Everything Happens For A Reason

xxx

One Year Post Transplant

Tuesday, 12 August 2014

Hello everyone.

On the 10th August 2013 at 3:15pm i went down to theatre to receive the Gift Of Life, thanks to an organ donor. i was in theatre for 8 hours having my horrible old lungs removed and having shiny new ones in! i was in ICU for 10 days and on Bear ward at the Great Ormand Street Hospital for another 3 and a half weeks.

A year on i am a healthy, happy teenager enjoying my life. i have had a few problems on the road but nothing i couldn't handle, I've done many things i wouldn't of done before my transplant, e.g. go to the beach, walk around without having a struggle with my breathing, play with my nieces and nephews and lots more! but this is all because my donors parents/loved ones said YES to donate his/hers organs! organ donation is such an incredible thing to do and i just hope my donor is looking down on me and is proud, words will never explain my gratitude for my second chance, so on the 10th august me and my family celebrated, not just for me but for my donor! We went for a carvery at the Park Hotel in Barnstaple and then afterwards we went to the park and set off some balloons for my donor, i had a 1 year post transplant cake and 65 roses! in honour of my donor i have a memorial patch in my garden which has stones, flowers and angels in :) i hope i have many more years too look forward too!

so as i always say, please please please sign up to be an organ donor just by clicking.. here

I'm off to London today for my Annual review at GOSH tomorrow :)

here are some photos..

me and mum

my cake

65 roses

letting go of the balloons for my donor

memorial patch for my donor

65 roses

Speak soon

xxx

A Positive Few Weeks

Saturday, 26 July 2014

hey everyone.

I'm sorry i haven't wrote in 16 days!! I've been pretty busy with everything!

on the 14th july i went to Butlins with my family, it was a pretty good week! i loved spending it with my auntie, cousin, nan, and great nan and of course my mum and step-dad :) we went on the family fun bikes round the site and on the Tuesday we went down to the beach and i wrote in the sand about my donor, i wrote: '10.08.13, the day an organ donor saved my life' we also did crazy golf haha! when it came to friday 18th and leaving day, i didn't want too leave but i was so happy to get into my own bed on that friday night! i haven't seen much of my house and dogs recently because of being at GOSH and then going into my local and things so I've missed it/them!

Tuesday 22nd July- me, my mum and dad travelled to GOSH early because i had a Nuclear Medicine Scan at 3:00, i had lie down for an hour and every now and then breathe in this gas thing, they put something on the telly so i wasn't that bored :P

Wednesday 23rd- GOSH clinic day, this day i was little nervous for because i didn't know what Helen Spencer was going to say, i hadn't seen her since she said she suspects i have rejection, but thank fully she was very happy at how i am now and kept saying 'well done' the methylpred seemed to have worked and i am better again :) my lung function is 75% and weight is stable :) for the last couple of times when I've been doing my lung function, I've had to do a step test also. The first time i could only do it for 1 and half minutes but last week i could do 2 minutes! My doctor Helen Spencer said that i can go on holiday next month to Hungary with my dad, and also the test i did on tuesday came back normal! so everything is looking good for me again! well except for my hair problems, my hair is really falling out a lot so I've decided to have it cut short again!

I've completely changed my mind at what I'm doing at college, i was going to do Health and Social Care level 2 but I've now applied to do a apprenticeship for Hair Dressing instead. i have an interview on Tuesday, i think i will enjoy doing hair and if i don't like it then i shall apply for Health and Social Care the following year.

Its my 1 year transplant anniversary on the 10th august, so me and my whole family are going out for a meal :) on the 20th august is my 16th birthday and I'm having a Masquerade party and then on the 23rd i go on holiday to Hungary :) i have GOSH clinic again on the 13th august just one last check up before i go on holiday!

Don't forget to sign up to be an organ donor.. click here.

xxx

National Transplant Week.

Thursday, 10 July 2014

Hi everyone!

So this week is National Transplant Week and its very close to my heart because an organ donor saved my life..

Every year 1,000 people die waiting for a transplant. However, only 4% of people regularly give blood, and only 31% have joined the Organ Donor Register.

In the UK consent is required before organs can be donated. A person can give their consent for example by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register or by discussing their wishes with loved ones. Alternatively a persons organs can be donated if consent is obtained after their death from an authorised person, such as a relative or friend, it is very important that your loved ones know your wishes.

Pre Double Lung Transplant - was the worst time of my life, i was on oxygen 24 hours a day i never did anything.

Post Double Lung Transplant- my life has changed so much for the better, i can do so much more now!

So please sign up to be an organ donor and tell your loved ones your wishes! just click HERE to sign up.

