keep going groovi chick. Lots of love, Justine xxxxxx (www.justinelaymond.com)

Anonymous said...

go emy go emy go!! that's fantastic news! keep at it hun :)

loads of love,
rachel xxx

Anonymous said...

Go Emily! xx

debbie said...

HI all, Just wondering How Emily was doing?/

Anonymous said...

I can never imagine being able to walk - even on the spot - with a trachy in!!! I could hardly get out of bed with mine (wimp that I am)

Good for you Emily - really proud and pleased to hear of your progress.

Thinking of you every day.

Pauline :)

Anonymous said...

all happy thoughts to Emily, family and friends for a great weekend. Keep up the good work Emily.
all love,
Janet

Anonymous said...

I think walking on the spot is much harder then walking when your actually going somwhere. you feel it in your legs!

Keep gettin better, and well done on doin the ten mins walks.

Don't worry about how long it takes to recover, everyone is different. You get there in the end. You have good days and bad days, focus on the good ones.

Sendin you loads of positive thoughts to keep you positive! xx

Anonymous said...

That is fantastic news Emily. Keep going .
love all in Oldham

sal

misdee said...

yay em!!

keep going, hope to see you up and about in grounds soon.

Anonymous said...

Emily you are always in my thoughts i think about you every day and wish you well . Pink smiles.!

Anonymous said...

I have only just heard the news - as we don't attend Fitznells music anymore somehow it didn't filter through to us. I was so pleased for you all i have been a bit teary ever since. I am someone who cries in Neighbours tho!!! Anyway you are a huge inspiration and we wish you a speedy recovery. Miss the Music with Ann.
Lots of love
Lindy and the other williamsons