Up The Farway Tree

Merry Christmas!

I had a wonderful Christmas day and am now relaxing at Anne and Johns for a couple of nights. Lovely to spend time with all my family....and I still have all the New Year Celebrations to come. I do tend to spend some time thinking of how life used to be before the transplant because it is at this time of year that the difference becomes so much starker. I think of the Christmas before my transplant and how unwell I was - I had to have my presents handed to me while I sat in the chair tethered to my oxygen and really struggling to even open a parcel. This year I bounced around the house chattering non stop and basically behaving like a small child. It was fabulous.

Scene from window on Christmas morning!

I went to bed around midnight on Christmas eve but I was so excited I had to take a Nytol to get to sleep. I am not kidding. I woke around 6.30am but I am not allowed to wake anyone until 7am so had to lie there for a while. Andrew and I opened our stockings and then dressed Seb up in his Rudolph antlers and reindeer hooves so I could send him in to wake mum and dad :-) It is a tradition that I have to wake them with a Christmas tune on the piano so this year they were woken to 'we wish you a merry Christmas' - unfortunately there were several bum notes so I must practice for next year. Mum and dad then get their stockings from me - this is a new tradition I started a few years ago but in my opinion no one is ever too old for a Christmas stocking. Then some fresh coffee and mums pancakes to give us some energy for the present opening! I was thouroughly spoiled (as usual) and mum has basically revamped my entire wardrobe so I will need to do a little clean out when I get back. Andrew got me a shiatsu back massager - it covers an entire chair and you sit there and get your whole back massaged. It is brilliant! I suffer from a lot of back and shoulder pain so this will be fantastic. I was also treated to a lovely jacket and boots. Frances Ann used to say 'you can never have enough jackets' and I have tagged boots onto the end of that. Myself and mum are also going to Stobo castle for a treat which I am really looking forward to. There was a general theme of clothes, pampering and de-stressing! I don't know where anyone got the idea I like clothes...

Having a shot of Anne's new head wear..

Me and mum on Christmas day

Christmas dinner was absolutely perfect as usual and the special sago pudding was my favourite (Granny's recipe never fails). We had it a bit later this year as we had popped up to visit my uncle in hospital as he had a heart attack just before Christmas and wasn't allowed home. He was doing ok though and it probably is the safest place to be at the moment - they are also hoping to do some surgery so fingers crossed this will be allowed to go ahead.

The sago pudding being lit before serving

Seb seems to have enjoyed Christmas and has been enjoying his new toys. I gave him a parcel first to keep him amused but then he thought every parcel was for him and had his nose in everything I tried to open haha. He also sported his little bow time all day and looked very dapper ;-)

Seb relaxing with all his new toys

I am now chilling out at Andrews mum and dads before heading back to mums for New Year (although have to go to work on Wednesday - bah humbug) but I will have another few days holiday after that. Although it is a busy time of year it is nice to have some time away from work and all the worries. This is just a time to think of family and friends....and be thankful I am here to enjoy it all. Please spare a thought at this time for my donor - she has made all my Christmas wishes come true and I cannot be more thankful.