Saturday, February 10, 2007

Hi, Lucy again.

Em has been doing really well this week, now she can communicate (by mouthing words) and knows exactly where she stands with her recovery. The team agree it's still a lengthy process, but they're delighted with the way Emily has continued making steady progress everyday. I must correct at this point the bizarre rumour that Emily has walked for ten minutes... i'm not sure whose rumour mill that originated from, but it wasn't ours! She has done some fantastic short walks across the room, usually a couple of goes at a time (with the help of a trolley and a physio) but as she's still hooked up to every contraption available, she's fairly restricted, and still very much getting used to the situation.

After the complexities of her initial recovery period, she is quite weak and has to begin using her muscles again slowly. Em is very smiley and eager to hear about things going on outside the hospital, and has shown a new-found love for cookery shows to entertain her... we all expect a gourmet meal the minute she's feeling better! Her physios and doctors have had nothing but glowing reports for the last few days, and are hopeful about engaging in the various steps to get her onto the regular ward from ITU, this week if things go as well as they can. Please dont expect to hear of any aerobics or kickboxing quite yet, but the main thing is lovely Em is firmly back on the road to recovery, and determined to do everything she can to help it along. Thanks again for all the positive wishes, we're a very lucky family to have so much support from all around. More updates will be added as soon as any major changes come along.

50 comments:

misdee said...

Good to hear you are making progress em. Again, hope to see you up and about in the grounds soon :)

Sarah, peter and the girls.

Anonymous said...

Thanx for the update Lucy always appreciated any snippett of news is valuable to us all. :D Glad to hear things still moving in right direction. slow but VERY sure :D ;)Appreciate is a long road for recovery but know Emily has such determination'Ill show you all' lol! to make her recovery . Great to hear shes slowly walking and contraptions in tow!Lovely to hear Emily is smiling and gesturing to :D BIG sparkley smiles im sure....

luv & best wishes to you ALL and thanx once agin for updating us as we know your time is precious.
Elaine Rach & family xxxxx

Anonymous said...

Very very pleased to read this update - thanks Lucy for letting us know.

Keep doing what you are doing Em, small steps is all that anyone can ask for.

Our Lucy is now out of hospital again (for how long no one knows) and has sent you a card - you will know it is from her when you read it!

Take care sweetheart. Very much looking forward to the day when we can see you again.

Love and hugs to you and all of your family.

Bev and Lucy P
xxxxxx

Anonymous said...

thank you muchly for the update lucy! i was smiling all the way through as i read it - something about the post seemed so very typically em! it's lovely to hear of her making progress gradually each day, and fighting her way to a recovery, with the strenght and determination we all know and love ! :)


tons of love and hugs and best wishes and baci,
rachel xxxx

Katie said...

Great to hear more encouraging news! Go Emily! I see that the view counter on her blog is probably registering record numbers - 87k+ today.. I remember she mentioned the counter a while ago.. It serves to underline again how many of us who have never met her are rooting for her! All the best Emily.. Hoping that gourmet meal is going to be cooked soonish, but in the meantime delighted to hear of your progress! Love, Katie

Anonymous said...

Lucy, thanks for the update on Emily. I have been wondering how she is and have been praying for her every day. Tell Emily to keep getting better.

Love, Randall

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update, i check everyday, So glad things are improving for Emily, sending loadsa love
Sue_b

Anonymous said...

Hello Emily....just checking to say hello chick...and send my love. U keep going and u will be on a ward before u know it. I celebrated my Birthday this weekend...and next year - u are invited to boogie on down with my mates too...minus our wheelchairs+oxygen!! Keep smiling. Lotsa love, Justine Laymond xxxxx.
Also best wishes to your family and A. xx

Emmie said...

So glad to hear you are so happy and smiling poppet...you are doing awesome work with the physio and it seems you are even coping without the power of speech! I bet you will make up for lost time though when you can talk again hehe!
Loads of love
Emma xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

What lovely news.

Anonymous said...

Yey! Fab news, thank you Lucy :) So good to hear things are moving in the right direction! Still sending loads of love and hugs to you all xxx

Anonymous said...

Hey em,glad to hear your making slow progress,your doing well girl..keep at it..were all behind you..keep smiling and making progress

make them new lungs of yours work hehehe

all my love

laura xx

Anonymous said...

Thanks Lucy for the update. Im so pleased Emily is doing so well. I check for updates on the computer everyday. Keep up the good work Em and lets hope you can get onto the regular ward very soon.

Lots of love to you

Lisa xxxxx

Anonymous said...

