Thursday, February 22, 2007

I said in the last post that any developments would be posted a.s.a.p, and you'll be pleased to know that there have been several in the last week! Since the last post, Emily has had a speaking valve fitted, so has been talking lots, and she has been able to eat (with the trachae still in)... consuming everything she can, from pasta to soup to scrambled eggs!

She also had the wonderful experience of going outside for the first time in six weeks, wrapped in a blanket of course. It has just been wonderful to have Em feeling herself again... I saw her yesterday when she was taking part in some physio (something she says is the highlight of her day). This strenuous 'training' involved some spectacular line dancing! I can't describe the feeling of seeing the first real beaming smile on her face since the operation, and I'm just so happy it's all become real to her.

Today was the biggest step; Emily was moved on to E ward, the regular ward for post-transplant recovery. For myself, Abby and our parents, being in and out of the ITU for seven weeks has been a surreal experience... very serious for obvious reasons, but also very uplifting. It is amazing to see the doctors and nurses dedicating everything to their patients, and the positive and professional approach of Em's transplant team and physios has been truly inspirational. It is very exciting to have Em on E ward, especially as now the whole family can cram in and sit together, which hasn't happened for quite a while. Thanks again for your continuing support, Em sends her love and will be instructing me when and what to update until she has access to it herself.

P.s. This is Lucy... sorry Emmie I didn't realise you had just posted too! I would also like to thank everyone who got a ticket for LFL... it's going to be a once in a lifetime evening, and I'm very happy that it's going to be everything Emily imagined. Enjoy the show!

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!
that is such fabulous news. I expect Em to be giving us lessons in line dancing, so we can all do a great big performance. Lots and lots of love to you all,
Lucy, look forward to seeing you next weekend!
Again, all the love in the world,
Alice
(Thompson)
xXx

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for the update Lucy! It is much appreciated - we all know you'd rather be spending time with Em and family and friends than stuck at a computer updating us (and we don't blame you!)!
It's such great news, I'm so glad Em is feeling better and smiling lots :) And it's fab to hear about the speaking valve, the returning appetite, the visit outside and, of course, being out of the intensive care unit, woohoo!
Keep smiling Em, and keep chatting away! Loads of love and hugs, Kat xxx

Anonymous said...

Yaaaaay! This is brilliant news!
You go girlie!!!

xxx

Emmie said...

YAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

Hearing that Emily has made it out of ITU has meant it has fully hit me just what a dramatic transformation she is going to experience in her whole life now! Can you imagine Emily with new lungs and bundles of bouncy energy?!! She will be like Tigger!

I'm just so happy for you sweetie, it's everything we ever hoped for and it's all coming true!

All my love
Emmie xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

dearest em

have little words 2 say with my mouth in such a big smile as must be all of u . what fantastic news although i will reserve judgement on the line dancing yeeha cant tell u how happy u have made a lot of people just keep that spirit up really looking forward 2 the comedy evening and boy how we will laugh. much much love sheena ian and boys xxxxx

Anonymous said...

So Emily...your life will really start to begin and when you getto F-East Ward...which I did after a while on E-Ward..it is the..."you will be going home ward"!!! So..that will be your next venture to aim for! Enjoy eating and drinking again, keep up the good work with the physio. OOdles of love to you and your family.
Stay groovy, love, Justine Laymond
xx (www.justinelaymond.com)

Anonymous said...

YAY!! This is fantastic news indeed, I'm just so thrilled and happy for you Emily! Won't be too long before you can graduate from pink fluffy slippers to something glamorous and sparkley for the outdoors hehe! ;-)

Lots of love and big big hugs to you
Andy xxxxxxx

Rebecca said...

Wooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooo!!!!!

Absolutely FABULOUS news Emily!!!!

So so pleased to hear that you are able to speak, and to eat again! Are you back on the sweetie-bobbles yet???? Hehe.

Getting off ITU is amazing too, I can't even begin to imagine how over the moon your family and close friends are!

Keep doing so well!

Love and hugs,

Becky, Seren & Dylan xxxxxxxxxx

suzie said...

Yep, thats brilliant news, well done Em so glad to hear you're on the ward. I'm sitting here clasping my both hands and YAYING loudly to the screen...as you do when you're chuffed to bits.

Loadsa love from all in Chester.
XXX

Anonymous said...

That is THE best news I've had for a long time. I'm so happy for you, Emily - and all your family - and can't wait to see you very soon.
lots of love,
Hilaryxx

Anonymous said...

