Smiles, Tears & New Babies!!

I just thought I’d write a quick blog whilst I have the time to let you know how I am doing. Things are going really well, and for the first time in a very long time I am feeling so positive about my life, everyday I am so eternally grateful for being here.

I’ve still got another 4 weeks to go before I am back to Harefield, it’s been weird not having to go back again so soon but an absolute delight!
I’ve been keeping my days busy by seeing good friends, whether round their house or mine. I’ve also been really enjoying the fact I can do so much around the house on my own. I love being a proper wife again, I always start the day early (I haven’t had a lie in since transplant) no matter what and get my nebs and tablets done. If I don’t have plans seeing a friend then I will be sorting out all the snakes, bathing them, changing their bedding - sorting out the dishes and getting dinner started so by the time my husband is back from work, he is able to relax and we can spend the evening together without having any chores to do. This has been amazing, I can’t describe to you just how good it feels, such mundane things in life that people take for granted, I feel I get a massive achievement by doing so now. I really cannot thank my hero donor enough. Next week will be my four month anniversary since my transplant and time seems to stand still, yet at the same time fly by. It’s a very strange feeling.

Me & Chase (My Friend Hayleys Son)

On The Swings

I am still incredibly emotional, if not more so the last few weeks as people I have become friends with are having a really difficult time on the waiting list for a transplant (even if I have not met them face to face as yet) That’s one thing this new life doesn’t prepare you for, so many deserving people need an organ and because of the lack of donors available on the register, their time may never come. It’s heartbreaking, and I feel utterly helpless.

My fellow cfer Kerry is extremely poorly at the moment, she is desperate for her new lungs and I’m so scared for her. She’s one hell of a fighter though and I know she’ll do this, I just can’t help but feel incredibly useless when people are in such need…. Hang on in there sweetheart, please.

Since my last blog, Stefan and I have brought home not one but two new babies!!! We are also getting one this Saturday and have a deposit on another girlie for when she is ready which will proberly be after Christmas now. We love nothing more on a weekend than to go and visit our reptile friends Kate & Alicia at Exeter Exotics, we spend hours there just chatting away and looking at the new arrivals. Stefan has been working his arse off with work and we have been lucky enough to be able to add some more family members to our little clan - This makes me smile so much, nothing makes me happier than looking after my snake babies….

Kenya, Female Desert Ball Python

Baby Girl Kenya

Blaze Male Enchi Ball Python

Baby Boy Blaze

My chest is feeling good and my blows are consistant, I have still been enjoying going for walks even in the ice cold weather, come rain or shine it just doesn’t phase me, I’m so happy I can get out there and do it….

I’ve even finished all the Christmas shopping (to be fair I didn’t have a lot to get as don’t have a big family) and wrapped it all yesterday in the space of a few hours after my diabetic retinal screening so now I can just enjoy the festive season creep up on me!! If I’m lucky, Stefan may let me put the tree up this weekend, I’m such a big kid!!! ;)

So that’s about it really - Oh, don’t forget Take A Break is out next Thursday 29^th, if you are interested in my article, I’m absolutely shitting a brick about seeing it myself - just hope I’ve done everyone proud!! I’ll leave you with a few piccies now, until next time, have a good week everyone….

Me With My Boy Thunder Who

Is Heavily In Shed In This Pic!

Me & My Girl Kai

Me Today After My Good Friend

Jeanna Did My Hair!

Thank you as ever for taking the time to read. xxx

Opp's Slacking With My Blog? I Have Been Busy Honest!!

So much for my promise of not leaving it so long to blog guys, I can’t believe how quickly the last few weeks have flown by and I can only apologise! I haven’t been sat on my bony ass watching TV I can assure you! Everyday has been filled up one way or another so here’s a little update on what’s been going on with me...

To kick start things off I had my first proper day out with Stef & two friends of ours back in October. Our good friend Ryan treated Stef & myself to tickets to see the Superbike Championships at Brandshatch. I wasn’t too worried about the risk as the whole day was outside and being October it was fresh put it that way! We just travelled up through the day, about 4.30am on the Saturday morning (easy for me with my Harefield trips) and got there just after 8am. The day was incredible, I don’t think I have ever walked so much & been so happy about it, to the point my legs & feet were aching but I just didn’t give a shit! I had no chair & no oxygen, I wrapped up warm, (as it was bloody freezing) & I was arm in arm with my husband watching the races, looking around the stalls & having a great time, a huge thank you to Ryan for making that day possible, it was a great day for making memories.

