Sam and Luke - A Love Worth Giving

I thought I would draw peoples attention to the following film promoting organ donation  

I was lucky to meet Luke in Oxford when he exhibited his paintings sadly I never met Sam.but had followed her blog while she waited for a transplant

you can read it Here

The End Of My Tether 

That day it lead to a opportunity to meet up with another friend from Scotland Victoria Glen who sadly is no longer with us she was also advocate for organ donation

Please take the time to watch the film and if you can share the link on social media so other understand the importance of Organ Donation 

You can watch the film by providing an Email and will be sent a link

To see the Trailer click 

   

A Love Worth Giving

Goodbye Emily :(

I am writing a post say goodbye to 2014 

To say goodbye to a inspirational woman in this final part of this year.

and share good news about another of my Tx friends

Lots of change has also happened in our family.  

 We have spent a enjoyable time over Christmas as a family as my daughter Ellie has been back at home from university for the holiday. It was quite a change for all of us when she left to move to Manchester in September, It took a while for us all to adjust to Ellie not being around.
I got a cold not long afterwards which I thought might lead to a hospital admission, and for a couple of days it was touch and go. I was lucky But it bought home to me how quickly things can take a downturn and it left me feeling vulnerable.

My car went in for its MOT and is due to be returned at the end of january I shall be getting the same car again I hope and I have made a pact with myself to use the new car to do some traveling around in 2015 as this is my fourth year transplanted and I want to visit places from my past while I am able. 

 Lets face it no one knows what the future holds but as a lung transplant recipient this is particularly true. On my next anniversary in October I will be one of the 50%  who survive 5 years. 

Half the people who have a double lung transplant don't last over five years!

I am so blessed to be living this life and still well despite my diagnosis of chronic rejection that i dont want to waste any more time not doing the things I promised myself.           

This was brought home to me when I heard the very sad news that a inspirational Tx friend has lost her battle with serious complications following a second lung transplant

Emily Thackery

I have included 15 facts about Emily that she posted in 2011 as part of a 30 day photo challenge with this photo.

1. I am a natural blonde, in both hair colour and brain.

2. I have a strong belief in the power of positive thinking; even when you can't change your situation, you can change your perspective.

3. I have 2 sisters, who I love very much and who are currently too far away for my liking.

4. Family and friends are the most important things to me.

5. I've been "officially" written off twice. And I'm still here. Take that, Grim Reaper.

6. My favourite colour is still pink, although now I'm older and more mature (HA) it's a little more discrete.

7. I have a very vivid imagination. This can be a good thing, but it can definitely be a bad thing as well.

8. I love reading and attribute that to my parents and their house, which is full to the brim with books.

9. I adore pretty shoes but cannot walk in heels to save my life.

10. I collect little quotes and sayings which put things far more succinctly than I ever could.

11. I love learning and believe I can learn from everyone I meet. At some point in the future, I'd quite like to take up study of some sort again.

12. I used to be quite the little grunger - black makeup, baggy jeans, heavy metal music, the works.

13. In many ways I feel quite mature for my age, but in many others I feel hugely out of my depth and think I belong back at school with some of the kids I teach.

14. I've always been a poser; I was in a dettol advert as a toddler and modelled knitting patterns for a magazine.

15. I'm quite petite, and I rather like being small. Until my year 7 pupils tower above me that is.

I meet Emily in January 2012 when I attended the speakers project run by LLTGL a charity Emily started with her friend and won award for in 2011

She was a great support to me and many many others and will be missed by so many people.
I last saw Emily in clinic before she was admitted to Harefield with a serious deterioration in her lung function that turned out to be something that couldn't be fixed and although she got another transplant it was not successful

Emily had got her transplant in January 2007 and had many great years of extra life and had a daughter Sophia.

She passed peacefully on 28 December.2014  

You can read more about Emily at her blog PinkandSmiley and please visit and support LLTGL

Finally Emily's sister Abigal set up a page for donating to Harefield Hospital who looked after Emily at 

Just Giving - Sending Love to Emily

I will miss you Emily and you will be missed by so many in the transplant community

Rest in Gods embrace xxx

❤
Emily's favourite quotes on her facebook 

 seems very relevant at the moment

"I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it." - Groucho Marx

"Attack life, it's going to kill you anyway."

The other piece of news I have to share is good I also received news from another friend on facebook and someone I follow on this blog Claire who writes  My World has been lucky enough to receive her best christmas present ever of a new Kidney

She posted 

As most of your know. Operation went well and kidney is working. Just had a scan and everything is looking great! Still very sleepy and in pain but apart from im doing well.

I wish her all the best with her new life and hope her recovery will be quick and uneventful

As I look forward to the new year what do i want? 

