I'm sorry I am getting so bad at this blogging business :( but things have been kind of busy around here as I have been in hospital for the last two and a half weeks. Thankfully I am getting home tomorrow. Things have been kind of tough this time as I have been struggling with a stupid cough and my oxygen sats are being pretty stubborn and refuse to go past 85 which isn't great but I'm managing and cannot wait to get home and say hello to the world again. I already have loads planned for when I get out so it's going to be hard to remind myself to take it easy lol.
Things are starting to get VERY exciting with Hidden Treasure school. All the land has pretty much been handed over and purchased and this week Basil and Wenford are heading out to Uganda to meet Eugene and hopefully get the school building started. I'm actually so excited if a little jealous cause I really want to go out there so bad but both men have told me there is no room in any of the suitcases so think I'll just have to stay put.
Please pray for the guys as they head out this Thursday that they will have a safe and successful trip and that the ball will start rolling to get the building started.
Also if any of you are on facebook there is now a group called "Charlenes Project" which the men will be keeping up to date while they are in Uganda. If anyone is interested in joining.
Thanks again for all your love and prayers
Charlene
Showing posts with label Uganda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Uganda. Show all posts
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Monday, 16 August 2010
Back to Blogging!!!
Well it has been a while since I updated this thing so I apologise to anyone who has been logging on to read any updates and there hasn't been any.
Things are going really well for me healthwise and I have been able to enjoy the summer holidays. Once again the Barr clan packed up and headed to Center Parcs for ten days and a good time was had by all, with lots of fun competitive game playing and coffee drinking. I went into hospital prior to our holiday so that I would be well enough to travel etc etc and thankfully I managed the whole trip and felt as good as I had in a long long time. Even when I came home I was still really well so God really does answer prayer cause I was worried that I would come back sick and having lost alot of weight like I normally do but this time it was quite the opposite.
So as of now I am still on the transplant list and am still on IV antibiotics but to be honest they are keeping me well so I'm happy enough to stay on them. Also my weight is up to nearly 46kg (I have never been anywhere near this before lol) and my infection markers in my blood are really low as well so everything is going fantastic we just need that phone call to come.
Unfortunatley things haven't really moved forward on Hidden Treasure. There have been lots of phone calls and e-mails back and forward between Uganda and Ireland and right now we are just waiting on them purchasing the rest of the land that is required to build the school. However once this has been purchased the school will be built in no time so we just need to overcome this slight problem and then we can get the ball rolling again. I cannot wait to see Hidden Treasure built and all the children going into their brand new school. I also pray that I will be able to make it out there to see the school in person.
Right now we are just enjoying the last few weeks of "summer" it is so nice just having everyone around home and I'm going to miss that when everyone starts back to uni/school. Becks is in Swaziland at the minute and its hard getting all the texts back from her cause it's bringing back all the memories of Uganda :) but she is in her element out there and is having a fantastic time but please keep her and the whole Elim team in your prayers as they reach out to the people of Swaziliand. Thanks again everyone for your continued prayers and support.
Things are going really well for me healthwise and I have been able to enjoy the summer holidays. Once again the Barr clan packed up and headed to Center Parcs for ten days and a good time was had by all, with lots of fun competitive game playing and coffee drinking. I went into hospital prior to our holiday so that I would be well enough to travel etc etc and thankfully I managed the whole trip and felt as good as I had in a long long time. Even when I came home I was still really well so God really does answer prayer cause I was worried that I would come back sick and having lost alot of weight like I normally do but this time it was quite the opposite.
So as of now I am still on the transplant list and am still on IV antibiotics but to be honest they are keeping me well so I'm happy enough to stay on them. Also my weight is up to nearly 46kg (I have never been anywhere near this before lol) and my infection markers in my blood are really low as well so everything is going fantastic we just need that phone call to come.
Unfortunatley things haven't really moved forward on Hidden Treasure. There have been lots of phone calls and e-mails back and forward between Uganda and Ireland and right now we are just waiting on them purchasing the rest of the land that is required to build the school. However once this has been purchased the school will be built in no time so we just need to overcome this slight problem and then we can get the ball rolling again. I cannot wait to see Hidden Treasure built and all the children going into their brand new school. I also pray that I will be able to make it out there to see the school in person.