We visited Emily today and she looked stunning, sitting in her chair like Lady Penelope! Whilst frustrated that she's not out running about yet, she is progressing extremely well, and the Harefield team are delighted with her progress. She's getting ready for the big swallow test tomorrow so let's hope that's successful and she can have her first drink in 5 weeks! To her delight, Richard and Judy very kindly visited Emily today, and Richard caused Emily great amusement by phoning a Nurse's mum and winding her up. Watch their show tomorrow - Monday and I suspect you'll see Emily get a big wave from them. Keep all the positive thoughts coming in!
Uncle Grunc

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update Lucy! Great news to hear that Em is recovering well. After chatting to Anne just before xmas, and hearing R and J had visited Em in the summer, I was wondering if she had had a visit from Richard and Judy yet!!! We are wishing you all, all the very best and thinking of you all the time and checking this site each day . lots of love Diane T and family xxx

Sue said...

Good to hear things are progressing and the team are pleased, they have a fighter on their hands and much credit must go to Em for the sheer determination she's putting in. Thanks for the updates, keep strong Em's family and friends.

Love from all in Chester xxx

Anonymous said...

Thank you Lucy and Uncle Grunc for these updates. I don't know any of you but am fighting the fight along with Emily, her loved ones and everyone else concerned. Great news that she is progressing so well. We mustn't forget that Emily had reached a pretty low ebb just before the operation so it stands to reason her body will need that extra time to get back up again. But it seems she is now well on the way. So hats off to Emily for her wonderful spirit. And love to Justine, little Lucy, and all of those who are also suffering illness right now.
Big hugs, Janet

Nicola said...

I'm so happy to hear that things are still progressing,and that you are still smiling.Fingers crossed for the swallow test.

You are an absolute star!!!

Lots of love and hugs
Nic xxx.

Anonymous said...

hi
Great news, we are all so pleased & happy.
Thanks for the update, Emily you are a sparkly inspiration!!

Love & Support,
Karen & Colin Prior & Family.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

Great to hear some news! The physio will have you catching balls and rolling around on the big bouncy balls in no time!;0)(memories of Aaron some weeks after transplant!)Don't usually watch Richard & Judy but it was on today strangely enough and Aaron saw yer piccie shouted through the house "MUM THAT LADY EMILY YOU KNOW'S ON THE TELLY AGAIN!" they said they'd been in to visit!
Well as ever you've been in my thoughts...stay well and keep taking those wittle baby steps...
HUGS
Cat x

Anonymous said...

Great to hear things are going well. Maybe once she managing the swallow test they will give Emily a speaking valve and there will be no stopping her, although at first she may sound like Donald Duck!!!!

Well done Emily, and thanks Lucy for the update, I log in every day to check on how things are progressing.

Pauline :)

Claire221082 said...

I saw Emily this morning and can affirm that the sitting in the chair is very impressive and grand! The staff at Harefield are amazing and are really pleased with the steady progress she is making. Keep sending those positive vibes, not only to Em but also to her family who provide her with an amazing support network.
Claire x

Anonymous said...

Hiya Emily good to see you mentioned briefley on Richard & Judy show yeyyyy!!!:D today.
Look forward to seeing more of you 'stardom' please make orderley q for autographs! lol hehhe
hugz keep your progress up luveeeeee xxxx
Take care((( hugz))) Elaine Rach & family xxx

Sally said...

Hi, could you give Emily my best wishes. I have been avidly reading the updates. I have a younger brother who is 31, has CF and on the transplant list at the harefield, (we have had 3 calls so far and still waiting).I know how hard this is for all involved so all of you are in my thoughts and especilly Emily.
All of you take care
xxx

Anonymous said...

So good to hear Emily is making good progress - you are all in my thoughts every day.
Sending her big hugs and my hopes for continued good progress.
Audrey xx

Anonymous said...

great to hear you are continuing to make good progress. Please tell Emily Oldham Tom ( who she doesn't know but has cf) is off to Holland tomorrow to see his dutch girlfriend...hope this is the sort of news you meant.A lovely way to spend valentines day!! Much love from
the oldham team

Anonymous said...

Keep up the good work Emily - you know the saying "every day in every way I am getting better and better".
Take care and get well soon.
Janet

Carol S--CF girl said...

I am another person with CF living in the USA. I was going thru my blog comments and found one from Emily back in October so here I am checking out her site to find that she did indeed have her transplant. It seems like it's been a hard recovery for her. I was happy to hear that she is doing better though. I love all the pictures on her other blog from the walk. Emily, you seem like quite the special person! I hope when you are all recovered we can write. I'd love to get to know you and you can tell me what to expect from my transplant as I just got listed and am petrified!
Thank you for that post so long ago, it helped me then and I hope I can give you just a little smile now! I'm sending you a little of my strength each day...can you feel it? Get better soon,
Carol Sweeten, USA

Anonymous said...

