I Think Im Turning Into A Hippy

I have been absent from this blog for quite some time now. Not that I haven’t had time, I just don’t really know what to write about. I have 3 blog posts in the drafts that I haven’t posted. Actually 4. But maybe I will be able to delve into that sometime in the future.

Currently, I am in Angers. A nice little town in the North-West corner of France. Stuck between Nantes and Le Mans. I’m sure you have heard of those two places. Its level with Paris but best for about 2 hours on a train. Failing that description, just Google it. 

I have been here for the last month. The temptation of Macaroons and Eclairs are on every street. If that isn’t enough, you can get a macaroon scented candle, and soap. Although that it hard, being a weekday vegetarian is easier. I don’t like the milk here, so i am now becoming a weekday Vegan. The only reason I say I am a ‘weekday’ is because I eat animal protein on the weekends. I love the cheese here so its is like a treat for me. In the past, I tend to do things at 500 miles an hour and give it either 100% or 0%. I can’t do things at 50%. So weekday vegan/vegetarian is something that has been challenging in terms of not going out and changing my whole wardrobe to 100% Fair-trade Cotton and Vegan footwear. I haven’t started petitions or went on animal cruelty marches outside government buildings. I don’t push it on anyone else as well. It was my choice to do this. Both for a health and environmental reason. 

Health reasons being that we do not need to eat animal protein. Eggs, fish, chicken, meat, game. I believe that it is fair healthier to eat everything from a plant basis. 

Environmental reasons being that if we eat more meat, then more animals have to be raised which causes more methane (a biproduct of animals farts and burps). This gas causes more of a problem to global warming then cars do. If everyone decided to choose to cut down on animal protein, it would have a greater result then if everyone started driving hybrid cars. Furthermore, the cattle then have to be fed. More cattle = more food. Food that could be used for humans. The transportation costs of both feed, then the animal to the slaughterhouse, and then to the shops is astronomical. Animals that aren’t organic, are pumped with anti biotic, which results in humans becoming more resistant to antibiotics, which leads to the creation of super bugs. Its all a vicious cycle. 

I think i just went 100% there. Anyway, you get the gist. Do I feel better for being on this diet? Yes. I don’t feel like I’m bloated or slumpy (i just made that word up). I feel more regular. I can make better decisions, rather then just throwing everything into my mouth and not caring what or where it came from. 

Another big addition that I have started was meditation. I do it everyday, and for a minimum of 20mins. Usually, if I only do 20mins, then I will do another 20 later on in the day. I just finished meditating for 40mins there. My longest was 90mins. It felt really good. Yes, at the start of meditating, i could only last 3 minutes, and even that was a push. But its like exercise. The more you do it, the easier it gets. My sleep patterns are more regular, I am not as angry as I was, I am more sympathetic to myself, and to others. I realise when enough is enough. I even have more energy throughout the day. Whats not to like about the benefits. There are so many things on youtube and the internet on how to begin meditating. If i was to explain to someone how to do it, it would be like this. 

1. Go to a quiet room, and turn off all the lights and electricity that you have on in that room. Phones, laptops, tablets. TVs. 
2. Look somewhere between your nose and the ground. That space in between. If you can’t, then just close your eyes, but remember to relax the muscles around your eyes.
3. Count on every out breath until you get to 16. Repeat 3 times. This should take around 3 minutes. For me, it takes 3 minutes to do 16 breaths. But at the start it was 16 breaths to 1 minute. 
4. Breath from your stomach, not from your chest. 
5. Focus on relaxing every muscle in your body. Scan through each body part. You’ll be amazed at how much tension you are holding. 

So enough about that. I am going to go on a run now, and then start massaging. 

Do your best. 

Adios

Angers, Orkambi, and Running

I have left the vast lands of the USA. A brief stop in Ireland to check in with Prof McElvaney and to get a lung function. My PFT (Pulmonary Lung Function) went up by 4% since 6 months ago. Not bad I suppose! Other then that, nothing has changed. Thats always a good thing! I want to talk further on lung function increase and the new  drugs for DF508, which is titled Orkambi.
First of all, i am now in Angers, France. A lovely little town with even the easiest meal beating anything I tasted in America. Super markets in America have really messed things up for everyone in the country. 
Anyway, here is a picture I took from the roof of the apartment I am staying in. 

I love little towns that haven't been taken over by modern day "niceties". Wifi is bad here which makes it good. There isn't 20 different options of Wifi on my phone. Admittedly, it does make it harder to talk with Yas and my family but at least I can still talk with them everyday. It makes me look forward to have something at the end of the day. 

I love running around the streets exploring what the place has to offer. I don't go with a certain plan. I just run. Buddhist might call it Mindfulness Running. You get a feeling to turn right or left, so you take that turn. You are in the moment and enchanted with what lies ahead. By doing this, you get surprised as to what you see. I took this photo of a lovely fountain in the middle of this square. 

So let me get back to the Orkambi drug. Orkambi FDA Approval. For nearly 2 years I have questioned myself on whether I should go on it. I turned down to go on the trial, and I don't regret the decision. So should I go on it? Here is my reasoning. 

1) At the moment, my lung function is increasing every time I go to have a check up. 

2) I have reduced the amount of medication I take. All I take now is Creon, Tobi/Cayston. Thats it.

3) Will it create damage to other organs in my body?

4) My weight hasn't changed (apart from when I dropped to 51kg but thats for a different reason)

With those 4 point. I can't really see any pros for going on more medication. Yes, if my health deteriorates, i would of course go on it. No question. The temptation is to go on Orkambi as it's like giving a car a turbo engine. It will make it faster. I don't know if that simplifies it too much. 

I shall try to update the blog more often. Sorry on the slow updates. 

Bon Nuit! 

Prime Time Report

I just watched the Prime Time report on RTE about CF. Orla Tinsley created a great piece about CF, and the need for a better health care system in Ireland. If you want to see the report, it should be up on the RTE website in the next 24 hours.
Watching the show made me realise how selfish i am with CF. I don't think iv raised even 1e for CF in my 25 years of having it. It's never to late to start either. So i think im going to plan on doing something. Obviously I run, so why don't i use that to my advantage. The most common strain in CF is Delta 508, and it's the one i have. So maybe I could run 508miles in a certain amount of time?? Or maybe run 7 marathons in 7 days. I should have a sit down and think about this. If anyone has any suggestions then you could email me or comment below.
So far, im two days into my break. My average time i get to sleep is 2:30 and I awake at 8:30. Actually 6 hours sleep a night is good. I had 14 clients in yesterday which was a record amount in a day for me. So that took energy out of me, but now as much as running 20 miles a day and working. My mam tells me that there is a shed out the back that needs to be emptied the shed has to be taken down, and a new one put up. This sounds like some good energy sapping tasks. Also a pain in the arse. I'm kind if itching to lace my running runners up and go out and run a hard 10 mile but i must not give in to temptation! How come when im on a break the weather starts to turn bad? Really typical. Also because iv so much more time on my hand I start to think a lot. One of my taughts was why does everyones sweat smell the same. This came to me when I was at the petrol station and this lad smelt like eeeerrrrmmm..... While im at it, why does everyones morning breath smell the same to? Along with thinking about stupid things iv started to try my hand at pop art. I draw a good bit but I never tried pop art. So when I'm done I shall post this up, whether it be good or bad.