Final blog

Dear Bloggers,

This is my final blog update before I go back to work - tomorrow..!
I just wanted therefore to briefly summarise the last 3 months of my recovery at home since my last blog (when I'd just left Queen Square), and thank everyone for being so amazing to John, my family and I over the last 10 months.

I also wanted to upload some of the photos John took of me during my ICU stay, mainly so I could share the 3 months on ICU with you in pictures, and because I feel ready to show you them... I'm going to try and upload them shortly.

It has essentially been like re-learning everything that I (like everyone) previously took for granted: walking (you knew about that); standing still without toppling over, climbing stairs (am improving but can't do it yet without hanging onto a rail.. - and escalators are officially terrifying!), and lots more, including all of the things that make you feel human & female - like putting contact lenses in/doing hair/teeth/make-up... I couldn't have done any of these things before June. I don't really know how I got through those awful times, but gradually my small hand muscles have come back to the extent that I can manage in a slightly adapted way. John has officially mastered the art of blow-drying, and he's even said 'I hope we have a little girl one day, 'cos it's quite fun making her look pretty' (despite all previous similar comments being based on a desire to have little boys to play football with!)

Anyway, thanks to my very supportive colleagues at the Brompton, I'm going back to work to (at least initially) a part time job, which sounds really rather fab, and just what I need: I'm going to continue doing my research project on pulmonary hypertension (another rare devastating disease that can affect young people - I'll certainly have a novel insight into how my patients are feeling..) and also help with some specialist chest clinics.

I will of course take things slowly, although it's hard not to get excited and start planning lots of fun things - now that I'm getting my old life back.

A good friend and colleague called Andy has run a half marathon, wonderfully for the Guillain-Barre support group. This a medical charity that supports research in GBS, and advises and supports those affected by it. If anyone felt they could spare some time to make a contribution, this would be absolutely fantastic... but of course no pressure!!
Either way, I'm going to be involved in the future with this organisation by sitting on their medical advisory board, and hopefully impart some helpful advice to future sufferers.

The link to Andy's marathon site is: http://www.justgiving.com/osloslacker/
The link to the GBS support group website is: http://www.gbs.org.uk/index2.shtml

Anyway, I'd better get an early night before my first day back tomorrow..!
Love to everyone,
Laura xx