Hi everyone hope you are all basically well .I'm doing really well after my op and I would say I'm 95% back to normal .I wish it had been available years ago .
Just wanted to wish all you lovely people a very merry Christmas and a healthy New Year ......hopefully for us all.
Love and hugs to you all ♥️ xxxx Babs
I'm so glad you're doing well. Wishing you a merry Christmas too 🎄🎁🎅🌨️⛄⛷️
Great news Babs, have a lovely Christmas. Xxxx
So Good to Hear Babs, Very Very Happy for you. Wishing you & your Family a Very Merry Christmas. Love n Hugs. Carolina. xxxxxx
Welcome back Babs,you've done the hard bit and we hope you now cruise into the new year with boundless energy and a new lease of life.
love Ski's and Scruff's x
I have been following your journey through your posts on here [Being a fellow RBH patient from the south] and so pleased you are doing so well in your recovery.Merry Christmas to you xx
Season's greetings. Glad you're recovering so well.
So glad to hear you are doing well Babs, onwards and upwards!
Best wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas
Seasons greeting - lovely to hear you are on the mend
I do love good news even though I don’t know you.Well done and keep it up.
Good wishes
Such good news Babs, hope you continue to recover one day at a time. Best wishes for a lovely Christmas and healthy new year. xxx
Missed a message from sischool she says you had the lung reduction op how did it go and what benefit you you get from it would you recommend it . I’m due a consult at the end of August to see if I’m a candidate I’ve has emphysema for almost 12 years and life is a challenge I’m sure you’ve been there Thankyou Sam
Hi Sam I've had emphysema for 20 years + and have always managed it until the last couple of years things were becoming difficult and I was having a lot of exacerbations . I was referred to The Royal Brompton Hospital in London in October 2017 . I was also on ambulatory oxygen .To cut a long story short after a year of tests ( lung functions ) CT scans and bronchoscopy to see whether my lungs were suitable for an op and then decide which one was best LVRS or valves . I had LVRS in October 2018 with great success .I can recommend it .Recovery is ok it all depends on how much fight you have .3 days in high dependency unit then 7 days in animal ward .I still go to the Brompton every three months for lung functions and CT scans but I'm really well .....at the moment .You must be physically and mentally fit before they will do it so I wish you good luck oh by the way I'm almost 72 and feel like I have my life back .Hope this helps you .
Love Babs xx
So Happy for you Babs. Stay strong Hun & Enjoy Life as You always Do. Love n Hugs. Carolina XXXX
Thankyou very much that was very helpful do you still have to use oxygen , reading all your reply’s they are very informative I’m also 72 and finding my present condition has so many limitations and so tired most of the time Sam
No I no longer need oxygen , I only used it for a week post op and that wasn't to help my breathing it was to safeguard my other organs . I still get tired but that is COPD for you although i must admit not as tired as I used to be . Wishing you good luck on your journey .
Best wishes Babs xx
Sorry about the multi questions but how long was the recovery,,,and was it keyhole or the invasive one where they break your ribs to get to lungs ? Thankyou Alfiebax2, I have to consider options before I go for consult 20 Aug. Thankyou again Sam x
They no longer break your ribs these days .It was an incision at the side then keyhole surgery ,but it's still classified as major surgery .They tell you to expect recovery to take between 8 to 10 weeks , depending on yourself .I was basically recovered in 4 weeks although I was still On the slow side ,my surgeon was amazed but I am a fighter . When you go on the 20 th ask as many questions as you want , I did and they were only too happy to put my mind at rest . The op itself providing there is no complications takes approx four and a half hours. If you need any more info please don't hesitate to get in touch , I'd be more than happy to answer you if I can .Please keep us up to date as to how you get on .
Best wishes to you Sam
Babs xx
Babs,after the failed valves i will see my man tomorrow to discuss having the segmental LVRS now,did you manage to improve to the extent that you don't require the supplementary/ambulatory any longer on exertion?also do you think i would manage the recovery home alone in the short term without too much difficulty.sorry for all the questions and very pleased to hear you are now enjoying life much more.
Love Ski's and Scruff's x
Hi , yes I don't need my oxygen at all now . I was supposed to use it when I came home post op but I only managed a week then haven't used it since .In answer to your question about managing your recovery at home on your own I'm afraid the answer is no you won't be able to manage on your own for at least 3 weeks then it will be slowly .I wish you luck , I had the top of my left lung removed , as you know we only have two lobes I left side , and I'm managing really well .It's not a cure but by hell I feel so much better .
Good luck my friend. Prayers for you .
Love Babs xx
Would i be correct in assuming that you had the full upper left lobectomy,which is what my dear Cecilia had,in which case yes i fully understand the recovery rate is at least 6 weeks and then a gradual and slow improvement to full functionality,sadly 6 weeks post op she had her massive stroke which to this date i am conviced was a by product of the opp.
I believe i may be offered what they call segmental LVRS where they only do two smaller incisions and take out wedge sized pieces of diseased lung so that may well be doable living alone.We shall see what's on offer. 
thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
Love ski's and Scruff's xx
You are welcome and I'm so sorry about your Cecilia . I'm sure you are right in thinking along the lines about surgery causing more things . Yes I had an upper lobectomy . I've never heard of what you are going for so maybe you could manage your recovery by yourself as it won't be such a big op , but I would check with your surgeon first as I'm sure you will do .Please let us all know how it goes .
Best wishes to you xx Babs
Hi, just jumped on your page.....so pleased that your procedure is working well for you, and may it long continue xx
Thank you xxx
Hi Ski's, just seen this post. I hope they can offer a suitable opp and solution for you. Just a thought.....(I work in a nursing home) could you not ask to be sent to a nursing home for a few weeks so that you can get medical care away from the hospital and support whilst you recover (i think this can be funded by the gov)? worth discussing....people come into our place, for respite care xxx
Do they take cats lol thanks Skatie but having experienced the external care system looking after Cecilia for 5 yrs there is nothing out there that i would be eligible for given my relatively secure financial position except if the Nhs picked up the tab under the guidance of Nhs continuing care system which nobody ever gets,i couldn't even get it for Cecilia who was totally dependant on 24/7 care.Also i have to counter in Scruffy cat so it's complicated to say the least. x
Could you get a private live in carer in for a few weeks....We could set up a sponsor page to raise some funds to help with the costs .... if your offered a suitable opp, you have got to go for it xx
Ahh bless you Skatie,i don't need funding and i will work something out.i hear that cats are quick to learn if needs must so Scruffy will earn her tuna. xx
Sorry....it just upsets me that people can't get the support they need in tough times from the authorities, when they are going through enough worry anyway. if you lived closer, I would look after you and your cat xx
Another darling out there lol i am surrounded by a loving family which is rather nice but we must apologise to Babs for intruding upon her post. x
Wishing you all the best for tomorrow, I’ll be thinking of you 🤞 Hopefully your sunshine man will have some good news for you.
i see the smoke has not affected your memory it will be an interesting visit i am sure.thank you HH.
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