Right now we are just enjoying the last few weeks of "summer" it is so nice just having everyone around home and I'm going to miss that when everyone starts back to uni/school. Becks is in Swaziland at the minute and its hard getting all the texts back from her cause it's bringing back all the memories of Uganda :) but she is in her element out there and is having a fantastic time but please keep her and the whole Elim team in your prayers as they reach out to the people of Swaziliand. Thanks again everyone for your continued prayers and support.
Friday, 7 May 2010
A Quick Update
Just a wee quick update to let you know where things are at. I am still in hospital 8weeks and counting :) but things are pretty stable and I am still on that list which is good. They aren't too keen to send me home cause me being me likes to try and do too much when she goes home and shall we say maybe pushes the limits a little bit, and they are worried that if I go home for good I will just detoriate and end up back at square one which I so don't want to happen. Whereas being in hospital I am forced to sit here and do nothing. I don't like to admit this but I do kind of see their point. So we reached a compromise and I'm going to stay here as long as I get home one or two nights a week and then maybe we can look at being home long term. So pretty much I get out for good behaviour lol.
This week has been a good week with me weighing in at 42kg(can we say OBESE!!!!) and then on Tuesday night I was allowed to get out for the evening to go and see my boys (Westlife) I even took Dad along but secretly I think He really enjoyed it (though he would never admit that :)) It was a brilliant night and I must say Shane just gets better looking every time lol. Also my inflammatory markers in my blood went from being like 200 to 42 in the space of a few days which is really good. So that pleased us all. Lets hope it stays there!!
Got home overnight last night and slept in my own wee bed for the first time in weeks. AMAZING.So Im looking forward to my next wee outing home.To be honest its what keeps me going. This morning we had our first Newcastle scare. Mum, Dad,David Poppa and me went out for coffee and didn't mums phone go off with a witheld number, sure enough it was Newcastle so there was Dad and me looking at each other trying to piece together what they were saying to mun on the phone. Turns out they needed a blood sample from me and that was it. To be honest thats ok cause at least it means they are working at my stuff over there and keeping me in mind, and anyway it wouldn't have suited me anyway I was out enjoying coffee thank you very much :)
On Hidden Treasure front things are going really well and we are now up to about £94,000 which is awesome but keep it coming people cause I have an orphange to build afterwards. Also Dad was talking to the folks at Fields of Life yesterday and they are going to start building within the fortnight how awesome is that. God is just amazing and I am so excited to see the things that are achieved through this wee school and all the little kids that will hopefully get the chance to get to school thanks to all you guys. Thank you all so much. You are all legends. God Bless you all <3
Char
This week has been a good week with me weighing in at 42kg(can we say OBESE!!!!) and then on Tuesday night I was allowed to get out for the evening to go and see my boys (Westlife) I even took Dad along but secretly I think He really enjoyed it (though he would never admit that :)) It was a brilliant night and I must say Shane just gets better looking every time lol. Also my inflammatory markers in my blood went from being like 200 to 42 in the space of a few days which is really good. So that pleased us all. Lets hope it stays there!!
Got home overnight last night and slept in my own wee bed for the first time in weeks. AMAZING.So Im looking forward to my next wee outing home.To be honest its what keeps me going. This morning we had our first Newcastle scare. Mum, Dad,David Poppa and me went out for coffee and didn't mums phone go off with a witheld number, sure enough it was Newcastle so there was Dad and me looking at each other trying to piece together what they were saying to mun on the phone. Turns out they needed a blood sample from me and that was it. To be honest thats ok cause at least it means they are working at my stuff over there and keeping me in mind, and anyway it wouldn't have suited me anyway I was out enjoying coffee thank you very much :)
On Hidden Treasure front things are going really well and we are now up to about £94,000 which is awesome but keep it coming people cause I have an orphange to build afterwards. Also Dad was talking to the folks at Fields of Life yesterday and they are going to start building within the fortnight how awesome is that. God is just amazing and I am so excited to see the things that are achieved through this wee school and all the little kids that will hopefully get the chance to get to school thanks to all you guys. Thank you all so much. You are all legends. God Bless you all <3
Char
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Back on This Again
Oh my goodness I have just looked back on my blog and it has been a month since I have updated. Oops. There has been a lot happen in that month but one thing that hasn't changed is that I am STILL in hospital.
