Today I arrived in RTE at the ungodly hour of 8.30 to go on The Tubridy Show with the new CEO of the CF Association of Ireland, Philip Watt. I was waiting in the canteen oogling some faux energy drink and diet coke, trying to decide which one to devour, and trying not to fall asleep. I was reading The Irish Times when Philip arrived, fresh from his flight to Dublin. He interrupted his family holiday for the programme - he`s a winner! I am so excited about him coming onbaord given his extraordinary previous work.
The chat was mostly about the aftermath of the campaign and it was strange. I usually only partake in media interviews if I`m campaigning, so it felt kind of void, or something, to do one without the massive urgency - but of course it` s always important to highlight the issues and keep people thinking of them. Particularly with July coming up, which is when the unit is meant to be going to tender. The next step may be our biggest challenge yet, depending on the outcome. With the economy, it`s impossible to know, although things seem to be going ok at the moment.
The line of questioning was nice too, I suppose. It`s good to show off that Orlaworld is not, in fact Flat, but very very round and full of things that have nothing to do with CF. It`s funny when people identify you with something they just immediately approach you and chat all about it, regardless of whether it`s in a supermarket, the street or even the ladies toilet! Harper Lee says in To Kill A Mockingbird “Folks is just folks”. It`s one of my favourite quotes. I’m glad I can campaign and talk about the important factors relating to CF in Ireland, particularly because there are so many who cannot, or died trying
CF is certainly not all doom and gloom, but facilities in Ireland are so bleak to that in other countries. The Pollack Report stated, in 2005, that Irish Healthcare for CF patients was at a dangerous, emergency level and needed to be rectified immediately. Today’s interview was more a wrap up of the end of the campaign, though it was a bit more tough than I expected. I suppose I felt strange about saying my two friends names on air who had passed away. In March/April of this year when I went on Joe Duffy`s Liveline it felt like a necessary evil, like it was the only way of getting my message across, and I knew they would have wanted to be part of it. Today it just felt a bit nausea, because I had healed that part of myself and gotten as much closure as possible.
I did get to mention on the show about my book though! I signed with Hachette last week and will have my memoir out in Autumn 2010. Exciting and terrifying!
Here’s the interview: http://www.rte.ie/radio/liveplayer_av.html?1,null,200,http://dynamic.rte.ie/av/live/radio/radio1.smil
P.S. I went to clinic afterwards and had my first pulmonary function test since my lung collapsed. I had not been able to do it before because of the pressure breathing out that fast against the machine would have caused in my lungs. It went really well though and I can keep going with the exercise- whoopee! Yesterday I ran for 25 minutes and did my second round of weights, which included bench press. Challenging at the time, but soooo painful today. It means I did it right! I cycled to clinic too, which means I have to run tomorrow...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Exercise and a bit of background.
I`ve really been slacking with exercise the past month so decided to venture to the gym today. In fairness, I had no excuse. My bike, which went out of action about three months ago, is shiny as new and exercise is just too important. Eating an entire packet of choc chip cookies last night probably helped kick me out of Lazy Gear.
During campaigning last April my lung collapsed and I ended up in hospital for six weeks. Boring? Well yes, after the first three weeks, and once I was out of the "danger zone", I got hooked on... The Hills. So awful! But so... interesting! It works when blue birds are tweeting around your head in circles!
It`s hard to focus on reading when you`re on super duper drugs that make you float about the place like a 1960`s hippie.
I started running in October 2007 and it completely changed my life, and the way I approach my illness. After five months building up endurance I was able to run 5k and my lungs were so much healthier because of it. My lung definitely collapsed during exercise before a significant part of the campaign because I remember the extrememe sharp pain that hit me. I was stretching in the Cat Yoga position (although apperently some people call it the Child-- but I think that`s just weird! It looks like a sassy cat stretch!) Anyway, that`s when I got the pain in my left lung, and I lay there for a while cursing that my phone was in the dressing room. Everytime I tried to move it got worse, so I closed my eyes and just tried to control my breathing. After 20 minutes it subsided- and it didn`t come back. I had no idea it was a tiny collapse. So ... you can see why I`m a tad anxious about getting back into La Gym!
I love running though- the endorphins are the best kind of feeling, just like any sort of exercise whether it `s running, football, rugby, skiing or absailing! It took me a long long time to realise that I had to challenge my body, and respect it, in order to get to the best out of my life. Getting back into it was tough because my heart wasn`t pumping enough oxygen around my body to do any prolonged exercise and I needed to be hooked up to oxygen just to try a brisk wak.
