My favourite line that Dr Reece has had to drill into me over the years is.... "Don't suffer in silence". He knows I tend to battle on and try everything before bothering him... but the minute I'm 'suffering' I need to contact him, no matter what time or what day...

After almost a month of no sleep and being seized in the neck, I was truly starting to suffer. I was having physio once or twice a week and within a few hours I'd revert straight back. I could barely hold my body from waist up. But laying down hurt my neck too much. Sitting hurt. The pain was radiating all down my back from behind my ears to my waist and down my left arm into my fingers. I'd wake with pins and needs and dead arm. To get any form of releif I had basically become a permanent pacer... or shuffler!

I decided to text Dr Reece, on his Saturday. I told him I wasn't coping and would appreciate his help if he had time. He called within 5 minutes. He knows I don't make that kind of SOS often!

We were still waiting on my SPS test results.

He noted right away that I was still labouring with my breathing. It hadn't been great since the butchers day end of July. I thought it was much better after some antibiotics etc. But he pointed out it wasn't resolved, I was clearly match fit to it, and he could hear it on the phone.

He said on Monday he'd look into a muscle relaxant option... but until then, lets give my lungs a blast on the nebuliser.

Full blown nebulised plumicort (steroids) and another one that is basically like ventolin but better. This was a bit distressing as I hate the feeling of these drugs... they make me super weak, shaky, racy, tired, light headed.... eventually the roid rage kicks in and I'm permanently hangry!! etc etc.

But, he had good logic.... he said if my lungs are no good it is putting more pressure on my back, shoulders and neck from the laboured breathing... he said that the steroid is also an immune suppressor so perhaps if the neck issue is SPS then it might have a knock on effect to helping release it .... sadly, steroids are often the necessary evil....

We agreed this was the best step we could take for now and that we would talk again Monday, unless I got worse.

Contrary to the above, this last 24 hours wasn't all bad. Given I had been 'suffering' this week, I had called my blood bank in Bris at the PA to see if there was a way I could pick up my plasma on the Gold Coast, rather than the drive up/back to Bris. They organised that and then when the GC blood bank contacted me, and they could hear my lungs were no good and the pain I was in... they offered to make a few calls and try arrange me the most incredible service. Less than 10mins later they called back and said John Eacott from Blood Bikes Australia would pick up my plasma from the GC and transport it to me in Caba on his motorbike.

At this point I thought I was super sick as it seemed too unreal, unbelievable.

But it was true. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so humbled by the generosity of people I did not even know! You'll see a photo of John and I below. He could see how sick and flat I was (I put on my best 'well' look for our photo!). He shouted us a coffee. We shared a few life tales. I think we both walked away feeling better for the gesture. It was a moment in my life I will never ever forget.

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