Six months Post Transplant Thank you

Six months ago I was in ITU recovering from my lung transplant and awaiting a move to the ward on Harefield Hospital where I spent time recovering.
Can it only be that long? It feels like a lifetime and it took a lifetime to get me here.
A lifetime that my donor gave me.
A man not much younger than myself, who's life ended.
He and his relatives were unselfish and had considered what may come after the end of his life.
They offered consent for  his organs to be used so someone like me could live a better life

I would like to say Thank You to this unknown man who saved my life

Your lungs expand inside me and I take joy in the experience of a deep breath.
I can walk and catch breath without panic.
I have left my oxygen behind, my wheelchair is gone.
I can walk in the sun.with my children
I can enjoy a bath or shower and wash my hair without breathlessness
Stairs are possible,lifts are optional.

Six month on I am starting to feel like my old self again but a self I had lost to illness a long time ago

I have had some problems along the way as anyone who has read this blog knows.I still have a long way to go and the journey is hard but thanks for the chance to try

I have met some great people who have been transplanted and helped me with the journey.

People who have been waiting and are still waiting who I hope I can support  as they wait.

Finally the great people who support all those people involved in the transplantation process the Nurses Doctors and relatives and the many selfless people who raise awareness for organ donation.

Thank you all

As I look forward to the next six months I would love to report that all the people I know have had a successful transplant and are doing well if you agree with this sentiment please sign the register for organ donation if you haven't already.If you have please talk with your friends about organ donation, show them this blog if you like, you could raise awareness on your facebook page or twitter.

Lets get the message out there

Organ donation

Give the Gift of life

Three people die each day waiting for a organ to be donated. 

Only 28% of people in UK are on the organ donor register

Getting On With It!

While I have been away things have carried on in the world at large and now I am home again, I don't know how and where I will fit in now?
I have potential for a new life I am still recovering and the doctors say that could take up to 6 months to finish all the healing my body needs to do.
My body is still fixing itself.

This was brought home to me today as during the night my wound sprang a small leak that required dressing in the Transplant Clinic today at Harefieds.This is my second visit back to clinic since I left and I shall be making many more visits to ensure that the lungs I have been given are looked after and monitored for any signs of trouble that could indicate a bout of infection or rejection.
People often think that when you get a transplant you are cured of the problems that you had truth is you swap one condition for a new condition.

You get a Blue book and you write all your drugs in it each day then you tick the book when you start to rattle after take all your medication.
You also weigh yourself daily a 1 kg increase may spell trouble.
Take a temperature each day If this rises over 37c it could indicate infection,
you write those readings in the blue book
You are given a  Spirometry machine and each day you blow into this to find out if you lung capacity is good this produces two readings, from this the doctors can assess you respiratory function.If these readings go down by 10% it could indicate rejection

For the rest of your life you wage war on your immune system with drugs that allows your body to tolerate the bit that isn't you! With time it becomes easier for the body to deal with this  but in the early stages it is hard on you and your body.I shake and suffer side effects and at times despair if things will get better.

But things already have.
I have new lungs I have seen them on the latest X-ray.
They fit snugly in my chest now healthy lung tissue extends from one side of the lung to the other.
There are no large holes or damage to the areas though which I exchange my breath with the world.
I am so grateful for the gift but I am impatient patient  

We met up with @russwillis  and Dora at Harefields today they were at clinic to and looked a bit fed up with being there but it wasn't long till we were all on our way blue books in hand. With the hope of a relaxing weekend to come.
It will be back to clinic for us on Monday and Thursday next week again, we were given a bag of dressings to sort out the wound care out and bid farewell to Harefields till next time.

Please remember if you haven't signed up on the donor register please do! or tell you friends why they should

Wedding Anniversary Today

With everything that has been happening over the past week it took my wife to point out something I had missed that had crept up on us without either of us noticing much till the last minute.

Today the 23rd October is our 1st Wedding Anniversary one year ago today we were in Oxford Registry office making vows to stay together for the rest of our lives in my case I was not sure how long that would be.

My darling wife has already forfilled some of the vows she made she has stayed with me" in sickness and for poorer" now I hope that I can forfill the other parts of the vows I said" in health and for richer!"When we went into the offices with our witnesses, I could hardly deal with the breathlessness. Now there is the potential for that to be a thing of the past.How quickly a year has gone and how much has happened since that day.
After we had been together for a long time before our marriage has it made a difference?Maybe not in a day to day sense but for me emotionally it made a lot of difference that I could make that official commitment to her.

My beautiful and loving wife a very Happy Anniversary with all my love and thanks I couldn't have done this all without you ! 

Lets us look forward to many more future celebrations and remember this one as the year that changed our lives together positively

If you want to read more about the marriage it is included Here as part of the second call we got.

The suit I used for the marriage is hanging on the bedroom door and the pyjamas that I bought at the same time are what I  am wearing now! funny how things work out.

Hello From Harefields

Just a short post to say thanks to everyone who has been following what has been happening with my lung transplant. Both before and those who have joined me since I have had the operation.
One thing I have found is many generous and supportive people, some of whom have gone though the experience of Lung transplantation I have been humbled by their encouragement they know what I am feeling and have encouraged me by sharing their experiences.
Other people I have met tell me they have been influenced to sign the donor register by reading about my experiences of waiting and that has made me very happy as that was one of the reasons for me starting the blog in the first place.
Another group of people are the ones still waiting for their transplants I feel most strongly about them and hope they get their organs soon and I will be highlighting those folk in the weeks to come and would encourage others to offer their support Three that I follow on my blog are:

• Victoria Tremlett-Past the point of no return
• Jodie Smith-Jodiecf.blog.co.uk-Transplant list
• David Kallin - Chopped Liver

Thanks you all for your messages of congratulation I really hope you can all be transplanted very soon


Finally I thought I would try to post a video of me in Harefields I have included a piece of equipment called "the bird" which I found myself blowing in very soon after the operation it is used to encourage the lungs to clear.Also I have included a picture of the operation dressing so if you don't what to see be warned (its not to bad)Finally a bit of a thank you from the heart for everyone who has supported me it has made the most scary time in my families and my life much more bearable.Thank you all so much my best wishes and my families thanks go out to you all.
Please remember if you haven't signed up on the register you can in 5 mins and change a life like mine after you have gone.

My final thanks today go to all the donors and their brave families who at a time of one of the worst event in life they have thought of others and allowed there relatives organs to be used for transplantation one of the most selfless act I know of. I pray for your peace and grief to be over soon in the knowledge that part of your loved one lives on in another person. I will cherish the gift I have been given and hope I will be able to help others waiting as others have helped me please let your friend know about this story and discuss transplantation with others you know lets all carry donor cards and be proud to tell others that we do.
Thanks Mark