As of Tuesday I am officially out of the danger zone. I pass Go, everything before being the 6 weeks in which there`s a 80% chance you can recollapse your lung. So today I went to the gym
Well actually, I cycled there and took it easy on the treadmill. It doesn`t help that my ipod got `lost` in the laundry the last time I was in hospital. Anyway, I had flashing images of Michael Jackson on all ten gym TV`s to keep me occupied. I managed a 3 minute brisk walk warm up, a 10 minute jog, a 3 minute recovery and then another 5 minute jog before cooling down. It`s a good base to start at. I did some strength training and core exercises too before hopping the bike home. I`m aiming for little and often to try and get back up there.
Last year I was at the UCD festival and ended up in the pit for... The Wolfe Tones (for shame!) My best friend Patrick knew a 4th year physio who was playing bass for them. Anyway, I got accidentally rugby tackled to the ground by a group of drunken beef cakes (thanks guys!) I felt two massive arms scoup me out of there, and all I could do was laugh. One day out of hospital, it was hilarious. Patrick and Sarah tried to usher me to the First Aid, DRAMA. I`m not into first aid when there`s no blood or breathlessness. A grazed knee and a achey foot does not a First Aid Emergencey Make. So I decided to go for a jog around the track later to prove I was fine.. A jog around the track with a previously aching foot does make a fool however. A big big fool who spent the next 11 weeks on a crutch because of my thin thin, osteoperosis CF bones- aggghhh! Such A Clever Girl. Not being able to do the Women`s Mini Marathon in 2008 killed me and I vowed that it would never happen again. When I had to stop running this time, I wasn`t counting down the days until I started again, in fact I was pretty anxious about it. I lost my confidence completely - Collapsing a lung during exercise does not exacty inspire it! I`m feeling up to the challenge now though. I shall take turtle steps and with one day down successfully... fingers crossed! Grrr!
During campaigning last April my lung collapsed and I ended up in hospital for six weeks. Boring? Well yes, after the first three weeks, and once I was out of the "danger zone", I got hooked on... The Hills. So awful! But so... interesting! It works when blue birds are tweeting around your head in circles!
It`s hard to focus on reading when you`re on super duper drugs that make you float about the place like a 1960`s hippie.
I started running in October 2007 and it completely changed my life, and the way I approach my illness. After five months building up endurance I was able to run 5k and my lungs were so much healthier because of it. My lung definitely collapsed during exercise before a significant part of the campaign because I remember the extrememe sharp pain that hit me. I was stretching in the Cat Yoga position (although apperently some people call it the Child-- but I think that`s just weird! It looks like a sassy cat stretch!) Anyway, that`s when I got the pain in my left lung, and I lay there for a while cursing that my phone was in the dressing room. Everytime I tried to move it got worse, so I closed my eyes and just tried to control my breathing. After 20 minutes it subsided- and it didn`t come back. I had no idea it was a tiny collapse. So ... you can see why I`m a tad anxious about getting back into La Gym!
I love running though- the endorphins are the best kind of feeling, just like any sort of exercise whether it `s running, football, rugby, skiing or absailing! It took me a long long time to realise that I had to challenge my body, and respect it, in order to get to the best out of my life. Getting back into it was tough because my heart wasn`t pumping enough oxygen around my body to do any prolonged exercise and I needed to be hooked up to oxygen just to try a brisk wak.
As of Tuesday I am officially out of the danger zone. I pass Go, everything before being the 6 weeks in which there`s a 80% chance you can recollapse your lung. So today I went to the gym
Well actually, I cycled there and took it easy on the treadmill. It doesn`t help that my ipod got `lost` in the laundry the last time I was in hospital. Anyway, I had flashing images of Michael Jackson on all ten gym TV`s to keep me occupied. I managed a 3 minute brisk walk warm up, a 10 minute jog, a 3 minute recovery and then another 5 minute jog before cooling down. It`s a good base to start at. I did some strength training and core exercises too before hopping the bike home. I`m aiming for little and often to try and get back up there.
Last year I was at the UCD festival and ended up in the pit for... The Wolfe Tones (for shame!) My best friend Patrick knew a 4th year physio who was playing bass for them. Anyway, I got accidentally rugby tackled to the ground by a group of drunken beef cakes (thanks guys!) I felt two massive arms scoup me out of there, and all I could do was laugh. One day out of hospital, it was hilarious. Patrick and Sarah tried to usher me to the First Aid, DRAMA. I`m not into first aid when there`s no blood or breathlessness. A grazed knee and a achey foot does not a First Aid Emergencey Make. So I decided to go for a jog around the track later to prove I was fine.. A jog around the track with a previously aching foot does make a fool however. A big big fool who spent the next 11 weeks on a crutch because of my thin thin, osteoperosis CF bones- aggghhh! Such A Clever Girl. Not being able to do the Women`s Mini Marathon in 2008 killed me and I vowed that it would never happen again. When I had to stop running this time, I wasn`t counting down the days until I started again, in fact I was pretty anxious about it. I lost my confidence completely - Collapsing a lung during exercise does not exacty inspire it! I`m feeling up to the challenge now though. I shall take turtle steps and with one day down successfully... fingers crossed! Grrr!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Welcome
This blog is just somewhere to flesh out my thoughts, chit chat, exchange ideas and update about Salty Baby, my Memoir that`s coming out in August 2010.