This IS good news - in fact, the news keeps getting better and better. Emily is finally about to realise all her dreams. What a wonderful job the medics have done and are continuing to do. Thank you Lucy and Emma for the updates and congrats to Emma for the successful organisation! Don't overdo it. You need to take good care of yourself too.
Hugs from
Janet

Anonymous said...

Emily I am just so pleased for you! What fantastic news. YAY! That sums it up really!

Take care,

Katie H

Anonymous said...

Wooo hooo!
Wonderful news!
It must've been truly great to have your new lungs take in some fresh air Emily..
BIG HUGS
Cat x

debbie said...

what can be said other that is fantsatic news to hear after all the time in ICU,, well done Emily, I know its a long road but hopefully you have just turned a corner to a less bumpy road..

misdee said...

Fantatsic news! I hope you arent crammed into the teeny tiny room by the nurses station (peter stayed in there the other week) and have one of the larger rooms. We like room 7 the best, mainly as its now peters 2nd home, and he seems to end up in there even now (was in there last week).


huge sparkly hugs and kisses

Sarah

Anonymous said...

Fantastic news to hear you have made it out of ITU.. Welldone Em.. You must be working hard (as always)... Keep going and Im sure you will be runnning around that ward in no time..
Glad you can enjoy eating again and you can talk again.. yay!!! Go Em.. Wishing you all the luck in the world!
xx Sandy xx

Anonymous said...

Em,
So delighted to hear you are on the ward and eating, drinking, talking and breathing lots and lots!!!
Good luck with the line dancing - the start of your training for the hydroactive!!
Hope you kept the pink trainers you're going to need them!
Looking forward to the comedy show and will think of you as we laugh. What joy you are bringing to us all now you are well on the road to recovery.
Keep up the hard work but take it slow and steady and remember to let your mum get a word in occasionally!!!
Much love to all
Julia and family
and all at 'the little group'
xxx

Anonymous said...

fantastic news!it must be such a relief to you all that Em is finally out of ICU. Can't wait to see the first photo on this sight!keep smiling Em!!! with love, diane t. xxxx

Anonymous said...

i meant 'site'

Anonymous said...

That is utterly fantastic news, I'm doing a little dance in front of the computer and shedding a little tear at the same time!

Emily, you're doing fantastically - if you carry on like this I'm going to have to do the Hydroactive again. And you'll do it in a faster time than me! Well done to all the brilliant staff at Harefield, we'll have a louder and chattier Em back soon!

Noodles xxx

Anonymous said...

Hello fantastic news:).Happy to hear everything going ok :). Take care Hugs/Marie

Jac said...

hello Em,
So pleased to hear you have now left ITU - what a huge step forward. I'm sure it will slowly start to feel more real now, and the road not quite so long! Hope the progress is steady from now on, and I'm sure we will see you posting here yourself in no time :-)

Lots of love and higs
Jac xxx

Anonymous said...

What wonderful wonderful news. Ian and I are stuck in our hotel room in Mauritius (celebrating our 25th Anniversary) in the middle of grade 3 cylone-all shops/restaurants shut. We had been feeling a bit sorry for ourselves and I decided to see if there was any new news on you Emily. You can't believe how much this has cheered us and reminded us once again (as Emily has on many occasions) what things in life are really important. Keep going Em and keep up the eating! Lots of pink, but rather damp kisses from Celia and Ian xxx

Nicola said...

Sweetheart,you have done absolutely amazingly to have come this far in 6 weeks.

Words really can't describe just how happy I am for you.As each day goes by you are slowly managing to do more and more things that you won't have been able to do with those old teenyweeny lungs.Before you know it there'll be no stopping you.

Oodles of hugs xxx

misdee said...

Hi Emily,

Sorry I missed you popping by Peters room earlier, I had already left in the pouring rain to get home to the munchkins. I was glad to see you have one of the larger rooms, and will hopefully catch up with you.

Sarah

Anonymous said...

Woohoo I saw Emily!! Emily is looking Beautiful, Beaming smile, and we had a Brief chat..well...I left an essay of a letter for her to read aswell (sometimes hosy does get boring). It brought back memories too of when I was on E-Ward post transplant and also sitting in my chair lunch time approaching and my wall full of cards too (thou, Emily's were mostly all pink..he he)!!

Happy days!!! Woohoo!!
Lots of love Emily, and will pop by next Monday for letter sequel number 2!! Big Hugs, Justine Laymond xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

lovely to hear about Emily's beaming smile - she has a lot to smile about these days. Keep up the good work of getting stronger every day Emily.

Thoughts with you as always,
Janet

misdee said...