Ryan, his wife Gemma & I

Me & Stefan

My Hubby & I

I have been going to Harefield every fortnight for the last few weeks, travelling up on a Monday. My lung function has been improving each time bit by bit & my x ray is showing no signs of infection. I’ve still got that bloody tummy trouble which I don’t think will improve until I am due to stop one of the post transplant medications which is later on this month… It’s tolerable however, and I am just living with it, like the rest of my CF problems, it’s just another day - but another day I am living & enjoying it!
My blood levels are still quite high & I am still unable to have my flu jab at the moment until they have settled down, my tacro levels (immuneos) are up & down every week so we are just adjusting the dose accordingly when I receive my blood levels back weekly - I did catch a cold off someone, it’s been incredibly hard being the time of year to stay clear of people’s bugs (I assure you I have been the most careful you can possibly be) & I was so disheartened when I woke with a runny nose sore, throat & for the first time since my transplant coughing up loads of disgusting gunk, just three months post - It was a bit of a kick in the teeth & I freaked out like mad, but it made me all the more determined to not let the infection get down to my precious new lungs.

I kept myself isolated for a while, made sure my nebs were inhaled to the last droplet and increased my exercise. I was at Harefield yesterday with my bestest tx buddies Lady Lungs & Hutch - my surrogate uncles I call them, they are both such a laugh and really look after me. We all had such a long day but the main thing was we all came home again and for the first time ever I was given a whole six weeks break providing I stay well & keep up the good work!! I am pleased as punch today, got a smile on my face that makes me look like I’ve slept with a coat hanger in my mouth, not even doing the food shop later will wipe it off my face I don‘t think…..

My Wonderful Surrogate Uncles, Dave & Steve

Both Recieved Double Lung Transplants Like Me - (Non CF)

Our Harefield Ambulance Driver Stevie

With My Burmese Thunder

I have been keeping myself busy seeing friends, usually one at a time and checking first if they are feeling unwell. I’m still not going to busy / crowded places yet, one of the reasons I am doing so well I should imagine but I do get out and about have a cuppa round their house, or browse the Christmas goodies at a Garden Centre…
Stefan and I had a date night the day before Halloween last week, he took me to the Model Village in Babbacombe, (again an outside venue so less risk) it was filled with little Halloween displays which we walked around a few times & then you were taken on a lantern lit workshop tour, it was bloody freezing but something we had never done before and I loved it, I am such a big kid when it comes to things like that! We then took a big bucket of KFC home and curled up in the warm, it was just perfect. I can’t ever thank my donor enough for giving me this opportunity - Spending time walking around with my husband, giving him a hand now with deep cleaning all the babies vivarium‘s, I couldn’t even wash my own hair four months ago, or walk to the kitchen to make myself a drink, and now I am living again. I just can’t explain this feeling, it’s overwhelming and I thank my lucky stars, my amazing donor & their family every single second of every day. Not one minute of my life is taken for granted.

Me & Leah

Stefan, my fantastic husband has been working his arse off lately doing overtime at work, in the hope to give us a good Christmas & to save for our ball python breeding programme. We still have two new babies to get eventually, but a few weeks ago we brought home a new family member, our beautiful Spider ball python, Tiger-Lily. She has settled in brilliantly & is doing very well, absolutely stunning I hope you’ll agree?! We love her to bits and can’t wait to save for the two new babies that we will be breeding from in a year or so’s time.

Our Gorgeous New Baby Girl

Tiger-Lily, Spider Ball Python

As you’ll remember me writing in my last blog, my brother Leigh was running a half marathon for my local CF charity EDCF at the end of October. Well it’s been and gone and he did a fantastic job, completing it in 1 hour, 49 minutes & 15 seconds!!! He is still collecting in sponsorship money but has so far counted just over £600 which will all go to the EDCF Quality Of Life Fund. Well done Bruv, immensely proud off you!!

My Brother Leigh, Completing His Marathon For EDCF

Finally, before I start my busy day of sorting out the snakes, dishes and then starting the food shop later before Stefan meets me to help with the packing (I‘m not Superwoman you know) I have some very exciting news….
A reporter got hold of me a few weeks ago and asked if I would be interested in doing anymore publicity on my transplant, of course I said yes as I feel it’s only right I do my bit to spread the word about organ donation! After a few phone calls back and forth and lots of questions answered, Take A Break asked if they could publish an article on my story. They were really keen to have it all done before Christmas and last Monday Stefan & I had a photo shoot with Guy Newman, a few shots of me walking on my own proud as lunch with my new puffers, and some lovely pictures taken of us as a couple, (hopefully, as I haven’t seen them yet!) the article will be published later this month, so for all you wonderful people out there following my story, if you’d like a little giggle, maybe shed a tear & what I hope to be a great awareness piece for Cystic Fibrosis & Organ Donation, look out for issue 49 of Take A Break woman’s magazine which will be out on Thursday 29^th November!!! I’m absolutely crapping my pants to see it….. Let’s hope I’ve done my donor proud!

Thank you for reading as ever for taking the time to read. xxx