Consultant's Appointment...

Today was my much needed consultation with my specialist in Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham. It was interesting and I was told off for doubting my asthma's existence as usual. I guess a part of me always wanted to believe it was all in my head, no matter how many times I saw my CT scan. I never quite connected with it being the truth somehow. But now with another person in the loop, it was somehow easier to believe it and I now know myself that what I have in my airways is definitely there and the inflammation is definitely present. No matter how much I try and convince myself otherwise.

Now the question is how much of my problems are actually being caused by my asthma? Well we aim to get to the bottom of this by an elective admission. This means 5 days of being in the hospital and poked, prodded and a number of diagnostic tests performed on me. This will definitely include a Methachloine Challenge test, to check the twitchiness of my airways. This is needed to be done as an inpatient as I will be off a number of my medicines and I could become very sick, very quickly and the doctors want to see what happens to me when my asthma goes off.

Another test that they want to do is a nasoendoscopy. Which will involve a camera being shoved up my nose to have a look at my nasal cavities and my voice box to make sure they're OK, as well as the possibility of a bronchoscopy. A camera inserted in to my airways directly to have a look at them and the state they are in. This could be a gruelling 5 days, but Tom has reassured me that nothing bad will happen and I will be fine for this. I already have a gut feeling that my airways are going to really show their true colours during the admission and I will probably have to endure some rather nasty symptoms, but after the last 2 years or so, I think I can withstand that. What is a few days of being sick in hospital if they could result in a much more stable quality of life.

My Lung Function was lower than normal today and I think I know what that was caused by, I think that was a result of having an infection recently and my body reacting and trying very hard to recover from that. That is OK though. I know myself that these things happen and sometimes I will not be at my best. That is OK with me.

I guess now I have to wait for the hospital to call me and tell me that they want to admit me. My biggest worry is how my poor little animals are going to cope without me, but Tom will make sure that they get fed, watered and cuddled so it is all OK.

Loves
Wendy xx