Three Year Wedding Anniversary

Time is moving on quickly of late with lots happening in a the space of a short time. Today was my third wedding anniversary, remembering the day I married is hard. 

I had to use my oxygen before I was able to get out of my car and walk the short distance in to the Oxford registry office from the disabled spot outside. Our simple ceremony with just our our two witnesses was over quickly and there was no party.I needed to use my Oxygen all the way home afterwards.

It marked a turning point in my life. 

I had just gone on the list and had received two calls within one month of being listed  

First call   Second call 

I had realized that I might not survive the process of transplant or the wait and wanted to put my affairs in order and on those first couple of calls I was very worried about outstanding issues with my pension, tenancy and provision for Liz and my children.

Three years on and life is totally different 

I am so much better and looking forward with hope, thanks to the donor who has given me this chance to live a new life and honor his memory.I am now able to do things with my wife and children and support them like a husband should.
Liz and I met 25 years ago and always said that we would get married, but just didn't get round to it.Life moved on, we had kids and still ,despite me going down on bended knee years ago in the middle of the staff social club at my old hospital,it hadn't happened.
I was staring death in the face when we finally said "I Do" and it all became clear, Love , friendship and happy experiences are the things that matter.
I really hope that I will be able to give my beautiful wife many more years of all of these things

I love you so much Liz and I'm so glad that you have been there with me though all these 25 years. 

You are my rock and I hope that the years yet to come will be even happier

Since my transplant lots has changed and just last week we finally placed my mums ashes in her final resting place in the local church garden of remembrance in St Mary the Virgin, Kidlington. It overlooks the open countryside and I finally felt a sense of peace for her since her passing. I draw comfort in the fact that there will be a space for my ashes with my mums should I wish it when the time comes.

      

I was forced to think again about my mortality as transplant is extra time not a total cure.Because of the medication I take and risks with immusupression my time will shorter that it may have been.

I hope that I have many more years ahead, but I have resolved that the next few years I will going forward firing on all cylinders and making the most of the health I have got now.

I will be looking at holidays for next year and some travelling that I have put of for a while.I missed out on Glastonbury tickets this year:( But I am looking into more transport and Christmas will be a big one this year as Liz will be off. New year I am going to try to  have a proper night out if I can, Liz will be working on 1st.But before that my daughter will be turning 18 (this month) and Liz has a birthday in November so I will be looking forward to spoiling them both.

finally I have entered my first competition at the camera club this month and so I thought I would include the two pictures that I have entered

Hang On A Minute Lads, I've Got A Great Idea....

Red Arrows over Hastings seafront 

They were both taken in Hastings in the summer fingers crossed they do well, I will tell you how they do in my next post.    

The Golden tweets Award please vote and get your friends to!!!

As you have have been following this blog you will be aware of the progress of my lung transplant recovery what you may not be aware of is that while I was waiting I had entered a awards scheme called the Golden Tweets.
this is a user led award that allows people to be voted for by their followers in several categories.
I had put myself forward In a couple of categories that I felt were appropriate one was Writing for the blog and the other was Private individual I had forgotten about the award because of the transplant becoming available and then realised it was coming to the end of voting so I got on twitter and asked some of my followers to vote before the end of voting.

When the voting finished it seems I had been successful in coming in the top 3 out of 183 people so now I am a finalist :)

Not only that but another person that is also waiting for a double lung transplant has also got into the finalist category for writing this is my fellow blogger who writes "Past the point of no return"  Victoria Tremlett  She suffers from Cystic fibrosis and has been waiting a long time for her transplant.

What can you do now????


Vote and vote again - Help us both get a voice for people  waiting for transplants:


Cystitis Fibrosis people


COPD people


Heart transplant People


Kidney disease People


Liver transplant People

People sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring willing it to ring because it may mean a new life for them
scared that it may not ring and they will die waiting -Three people die each day Waiting for a organ that never comes!!  

This link Golden Tweets tell you what happens now

You have till the 25^th November to vote again and make sure that the voice of those waiting for organs is heard and give me the chance to raise awareness for donors and registration

UKCybernaught -Private Individual 

Tor87 -Writing 

There are other people in the voting and I will leave it to your judgement as to whether their reasons are as valid as organ donation awareness allowing others the gift of life I have been given and Victoria so desperately needs.

Please help and I will try my hardest to get fit in time for the award in November so I can add my voice.

I am presently in Harefields Hospital  recovering. On Ward E  

 I ask this not for me but for all others waiting now somewhere in the UK tonight waiting for a phone to ring!!! 

You can also sign the register HERE