Hey everyone... I forced myself to take a break from reading the forum because I think it was consuming me there for a while. :D Just wanted all of you to know that T is doing pretty good with the bipap, it didn't take long for her to get addicted to it. It's funny, but she felt like she was getting OK sleep before using it ... and she still gets OK sleep now that she is using it... BUT if she tries to take a nap without using it, she can't get to sleep now. Well, she can't really feel any "improvement" physically yet, but I guess that we just have to trust that it is better for her to use it than to trust her own lungs to do it on their own while she is sleeping. She also got a nebulizer that she was told to use four times a day ... but after a few days she really didn't feel like there was anything left to cough up. So when I asked, they said she could use it "as needed". So she's thinks it is probably best to use it at least once a day... we're just going to see how she feels I guess and try to gauge it. Good news is that the chest x-ray she had was normal, so there isn't any abnormal build-up of gunk in her lungs right now. Yay!
Thanks again to everyone for all the info you provided ... the most important of which was living in "right now" instead of trying to imagine a future that "might happen". "Right now" is pretty awesome when I compare to what a lot of you are going through... we're very lucky to be at the stage that we are in. T is still laughing and enjoying life ... even still going to work at 4 AM four days a week as a chef for a catering company. Her employer has been awesome helping her to still have a job, and her coworkers are always helping her with lifting and etc, and watching out for her. She still walks, although slowly. One of her friends actually carried her up 3 flights of stairs so that she could go to a dinner party tonight at a friend's apartment. Wow. We have some awesome friends. :D It also makes me thankful that we just happen to have an apartment on the first floor. :) We're also thankful that she can still talk, eat, and drink. We're living in the "now", and cherishing every minute of it.
Our prayers are going out for all of you (and ourselves too!) Thanks to everyone for the support.
Pam;-)

Hi Pam. What an uplifting post! I am so glad you and T have been able to find a way to cope. Thanks for sharing. Cindy

Thanks for keeping in touch Pam.
AL.

Glad to hear it!
All the best for both of you...today~

Frizzel