I came in orginally feeling generally unwell and therefore knowing that I needed rest and a change of antibiotics. However, the doctors and everyone thought it would be best to keep me in here to get my weight up to a suitable level so that I could get back on the transplant list, as I had been sitting steady for like the past 6 months with no progress being made. I agreed to this just because I'm just sick of sitting with nothing happening so I knew if I stayed in it would give the team time to look at different ways in which I could put on weight. This is where the problems started! You may remember way back in October the time I had the abcess after my Portacath got infected I had a PICC line put in my arm for easy administration of my antibiotics, well the doctors thought we could use this to put through TPN which is basically just nutrition that goes straight into the blood stream. This worked well for all of em 48 hours and then my PICC line decided it had had enough and that it would pack in. GRR!!! So I then had to come off my IV antibiotics and I swear I must be addicted to them because the minute I came off them my chest started to go downhill so quickly.
So then last week the decision was made to put in another Portacath but until then they would try and get a long line into my arm so that I could recommence with the IVS because by this stage I was feeling yucky and my weight gain just wasn't happening. So I waited and got my new port in which surprisingly went in with no problems at all (lets just hope it stays there). This means I have been able to have IVS again and the difference is unbelieveable I feel so much better than I did when I was off them. However we had to dump the idea of TPN as the infection risk with a Port is too great. This means I have stepped up my feeds through my peg tube so that I am getting about 2800 calories through it a day and also they have increased the dose of the tablets they give me to stimulate my appetite because before this I was eating nothing and just feeling sick. So finally the weight is starting to creep on and I am now at 37.2kg which I know is still a good bit away from 40kg but its a step in the right direction. It has been hard being in hospital for so long but they have let me go home overnight for one night every weekend and to be honest I think it is those litte trips home that have kept me going and back in to the crazy ways of the Barr household lol
On the project side of things, it is progressing really well with our total now being just over £80,000 WOW. Also a meeting was held with Fields of Life both in Portadown and Uganda (the joys of technology egh?) and originally they were going to build the primary one to three block and then the rest but from the meeting the decision was taken to build it all together in wait for it... TWO MONTHS!!!!! This means that we should hopefully see a nice new Hidden Treasure Primary School in as little as FOUR MONTHS!!! WOOHOO. Its all very exciting. Thank you so much to all of you that have contributed to the project it is truley amazing the response that I got.
Anyway I think that is all of the news from the last month. Promise to update the blog sooner next time and hopefully from the comfort of my own home. HAPPY EASTER everyone
Char
xx
I came in orginally feeling generally unwell and therefore knowing that I needed rest and a change of antibiotics. However, the doctors and everyone thought it would be best to keep me in here to get my weight up to a suitable level so that I could get back on the transplant list, as I had been sitting steady for like the past 6 months with no progress being made. I agreed to this just because I'm just sick of sitting with nothing happening so I knew if I stayed in it would give the team time to look at different ways in which I could put on weight. This is where the problems started! You may remember way back in October the time I had the abcess after my Portacath got infected I had a PICC line put in my arm for easy administration of my antibiotics, well the doctors thought we could use this to put through TPN which is basically just nutrition that goes straight into the blood stream. This worked well for all of em 48 hours and then my PICC line decided it had had enough and that it would pack in. GRR!!! So I then had to come off my IV antibiotics and I swear I must be addicted to them because the minute I came off them my chest started to go downhill so quickly.
So then last week the decision was made to put in another Portacath but until then they would try and get a long line into my arm so that I could recommence with the IVS because by this stage I was feeling yucky and my weight gain just wasn't happening. So I waited and got my new port in which surprisingly went in with no problems at all (lets just hope it stays there). This means I have been able to have IVS again and the difference is unbelieveable I feel so much better than I did when I was off them. However we had to dump the idea of TPN as the infection risk with a Port is too great. This means I have stepped up my feeds through my peg tube so that I am getting about 2800 calories through it a day and also they have increased the dose of the tablets they give me to stimulate my appetite because before this I was eating nothing and just feeling sick. So finally the weight is starting to creep on and I am now at 37.2kg which I know is still a good bit away from 40kg but its a step in the right direction. It has been hard being in hospital for so long but they have let me go home overnight for one night every weekend and to be honest I think it is those litte trips home that have kept me going and back in to the crazy ways of the Barr household lol
On the project side of things, it is progressing really well with our total now being just over £80,000 WOW. Also a meeting was held with Fields of Life both in Portadown and Uganda (the joys of technology egh?) and originally they were going to build the primary one to three block and then the rest but from the meeting the decision was taken to build it all together in wait for it... TWO MONTHS!!!!! This means that we should hopefully see a nice new Hidden Treasure Primary School in as little as FOUR MONTHS!!! WOOHOO. Its all very exciting. Thank you so much to all of you that have contributed to the project it is truley amazing the response that I got.