I was in my local North devon Journal this week promoting organ donation and National Transplant Week just click HERE (north devon journal) to see my short piece!

Little update: i went into my local on Tuesday to start the Methylpred dose for 3 days and it went well, i haven't stopped eating since though! i did my Lung Function yesterday and thankfully it has gone back up to 73% - 74% i go back up to Great Ormand Street on Tuesday 22nd July where i will have a Nuclear Medicine Scan and a few other test then i have clinic on the Wednesday!

xxx

Forgetting About Your Problems For One Night

Saturday, 5 July 2014

Hello Everyone.

On Wednesday 2nd July my doctor Helen Spencer came and spoke to me and my mum, when she waked through the door i knew there was something wrong. She sat down on my bed and explained to me that she suspects i have some of chronic rejection in my lungs. I have scar tissue on my lungs and they are inflamed and they are the two main signs of chronic rejection. On the other hand i was also given good news, i was allowed to go to prom! I was allowed home on the same day too but on the condition that i had to go to my local hospital on Tuesday because i have to start methylpred for three days to try and improve my lung function.

On Thursday i went to go get my eyebrows waxed and i also had my nails done by Kelsey Jones a mobile nail technician, all ready for my prom on friday(yesterday)

Yesterday (04/07/14) was the day of my prom!! i started to go get ready at 3:00pm and i had my make up done at Golds Beauty by Nikita, she is a very good make up artist and i loved my make up! i had my hair done at 4:15pm by Courtney Short who is a mobile hairdresser. i was ready for 5:15pm to go and take pictures with my friends in a garden and then we got picked up at 6:00pm by a vintage bus! When i walked outside my house, i had a crowd of people waiting to see me in my dress. we had a laugh on the bus and went for a drive, we arrived at prom at 6:45pm and there was loads of people watching, it was so embarrassing haha! We sat down and was served food at 7.30, We had a three course meal. After desert we danced on the dance floor and had a laugh! my feet were hurting so much but i had such a great time! I finally felt like a teenager again! I was home by 11.00pm which was later than i though i would last! :)

Now the excitement of my prom is over, i have lots more to look forward too! I am off to butlins soon, My family all go there every year and we always have a laugh! I also have lots of birthdays and celebrations this summer! Not forgetting my 16th birthday and birthday party :) My party is going to be masqerade themed and we all have to wear masks :)

Once again i would like to thank everyone for their messages of support and prayers! They mean so much and keep me in my fighting spirit! Also i would like to thank everyone who made my prom amazing! Most of all to my donor and donors family for allowing me to make these memories. A year ago the thought of going prom seemed unimaginable! They'l always have a special place in my heart! <3

Here are some photos :)

backwards photo

me and my beautiful mum

Me and Hannah

all the girls together, in front of our transport

xxx

A Worrying Week

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

hey everyone!

so I came to GOSH for clinic last Wednesday and did the usual tests, e.g. lung function, bloods and x-ray, my lung function was okay, but at GOSH they have a new machine to test your lung function and its more accurate and my lung function is actually only 75% not 90% it hasn't gone down its just a more accurate machine! when we saw Helen Spencer, I told her I was getting out of breath walking, was always tired, and was bringing up yellow mucus every now and then, so she seemed concerned and said I needed IV antibiotics and admitted me into GOSH, Helen was worried that I would have rejection in my new lungs, whilst I have been at GOSH I have had an ultrasound on my stomach because I was having pain near my feeding tube, and after the ultrasound the doctors said that the balloon that is attached to the feeding tube was no longer attached BUT another doctor came to see me and said I don't even have a balloon on my feeding tube! I've also had a ECHO and an ECG to check that my heart wasn't the reason why I'm feeling breathless. This morning I had a platelet infusion because I have a really low platelet level and I went down to theatre to have a bronc & biopsy, a picc line put in and I also.. HAD MY FEEDING TUBE REMOVED! I have been waiting for this for a long time and today it finally happened! I had the tube for about 3 years and I hardly ever used it! when I came around from the surgery I was little rough, and my oxygen levels drop every time I'm taken of the oxygen so I have been on it since, I went down for an x-ray to check that I didn't have a pneumothorax but I don't, the doctors think because I have low platelets and I bled a lot whilst I was having my bronc and they think I still have blood on my lungs that's why I need oxygen, so I might need another platelet infusion, I wont get the bronc and biopsy results until maybe Monday, but I do know that my lungs are inflamed, Helen also said that she can't say it is rejection and she cant say it isn't!

my prom is next Friday and I'm really hoping I can go because prom will only happen once! and my mum and dad have bought my dress and everything :(

sorry this has been a long post and you have a lot to read but a lot has happened in the past week, and thank you so much everyone for the messages and get well soon comments!