Cystic Fibrosis is Still Waging War

Day 30: My new lungs may not have CF, but I still do

It was whim. I had the $ and I had long service leave due – plus, I could stay with Jarryn. So why not jump on a plane and go to see the last Australian KISS concert?
I watched KISS play the Grand Final, and with my mask firmly in place, I hopped on a plane headed for Sydney.

Jarryn and I lounged about the house on Sunday, then we headed off to the Blue Mountains to see the Glow Worm Caves. We were walking home at 1.30 am (I was still in Perth time, so it wasn’t too late for an old lady!) when disaster stuck.
I started feeling that old familiar CF belly pain.

Photo Credit: Jarryn Bowie

 My insides were not ready to rock, and had no intention of playing ball.
 
The thing about CF is that while it’s known as a lung disease, it’s actually a multi-organ disease. In particular, it likes to target the digestive system.
CF had performed a hit-and-run strike.
 
By Monday morning, I was delirious and on my way to Royal Prince Alfred by ambulance.
My bowel had perforated, and I was septic.
“If you could fix me by Friday, that would be really swell,” I told my doctor, “Cause I’ve got a concert to go to.” He laughed and said he’d do his best.
 
But CF hadn’t been messing about.
Even with the antibiotics, I started going downhill fast.  
The damage was too extensive for my internal body magic to do its thing and repair myself without surgical intervention.
 
I was headed to theatre.
 
After they prepped me, I gave myself a stern talking-to — as I like to do when they are about to slice and dice me. One thing was unconditional. I knew that if I died on that table, Jarryn would never recover from the trauma of his Mum coming to visit and dying on his watch. It was not an option. I would crawl home if I had to.
 
A week after surgery, I was released back into Jarryn’s care.

31 Days of Cystic Fibrosis Bonus Fact
 
I’ve been driving this body for over 50 years with the check engine light flashing, all the while waving my hand saying it will be fine. Like the Energiser Bunny, I just keep on going …until it’s abundantly clear that I am not fine.
 
The first day after I was released from hospital wasn’t so bad, but I spent the second mostly sleeping. There was an important vote on the third day, and I needed to cast my “HELL YES” vote.
 
The Uber driver didn’t drop us where he should, so we had a bit of a walk back to the polling booth at the Town Hall. Which shouldn’t have been a problem —but it was.
 
I stopped to sit and rest twice. Then we found a bus stop, so I had a bit of a laydown. By the time we made it to the Town Hall, I was in a full-blown medical emergency. After I passed a significant amount of blood in the toilet, staff rushed about me so I could vote, and then we headed back to RPA.
 
Released back into Jarryn’s care a few days later, I kept my promise, although I didn’t have to crawl, instead, I limped home.
​
No one wants to go on holidays with me anymore 🤣

* Post updated May 2024

Next in the 31 Days of Cystic Fibrosis series - day31.htmlCystic Fibrosis Has Given More Than It’s Taken

​
I am who I am because of my life experiences. Our experiences shape and define us.

31 Days of Cystic Fibrosis is an awareness-raising campaign to coincide with
the national Cystic Fibrosis (CF) awareness month in Australia.
​
​If you’ve just joined the journey and want to start at the beginning, you’ll find the first post here: Your Daughter Has Cystic Fibrosis