All the best things for All my friends may their wishes all come true 

Continued Good Health for my transplant Friends and myself

and time to live my life to the fullest 

to all my readers and friends

Have a very happy 2015  

I have just returned from Harefield Hospital where I was happy to see a friend of mine Kirstie Tancock complete a epic 180 mile bike journey from Exeter near where she lives to Harefield Hospital where she received her life saving double lung transplant.
She completed the ride with a team of supporters including her husband and they arrived in Harefield at just before 17.00 after three days of cycling!! You can read her blog "2nd Chance @ life"   it is on my blog roll

I thought That I would share some of the photos that I managed to take while I was there. I will be sending some of these to the LLTGL website  and to Kirstie  Kirstie is a advocate for LLTGL.

The end of a very long road as Kirstie arrives at Harefield Hospital

Kirstie

Kirstie & Stu her husband in blue LLTGL vests

The whole team who competed the ride

 I would like to congratulate Krstie and all the people who joined her on her ride raising money for a great set of charities including Harefield charitable fund, Live life then give life, CF trust and East Devon cystic fibrosis quality of life fund.

One thing I would like to add is if you would like to help there is still time to make a donation. Sponsor Kirstie and the team so they can achieve their target of £3000

Kirstie's Big Breath Bike Ride

 If you have been inspired by This blog post to join the organ donation register Click here and help someone live a new life after your death, please tell your loved ones about your wishes so they don't have to guess!  you may regret it later if you don't 

New Year of 2012 Starts Busy

With January almost over I thought it was time for a new entry to my blog.
During the last month I had a meeting that I attended and I had a couple of visits to Harefield Hospital so it was quite busy.
The first visit to clinic was on the 9th and although I was okay I had some issues with my chest my lungs felt congested in the upper right side and this combined with the swelling of my legs was a cause for concern. I talked with the doctor and she suggested I use ventolin nebuliser a couple of times a day and a drug to thin any congestion on my lungs to help me clear them.
 I had been told is that after a lung transplant the body can't clear the natural secretions from the lungs and you need to cough to clear them regularly this is because the connections are severed by the operation.She also told me that I should bring forward my appointment with the consultant who has been monitoring my kidney function as some of the levels were elevated that indicated some problems with them,this was a bit of a concern to me. I was another appointment for clinic in a week.
All was not doom and gloom as I was able to catch up with a couple of people while I was in clinic I met up with Victoria Tremlett looking happy and healthy and Richard Burbedge who is one of two transplant people I know who are carrying the Olympic torch in July.

The following weekend on the 14th I was booked to attend with LLTGL for their speaker project, a session to help people who have had transplants use their experience and tell their story to encourage others to sign the organ donor register.
It was a great day and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to raise awareness about the issue of organ donation after having a experience of transplantation.It was quite emotional to here others stories and tell our own.It took my right back to the transplant again,but also gave me guidance as to how to bring out the emotional elements that people would be able to relate to and par down my story to the most essential elements we also practised our story within a set time to help when speaking in public.
I had a great day and met Emily Thackray who is a lung transplantee who suffers with Cystic Fibrosis and who set up the campaign with her friend and is now the chief executive of  Live Life then Give life. They are a great charity raising awareness of the issue of Organ Donation.
Two of the people I follow on the blog list are Ambassadors Victoria Tremlett and Kerry Thorpe.  
Another two of my blog list are also Advocates for the charity Victoria Glenn and Kirstie Tancock.
After my session I was luck enough to have a chance to meet with Kirstie Tancock who was also attending the afternoon session of the project and is looking great after her double lung transplant.
Please take a while to visit the charity's website and learn more if you fancy raising some cash for them have a valentines cake bake they  have some downloadable resources to help you just click on the link below

Great Valentine's Cake Bake 2012 

               The following week on the 16th I attended the clinic again and was seen by the consultant due to the medication I had been on my chest was less congested and my lung function test had shown some improvement from my last visit.the doctor was very pleased and suggested that I continue with the medication to help me clear my chest and use the ventolin if I needed it but told me that it would be important to maintain my other nebulisers as a preventative measure against any another bugs in my lungs then she told me that I could have two months off clinic as she was happy with my progress.

I will be back in February for my appointment with the kidney consultant and may get a heart echo done to check that the swelling in my legs was not caused by my heart, but I was very happy:-)  Since my appointment the swelling has now improved a lot and only happens in the evening after being on my feet all day, not unusual as the doctor reminded me.

Finally You may have noticed that I have added a chat gadget on the blog on the left column  if you would like to leave a message on it I would be very happy:-) If you have any questions about anything on the blog please feel free to use it and I will try to answer you.  It will allow me to have a two way conversation with some of my blog readers and hopefully learn more about what you want from the blog.