Although it`s pretty impossible to talk about it right now. I`m watching Sky News right now and Michael Jackson is dead. This is less than 6 hours after Farrah Fawcett died this morning. This is the most insane day! Whatever about MJ and the controversy. He is the greatest entertainer, our generations Elvis.
The last time I watched this amount about Michael Jackson was in June 2005. I was at home in my parents sitting room chatting on the phone with my friend. She died a month later and I always referred to that time as That Time MJ was on Sky Forever. He really was the last of the classic popstars. Crazy.
I really bet Farrah and MJ`s souls are just floating around the place, relieved!
OK.
I`m writing a Memoir about my life. I`m 22, have an amazing life, have half a degree, amazing friends, a groovy apartment in Dublin City - and also happen to have Cystic Fibrosis.
In 2005 I started writing about CF patients rights in The Irish Times and have been campaigning ever since for equality for people with Cystic Fibrosis in Ireland. If you want to read about it it`s here :
In 2007 I was offered a book deal to write my life story with CF, but I was 19 and my life is not all about CF. So I decided to hang tight and get busy living, which I`m still doing- but CF is still a major part of it because a. I live with it every day and b. Mostly, because of the governments blaze approach towards anything to do with CF in Ireland - even though we have the highest instance of it in the world.
I`m just an ordinary person like anyone else, with a lot of different elements to my life. I have a massive love for music, a love of quirky fashion. I have a passion for informing people about cystic fibrosis, I think there are so many aspects of it that are unexplained and under explored for people emotionally and medically. I want to write about my experience with that. There are also at least a dozen other stories I`m going to write too, that have nothing to do with CF. I just love people and all our crazy intricacies. I also have a weird love for therapeutic cooking, shopping and hanging out by the sea. (Love the fresh air!)
If 300 people wrote about CF each book would be so different. So forgetting the CF, my book is just about life, growing up, dealing with friendship, challenges, the absolute drag it can be going through the teenage years- and all the unexpected moments, and fun that can happen too. I`ll be updating this every few days, so check in!
Although it`s pretty impossible to talk about it right now. I`m watching Sky News right now and Michael Jackson is dead. This is less than 6 hours after Farrah Fawcett died this morning. This is the most insane day! Whatever about MJ and the controversy. He is the greatest entertainer, our generations Elvis.
The last time I watched this amount about Michael Jackson was in June 2005. I was at home in my parents sitting room chatting on the phone with my friend. She died a month later and I always referred to that time as That Time MJ was on Sky Forever. He really was the last of the classic popstars. Crazy.
I really bet Farrah and MJ`s souls are just floating around the place, relieved!
OK.
I`m writing a Memoir about my life. I`m 22, have an amazing life, have half a degree, amazing friends, a groovy apartment in Dublin City - and also happen to have Cystic Fibrosis.
In 2005 I started writing about CF patients rights in The Irish Times and have been campaigning ever since for equality for people with Cystic Fibrosis in Ireland. If you want to read about it it`s here :
In 2007 I was offered a book deal to write my life story with CF, but I was 19 and my life is not all about CF. So I decided to hang tight and get busy living, which I`m still doing- but CF is still a major part of it because a. I live with it every day and b. Mostly, because of the governments blaze approach towards anything to do with CF in Ireland - even though we have the highest instance of it in the world.
I`m just an ordinary person like anyone else, with a lot of different elements to my life. I have a massive love for music, a love of quirky fashion. I have a passion for informing people about cystic fibrosis, I think there are so many aspects of it that are unexplained and under explored for people emotionally and medically. I want to write about my experience with that. There are also at least a dozen other stories I`m going to write too, that have nothing to do with CF. I just love people and all our crazy intricacies. I also have a weird love for therapeutic cooking, shopping and hanging out by the sea. (Love the fresh air!)
If 300 people wrote about CF each book would be so different. So forgetting the CF, my book is just about life, growing up, dealing with friendship, challenges, the absolute drag it can be going through the teenage years- and all the unexpected moments, and fun that can happen too. I`ll be updating this every few days, so check in!
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