Just a quick note before the weekend to let Emily - and also little Lucy, Justine, Emma, Carol and any others with the same illness - know that you are always in my thoughts. A quick recovery is being requested for each and every one of you.
all the best,J.

Anonymous said...

Hey Emily, I hope you got my message - I spoke to a nurse from ITU (can't spell her name..oops) as I was at Harefield for checks yesterday. I'm back again on Monday for more & will try to get another message to you. Keep smiling and stay happy. Oh to your swiss friend - who is leaving you nice messages- and considering others too...I actually suffered from Lymphangioleiomyomatosis not CF just so you know.
Hope you passed the blue dye test/swallow test!! Lots of love, Justine xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

So pleased to hear of some amazing progress and big steps on the road to recovery. Keep going Em we are thinking of you constantly.
Much love to all the family
Julia and family

Filton Kingswood said...

I have a bumper bag of ear plugs from my motorcycling days if the family need any :o)

And if your first word wasn't "YAY!" swiftly followed by "Haribo" I'll want to know what they did with the real you!!!

...and you so nearly had a visit from Dolly! She's spinning on the spot with happiness for you :O) xxx

Anonymous said...

delighted to hear continuing good news from Emilyville...ITU to be precise. We are all keeping on thinking of you here and glad things are progressing. Suzi says woof too

sal and the Oldham team

Anonymous said...

Sending love and hugs as always.

I know this blog is for you, but just wanted you to know that Lucy had a good CMV result <100 copies/ml. We are celebrating hehehe!

Take care and hug sparkly kisses from Lucy.

Love to all of your wonderful family and A.

Bev xx

Anonymous said...

thinking of you :)
lawse x

Anonymous said...

I'm so pleased to read this.All the very best to Emily and all her family. xxx

Anonymous said...

I had the pleasure of seeing Emily today. I'm pleased to say she is still doing really well. She managed to talk for about an hour, which was lovely to hear. she even managed to be pushed around the ward and sat in the doorway to get some lovely fresh air. she truly is a star.

Lizzie xx

Simba said...

All there is to say is...





...YAY!

Anonymous said...

can i second that with a...



...YAY-YAY!!

Freya said...

and without wanting to be cliched...

YAY YAY YAY!!!

XXX

Jayne said...

Hello Emily,
I hope you have a good week, it seems like forever since all the fun started.
Take care

Jayne xx

Anonymous said...

We have only just read pages and pages of blog catching up with all of Ems news. Absolutely fantastic that as we get to the most current posts, the news is all good - such a brave girl with a wonderful sense of humour, some great friends and exquisite taste in pink stuff! We wish you all the very best.

With love from the purveyors of pink fluffy dogs xxx

Anonymous said...

Emily proudly told me tonight that she'd just finished her pudding. She was also ordering porridge, scrambled egg and marmite on toast for breakfast tomorrow. She did 2 hours off-vent today so may well be packed off to the 'non-celebrity ward' soon. Great progress, long may it last!
Uncle Grunc

Anonymous said...

Uncle Grunc,
thanks for this WONDERFUL NEWS. How great it must feel to be two whole hours with the ventilator. Emily, bon appétit - you really are going to enjoy breakfast today. Welcome back!
tons of love, Janet

Anonymous said...

PS - of course I meant to say "without" the ventilator.
J.

Anonymous said...

Hello I´m Happy to hear the progress you do.I got my call for new lungs feb 2,for me everything going ok so far. Hope to chat with you soon. Thinking of you. Your friend/Marie

Anonymous said...

Great news thanks uncle grunc!!! It is great to hear emily is doing so well!!keep it up Em!! Love to you all, Diane T xxxx

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the wee update uncle grunc!
Emily it's good to hear you're finishing your pudding and eatin' yer porridge in the mornings ;0)
2 hours vent free YIPPEE!
You're often in my thoughts...more steps in the right direction ;0)
HUGS
Cat x

Unknown said...

I haven't been online for a few months so haven't been able to keep up to date with Emily's progress, I've come back to find the best news I could wish for, I'm so happy for you Emily, I've been hoping and praying for this for so long. Take care. Gary

Anonymous said...

em, i'd like to take a moment to say two things...firstly a huge YAY on the time off vent/talking/eating and general awesomeness! go you :D

secondly, i have to commend you on your choice of breakfast...marmite on toast with scrambled eggs, why have i never thought of this before?? genius. am hungry just thinking about it.

loads of love and hugs,
rachel xxxx

ps- i also recommend marmite and philadelphia on toast, and marmite and tomato sandwiches (with or without cheese too)...yum!