So a quick little update first and then I will get to something new that I will do every Friday!
Everything is going great! I have started regularly with my home health nurse, and she is great! She comes and does bloodwork and dressing changes every Monday. She says the site looks great and fingers crossed it stays that way until I don't need it anymore!
I haven't been gaining much weight unfortunately. I have been gaining a few ounces here and there but nothing substantial. The pharmacist that makes my TPN and lipids bags is going to speak to my referring doctor and in-house dietician to come up with a better plan, which probably means the calorie count will increase. This should help me gain more weight per week.
I've pretty much gotten into a weekly routine that works perfectly for me. I keep my phone near me at all times for doctor's phone calls (it seems like someone is trying to reach me at all hours of every day) and for my personal calendar. I immediately enter any appointment or event I have as soon as I find out about it. Then I decide if I need to start my TPN early the night before and then schedule that too. I have a routine every night starting at 6pm. I'm pretty strict with it, but that's what keeps me going. Knowing that I have everything under control (well most everything).
Monday is my appointment with my Gainesville GI doctor (the one who put me in the hospital) and the following week is the appointment with my surgeon. This is when I find out a better timeline of when the surgery could be, so let's all pray I gain some weight by then!
Weekly Tally:
Days on TPN and lipids- 21
Days with no food- 23
Alright so on to more fun things! I follow a few daily blogs that do something called Friday Favorites every single Friday. They name 6 things they are loving that week and explain why. So from now on, I'm going to start doing this!
Here we go!
Two very special friends:
Jade and Sarah
These two people have been amazing throughout this whole experience. I could not have asked for two better friends. I obviously have a bunch of people who are supporting me down here, but these two have gone above and beyond. I could never thank them enough times for all they've done for me!
First: Jade. She has been my roommate since I moved down here so for about a year and a half. She has been incredibly supportive and knows exactly what makes me tick. She has life chats with me when I need it, makes me feel more normal by asking for help with school assignments, and she has a great sense of humor. I'm more of the talkative one and like to goof of, but we are great roommates and get along wonderfully, which is everything I could have asked for.
This is us during a CPR and first aid class about a week after we started living together. She had to practice wrapping my head with gauze.
This was after Jade's birthday dinner in July.
This pretty much sums up our relationship ☺
Now Sarah. I would consider her my school best friend. We laugh because we are complete opposites. I took her to see her first show in Orlando a few weeks ago. We saw Wicked, which is one of my absolute faves, and we joked that she is the Elphaba to my Glinda. But it couldn't be more true. I'm always wearing different colors to school everyday and her favorite color is black and gray (not really but that's all she wears). She is the more serious one. A lot more mellow than me. Definitely opposites if you know me at all. I'm a spaz and she is the friend that grounds me.
This was at a meet and greet event that the second terms hosted for the first terms a while back.
This is at my birthday dinner at one of the greatest BBQ restaurants ever.
This is at Harry Potter World in Orlando. We are both obsessed. #nerdstatus
This was before Wicked started! Can you tell I'm excited?
Working Out
Back in September, when I started my new medications, I decided I needed to start being more physically active. I was having problems with joint and muscle pain, which is never fun. I also knew my future job would demand a lot more strength and endurance than I currently had. So I decided no time like the present and contacted a local gym, Go HQ, to get set up with a personal trainer. I consider myself one of the lucky ones because I got a wonderful trainer. Amanda has been one of the most uplifting spirits I've ever had in my life. She is a great friend, confidant, and positive force to be reckoned with. She also just happens to be a nurse, so I felt really comfortable with her right off the bat because I knew she had a better understanding of my Crohn's and other issues.
We started out slow and tested a lot of things, how much weight I could handle, how long I could handle it, and if it caused more pain or alleviated it. We got into such a great routine that you could actually see my baby biceps (that's what we called them) turn into something you could actually see. #progress
My pain stopped, I felt 100% better after each workout. My strength and endurance improved. I had more energy. I loved what I was seeing.
Then the hospital happened and I was out for about a month. When I went back, I was welcomed with open arms, and we kind of started from scratch. Now things are modified slightly because of my port, but I'm getting stronger every day and I can't wait to see what I feel like when I go in for surgery.
So big shoutout to Go HQ and Amanda for being so amazing and patient with me. I couldn't have done any of this without you and can't wait to continue!
This is Amanda and I. What you don't know is that I was running around moments before this pretending I had a cape on so I could be a hero ☺
I also love to walk around my neighborhood! This was the view on one of my walks!
Last Sunday, Sarah and I went to the Anastasia State Park and walked two miles on the beach. It was amazing! And yes...you should be jealous.
