Cystic Fibrosis Fatboy — Page 16 — The daily quest to gain weight

Gain Weight – The Fatboy BMI Challenge

February 6, 2012

It’s been nearly 2 years since I set out to gain weight to improve my lung function. The data that I read, in combination from years and years of clinic begging me to try something – anything – to gain weight, points definitively to the correlation between a normal BMI (body mass index) and improved lung function. I discussed that in length back in 2010 and want to remind you of these highlights:

Malnourished adolescents aged 12–18 years experienced a serious decline in FEV₁ of about 20% predicted, whereas mean FEV₁ values remained stable at above 80% predicted in adolescents of normal weight.
During 1 year of observation adolescents who experienced a >5% predicted decrease in weight for height had a concomitant mean loss of FEV₁ of 16.5% predicted during that year, whereas patients who gained relative weight had a parallel increase in FEV₁ of 2.1% predicted.

If that isn’t enough to convince you, just stop reading now, because that’s what the rest of the post is about and is the modus operandi I’ve been going with for the last 2 years. Look in the sidebar to see when the last time I was sick enough to need IVs was. Are we on the same page?

[Read more…]

Abortion: A Closer Look

February 3, 2012

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Planned Parenthood, Fundraising, and Abortion

Today has got me all riled up about the public outrage that Komen stopped funding for PP, which was in turn fought out on CNN by the PP President as an afront to women who get their basic medial care at PP, such as mammograms. See an attempt to get a mammogram from PP – it doesn’t happen, or at least doesn’t happen readily if they just couldn’t reach one that does mammograms.

The fight gets ugly when the sector that contains humanists, the Left, the pro-choicers, etc… whatever labels fit the sympathy that women have the right to abort – get their say on spending by a cancer foundation to promote the PP agenda, I’m sorry, services. I’ve been watching @komenforthecure on Twitter and they are saying all day long to people smacking them around publicly that PP is not an official partner, so all of this stuff is unfair. Well, if it’s so unfair that one side is against them and when they flip-flop back and it makes the other side mad because that group didn’t know PP was receiving funding from Komen, how is that any more unfair? Komen can’t keep this up very long and save face. They need to come out and say “yes, we give these (I almost used profanity) guys money, we’re sorry that upsets you, so if you want to take your money to Moffitt Cancer Center instead, go right the flip ahead.” I could respect that, but this is idiotic.

While we’re on the topic of PP (and indirectly, abortion), I’ve made a small list of people who were known to either be adopted instead of aborted or whose parents were pressured to abort them. Think about how different the world would be without these people: Art Linkletter, Dave Thomas, William (Bill) “Slick Willy” Clinton, Steve Jobs, Tim Tebow.

_________ represents the name of any CFer (or other genetically tested unborn) whose parents decided that life with a disease was more merciful than not giving them a chance. How many of us would be here today if our parents took their doctor’s advice about what to do with our unborn/born status? I’m honored to be in the same CF circles as someone like Jamey Remaley and her family that now includes Radek and now little Peyton who is still getting used to being in this world. Read her account of finding out her unborn baby boy was going to have the ΔF508/ΔF508 mutation. Good job, Remaleys! Sticking to your guns like that… you’re aces in my book.

Not something that I’d turn into my old English profs, but this is my emotional brain-dump for the afternoon after fighting with my insurance for an hour and trying to get Pulmozyme again.

Third Anniversary: Petersen Media Group

February 2, 2012

Petersen Media Group was started 3 years ago today, on Groundhog Day 2009. It was the biggest fork in the road we’ve had since getting married in 2006. We’ve had many ups and downs in the last 36 months ranging from 2 months of surplus to draining our savings account and having no idea when the next person was going to come along who wanted my services. Everything has been a test of our determination and deep-rooted faith that we are doing what we are meant to do in this season of our lives.

Doing what I love in service of those who love what I do.