HI Em, good to see you walking with physios today. Yes Peter is wearing one of your t-shirts. Sorry i didnt stop, was in a rush as Nicoles school had phoned as Nic was having an asthma attack (kids have excellant timing for these things).

Hoping to see you and chat to you soon.

Sarah

Anonymous said...

great news about all your walking and talking. Love sal and all in Oldham

Carol S--CF girl said...

THis is wonderful to hear! I don't know her but am cheering from across the ocean.
Carol in California

Anonymous said...

Fantastic news! xx

Anonymous said...

Awesome news. Bought a t-shirt to go jogging in and didn't really think through the consequence of running through Finsbury Park with 'I'd give you one' on my chest, but it definitely gets people taking notice and I'm using it as a good excuse to run slower so people have time to read the full text and not make too many quick judgements about me!

When you're at full fitness try it!

Anonymous said...

Just saw you on Ch 4 chatting to a rather rugged looking Richard ;-) hee hee!

Baby you're a star!! YAYYYYYYYY! :D:D:D:D:D:D

Andy xxxxxx

Anonymous said...

fepxdjust caw you onc4 to was great as i have never heard your voice before i think you are an amazing person i have been wearing my i'd give you one tshirt with pride - around the supermarket! certainly draws in the funny looks hehehe!

Anonymous said...

Hiya Emily was soo good to see you looking well on tv today yeyyyyyyyyy :D So good to see you such an inspiration to us all!
Say hello too to your family and friends :D
take care go girl!!! lol
hugz Elaine Rach & family xxxx

Anonymous said...

Hiya Emily was soo good to see you looking well on tv today yeyyyyyyyyy :D So good to see you such an inspiration to us all!
Say hello too to your family and friends :D
take care go girl!!! lol
hugz Elaine Rach & family xxxx

Anonymous said...

Hey it was fantastic to see you,Emily on the Richard and Judy show tonight. It was a very emotional moment for us all to see you looking so well!! Well done you!! You are doing so well after a worrying time at the start but hey you were soooo ill before you can't expect to recover very rapidly. It was so lovely to actually see you rather than just hearing reports of how you are doing. You looked absolutely fabulous!!! Keep smiling and looking forward to all those great things you will get to do when you finally get home. What a fab day that will be!!!!!Love to you, and all your lovely family. Love Diane T xxxxxx

Freya said...

Fabby to see you on Rich and Judy- bless him he is so sweet! (Not sure about the vague traces of a moustache though...)
You looked amazigly well, made me beam all evening! My nan was round and thinks you look like a "lovely girl!" although she was more concerned about possible moustache as well...
Sure we'll all be seeing you in the studio soon! Love and hugs xxx

Anonymous said...

I am so fed up that I never saw you on Richard and Judy. Must have left the room at that precise moment.

So glad things are finally going well for you Emily.

Keep up the good work, speak to you soon I hope.

Pauline xxx

Anonymous said...

I recall seeing a link to a previous stint that Emily did on R&J, she had a link to it (and to this blog) so that people could view it to find out more about her. It was on the Justgiving forum I think it was.

May be itz possible to link the latest one up aswell? Or may be you need Emily herself to do it?

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOODNESS!!! WOOOOOO!!! This made my night! I am so happy for you Em! You are the strongest young lady to ever walk the UK!!!

Love ya hun! Lots of fluffy pink healing vibes from the USA!!

-Breath_Seeker-

Anonymous said...

Well, it sounds like our little Emily is coming on in leaps and bounds! Absolutely great to hear this. Keep up the wonderful work Emily. At this rate you will be back in fighting form by Easter. Well done.
Janet

Anonymous said...

Hello Emily - was really good to see you today (at Harefield) and chit chat. You keep well chick!The "Laughter for Life" night was soooooo much fun...my mate and I were in stitches all through the show! And u were mentioned once, twice, thrice...ha ha..I lost count!! Great to also see your family and A happy too - that you are on the mend now.
I am having my 1st ever long break until my next check up at Harefield - 6weeks off...Woohoo!!
Hope you enjoyed reading my letter too, and will be Postlady Jus until next see you. Keep Smiling!! Lots of love, Justine Laymond xxxxxxxxxxx

Simba said...

Hey Angely flower,
Sorry I missed you on TV last week but am v,v glad to hear that things are sooooooooooooo much muchly better. And I'm sure it can't be long now before you're updating us with all the wonderful thoughts and plans that have been running around your head over the past few weeks. However, the big question is, will you still have time now you've got so much more exciting stuff to do????

So a BIG hurrah to all those fab nurses and docs who've been looking after you and, of course, hurrah to you for being such a superstar. Enjoy your new Tiggery life xx