So I have always had this habit of sticking my tongue out when I concentrate. This is proof that I do that. Amanda took this and we noticed it later. I have no idea that I am doing it most of the time. I even do it when I take tests at school! I have been made fun of because of it since I was a little girl!
And this is me when I came back to the gym. I had always said I wanted a before picture, so Amanda took it when I came back because I was basically starting over. Those baby biceps have already changed in the last week!
Mail
One of my most favorite things is to receive mail. I always have, but I would much rather receive a letter or card than an email or text. I mean I like them all, but there is something about a letter in the mail that makes me beam with happiness. I receive so much mail lately. Get well cards, thinking of you cards, Valentine's Day cards, and the occasional funny card (these are my favorite). They all just make me happy.
So I am providing my address for anyone that wants to send me cards. You don't have to send get well cards. Just tell me how you are doing and what is going on in your life. I love to hear from other people! If I don't know who you are, that's okay! Still tell me about yourself, and who knows, we may become pen pals!
Kayleigh Quinn
1005 Bella Vista Blvd., Apt. 301
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hard Candy and Ice Chips
I realize that the TPN and lipids are giving me everything I need for the day. My calories, fats, carbs, vitamins, all the good stuff. But let's be real here...I don't know what I would do without the hard candy and ice chips.
Lately, I have been getting more and more hungry. I think this is because I am becoming more active as I become more comfortable with my port. It's super annoying, but when it happens, I pop a piece of hard candy in my mouth and it usually goes away. The ice chips keep my mouth from getting super dry so those are essential too. The people at the gas station I go to get the ice chips know me now because I go in there about three times a week to pay 32 cents for a big cup of ice chips. I always have one of the two on hand at all times, so yes I am the girl fidgeting through my bag to unravel the loudest piece of plastic in the world.
Here are my faves!
TV Shows
Usually when I plug in for the night, I can't move around as much because the tubing is only so long and the bag+pole is kinda heavy. I have everything I could need near my bed and usually get a lot done on my computer. I journal, blog, read, and watch movies and my tv shows. Lately my obsessions have been pretty simple.
Gilmore Girls
I LOVE this show. When it first premiered years ago, I watched it, but I would miss an episode here and there because back then you couldn't record shows. I'm showing my age here... Now that it's on Netflix, I can fix that problem. I've started over and have made it through three full seasons so far. I have already seen the newest episodes that came out at Thanksgiving, so I'm well aware of the anxiety attack everyone had when the last four words were spoken (my cousin and I screamed at the tv for a good ten minutes). But I figured I needed to refresh my memory. Gotta say though...still #teamJess. Always have been, always will be. Yeah he might have done some stupid stuff, but I love him and Rory together. We will see if I shall change my mind by the final season.
This Is Us
New obsession right here. This is an amazing show. It shows the real life struggles of a family and puts everything into perspective. Coincidentally, one of the main characters plays Jess in Gilmore Girls, so not only am I #teamJess but I am also #teamJack. And yes...I'm just as nervous to find out what happened to him as everyone else.
Jess and Jack. My how he has changed!
I highly recommend both of these but I also love:
Pretty Little Liars, So You Think You Can Dance, How to Get Away With Murder (what a twist last night during the finale), Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Survivor (dedicated fan since I was 9), The Fosters, Young and Hungry, and Lost
Harry Potter
I grew up with these books. I started them in Ms. Gupton's second grade class and have been hooked ever since. I remember waiting to buy the last one and read it all night long just so I'd be on the same page as everyone else at school the next day. The movies came out when I was the characters same age, so those books and movies were literally my entire childhood. Sarah took me to Harry Potter world for my 25th birthday and I was in awe because it was like stepping into the movie. Yeah I'm a total nerd, but I love the meaning behind all of the gang's adventures. It should give you hope that anything can turn out great if you just believe in yourself.
I have read these books all the way through four separate times. I figured I'd have a lot of time on my hands, so I borrowed them from Sarah to reread them. Crazy thing is that I forget what happened in the books sometimes. I like the books way better (who doesn't?), but it's amazing just how different they are. I'm a big fan of book Ginny. She is just so strong and dependable, and she chose to be that way, not out of necessity, but because her friends and family needed her. It's an added bonus that she ends up with the main character. Oops major spoiler alert. But if you didn't know that by now, what have you been doing with your life?
One of my favorite quotes because if you have enough nerve, you can do anything your heart desires.
BONUS!!
Jade and I recently got a betta fish! He is gorgeous, and we are already obsessed!
Meet Finn Sebastian Lewis-Quinn!!
So that's it for this week! Join me on Tuesday, when I talk about all the cool things I have done since coming to St. Augustine!
XOXO,
Kayleigh
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