In 2009, I served 58 clients and went up to 66 clients in 2011 with a total of 144 in my Freshbooks online accounting. I ran a 36-month report and learned that our gross revenues equal 63 months of the last salary I had, though our expenses self-insuring are much higher than before.

In 2009 and 2010, Beautiful was still working her office manager job at a family-run manufacturer. In fact, they gave her a raise on Groundhog Day 2009 when they learned that she left early the day before because I’d just lost my job. That turned out to be her last raise because beginning Feb. 1st, 2011, she stayed with me all day every day to be the much misunderstood and seemingly socially awkward role of “housewife.” You’d better read her account of quitting her job and doubling her salary to understand how valuable it is to stay home before having kids, which will be right along as soon as our paperwork is approved.

In June, we took a week to go to California to see her sister get her Master’s on the way to getting her doctorate in psychology. That sure was a fun week because it was my first time to California. In September, we made a rush, semi-emergency road trip to stay with my grandparents for 2 weeks when my grandpa wasn’t doing very well. Six weeks later, we returned to spend 2 weeks again because my parents were visiting and we had booked plans to spend our 5th anniversary at Niagara Falls!

This has been the best year – by far of my “long and storied CF life” and now that some particular trials we faced are behind us, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Spiriva Over Atrovent for Fatboy

February 1, 2012

I mentioned after clinic that I had a few days’ supply of a duo-neb of Atrovent/Albuterol and then a full month of Spiriva to see which works better for me. The results are in as far as I’m concerned – after only 2 doses of Spiriva. Friday will be an entire post on it, including (drumroll) a video!

The bottom line is: I feel as “normal” as I can remember feeling in well over a decade now. No exaggeration whatsoever. Sure, I had 2 days of duo-neb first, but the effect of Spiriva were both immediate within the hour and long-lasting clear through to bedtime.

We have changed one other thing this week, which included a duo-neb day: walking 1/2 mile to the mailbox and back after treatments and before I get bogged down at my desk getting pulled 56 ways to Sunday. Monday was so-so, and I recorded the walk with my Nike + as such. I had labored breathing when we got back and I had a really hard cough once we were inside and I sat down to take off my shoes.

Tuesday, immediately after Spiriva, I rated it about the same, but I didn’t cough afterwards. Today, I got up earlier and finished my treatments earlier, so I was ready to go before Beautiful was. That gave my dose a good 30 minutes to reach almost its maximum benefit according to the drug sheet in the box. It continues to rise to the max at 2-4 hours after, but 30 minutes is about 75% up there. I tried to pick up the pace, felt a little winded when I came inside, but again, no cough. Within a minute, I felt great again.

That’s enough for me. I don’t need to know anything more or fiddle-fart around asking to try other options. I repeat: I have not felt this good in forever – since high school! Look for more info and goodies about Spriva Friday.

Gain Weight – The Fatboy BMI Challenge

February 6, 2012

It's been nearly 2 years since I set out to gain weight to improve my lung function. The data that I read, in combination from years and years of clinic begging me to try something - anything - to gain weight, points definitively to the correlation … [Read more]

Abortion: A Closer Look

February 3, 2012

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Planned Parenthood, Fundraising, and Abortion Today has got me all riled up about the public outrage that Komen stopped funding for PP, which was in turn fought out on CNN by the PP President as an afront to women who … [Read more]

Third Anniversary: Petersen Media Group

February 2, 2012

Petersen Media Group was started 3 years ago today, on Groundhog Day 2009. It was the biggest fork in the road we've had since getting married in 2006. We've had many ups and downs in the last 36 months ranging from 2 months of surplus to draining … [Read more]

Spiriva Over Atrovent for Fatboy

February 1, 2012

I mentioned after clinic that I had a few days' supply of a duo-neb of Atrovent/Albuterol and then a full month of Spiriva to see which works better for me. The results are in as far as I'm concerned - after only 2 doses of Spiriva. Friday will be an … [Read more]

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Planned Parenthood, Fundraising, and Abortion

Time Elapsed Since IVs