Anyway I think that is all of the news from the last month. Promise to update the blog sooner next time and hopefully from the comfort of my own home. HAPPY EASTER everyone
Char
xx
Monday, 21 September 2009
GMTV Interview
well just got out of hospital there this afternoon to complete my IV antibiotics at home. The good news is that my weight has reached the 39.8kg mark so the 40kg necessary for friday's appointment is within reach
Jane and Nicola from GMTV interviewed me this afternoon about the school and my fundraising I was dead nervous but the girls were great and put me right at ease (even if one of them was a Man U supporter!!!!) It goes out tomorrow at 6.35am, 7.05am and 8.05am (how inconsiderate, they clearly are not aware that Miss Barr does NOT do mornings)
On the publicity front had a phone call from Sunday Life and they coming tomorrow to do an article. Who knows next I'll have my own reality TV show
Hope with all this publicity I get more of the funds needed
All My Love
Char
p.s website is now up and running and can be found at http://www.charlenesproject.org/ so be sure and visit :)
Jane and Nicola from GMTV interviewed me this afternoon about the school and my fundraising I was dead nervous but the girls were great and put me right at ease (even if one of them was a Man U supporter!!!!) It goes out tomorrow at 6.35am, 7.05am and 8.05am (how inconsiderate, they clearly are not aware that Miss Barr does NOT do mornings)
On the publicity front had a phone call from Sunday Life and they coming tomorrow to do an article. Who knows next I'll have my own reality TV show
Hope with all this publicity I get more of the funds needed
All My Love
Char
p.s website is now up and running and can be found at http://www.charlenesproject.org/ so be sure and visit :)
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Quick Update
Ok so I let the old man take over the blog last time lol :) but now I'm back. Got home for a little while today (so glad to see normality again). I'm feeling really good actually however I am still on Iv's but to be honest I'm ok with that as it means we nip things in the bud quickly. Im getting home for good on Monday.Thank Goodness! On the weight front things are good as im sitting at 38.4kg so me thinks a week at home with mum's cooking and I will be flying past the 40kg mark lol.
On the project side of things everything going well. Can't believe I will be welcoming GMTV to the house this week lol. Talk about being petrified but to be honest my attitude is it will be over soon lol and lets hope if I pass my first media challenge it will mean that there will be many to follow. Thanks guys for all your love and Prayers
Char
x
On the project side of things everything going well. Can't believe I will be welcoming GMTV to the house this week lol. Talk about being petrified but to be honest my attitude is it will be over soon lol and lets hope if I pass my first media challenge it will mean that there will be many to follow. Thanks guys for all your love and Prayers
Char
x
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
And so the dream begins
Well have finally got around to starting this blog. It is here that I aim to keep you guys up to date with what is happening with my plans to build a school in Uganda and also my journey as I prepare for a lung transplant.
I have recently just completed a series of tests in Newcastle England to test my suitability for a double lung transplant and if everything goes according to plan I hope to be on the list within the next few months. God willing.
As many of you know I have been unwell for quite sometime now and as a result had to leave school early . It was then that I came up with the idea of building a school in Uganda. I had been out previously once before and was due to go out during this summer however couldn't due to ill health. The need of the children shocked me and I saw that they were even been deprived of something as small as an education. Something which in this country we take for granted and children complain about going to school. As a result I want to make a difference to a small number of children in Uganda by providing them with a chance to go to school. When the Love For Life team were out in Uganda this summer I sent them with strict instructions to try and find me a primary school that they thought could do with help. they viewed a couple of different schools and found Hidden Treasure Primary, it is simply one little room made of sticks and mud where all of the children are taught together. I really do feel like this is the right school to be starting my project with and I pray to God that it will be the first school of many that the Charlene Project has helped to contribute towards. Thanks to everyone for your continued support and prayers.
Charlene
p.s. below are a few pictures of what Hidden Treasure Primary school currently looks like.
p.s. below are a few pictures of what Hidden Treasure Primary school currently looks like.
The ChalkBoard used to teach the kids
Outside the School
Here are some of the kids in the school and just look at what they are expected to sit on all day
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