My Lungs are Three Today!

Three years today that I received that call 'Jacqueline, we think we have some lungs for you' and three years today that I was given my 2nd chance at life.   It's hard to believe that so much time has passed, but then looking back, I have managed to fit rather a lot into that time.  It has been an amazing three years and long may it continue.

I have several friends waiting on transplant at the moment (Victoria T, Kirstie, Julie and Chantelle to name a few) and reading their blogs and facebook posts reminds me of that long and difficult wait.  Sometimes it is hard to remember that I was that ill before - that life hung in the balance so precariously.  The oxygen, wheelchair, constant IV's, not being able to wash my hair, or tie my own shoe laces or speak in full sentences - that seems like it happened to someone else entirely.   I have moments of vividly remembering how this felt and to be honest am glad that, for the most part, it can be difficult to conjure up those feelings.  I am on a new path now, and although I am not quite sure where it is taking me, or where I might stop off on the way, I am certainly doing my best to enjoy the journey.   I love being allowed to be 'Jacqueline' again without the constraints of ill health.  I have also met so many new friends through this transplant journey and also been able to enjoy so much more with my old buddies.   My family of course have been there through it all and continue to be my most avid supporters :-)

Of course, I also remember today my donor and her family.  My azalea has survived yet another harsh winter and the little buds are ready to flower, keeping her memory very much alive.

I will leave you with the message on Anne and John's card, which sums up how we should all approach life!

Dance like no one is watching

Sing like no one is listening
Love like you'll never get hurt

Live like it's heaven on earth

I hope that all my friends waiting get their call and the opportunity to live life to the full once more.

The Sun is Shining!

What a lovely day it is - I am sitting just outside the patio doors having dragged a wee chair outside. We still need to build a new patio but am quite happy sitting here admiring the rest of the garden and enjoying the sun. I did of course have to rescue a shoe about 5 minutes ago when Seb ran off with it :-)

The rest of last week was fairly busy but I did have a nice birthday week (we operate in birthday weeks in this house). On Friday my cousin Sarah came through for a long overdue catch up and we had a lovely day - cake, then lunch, walking Seb then more cake. On Sunday I had mum and dad over for a birthday dinner for mum - it was her birthday last thursday but I was working all day so we didn't have much time to really celebrate. I did make a cake, although my decorating skills need some practice (!) and we had a very nice meal, if I do say so myself!

Tomorrow is however a sad day. My mum's aunty Agnes passed away on Sunday night, so her funeral is tomorrow. She was a character indeed - full of energy, laughter and stories that took on the White tendency to exaggeration and were hilariously funny (whether she meant them to be or not). I think we could say she was very much the matriarch of the family and will be missed by so many people. Lots of love to her close family at this time xxx

Birthday Girl had a fab day!

It was my birthday yesterday :-)   I had a lovely day and was thoroughly spoiled.  I started the morning with some present opening, while sipping my cappuccino and eating pan au chocolat.  Andrew had got me a new mobile phone which is so cute and tiny!  He also got me a Fossil purse which has little bird cages on it and matches a handbag I have  - I was very impressed that he has gone and picked this himself :-)  I got lots of really cute presents from friends and lovely gifts from Anne and John - my favourite of which was an owl cushion lol.   I then went into work for the morning but half my patients had cancelled so it was a quiet morning, which was nice.  My lovely secretary had a wee pressie for me and 2 big lion bars haha!  I then headed home at lunch time and mum, dad and uncle Hugh came through.  We grabbed a quick lunch and got the train into town for some birthday shopping,  I can be a very fast shopper (especially when someone else is buying!) so we flew round debenhams and I got some lovely things for my holiday next month and a cute dress for my friends wedding.   We then met Andrew after work and had some dinner in town.  I was shattered last night but so happy to celebrate another birthday.   They seem to take on more of a significance after transplant because you feel each one is another gift.

I am feeling a bit better now and my cough doesn't seem as bad.  I (sort of) rested at the weekend if you count doing nice things.  I had my friend over on Friday for coffee which was lovely and then me and Andrew Claire and Giueseppe in town on Saturday for lunch.  It was a nice lunch in November cafe, apart from the fire alarm going off during coffee and we had to pile down three flights of stairs to get out the building.  We got a free coffee when we went back up though - probably because they were so grateful we came back to pay the bill!

Sunday was a lovely day - it was so warm!  I spent half the day in the garden, weeding and tidying the rockery, and the other half making a clock for the kitchen.  I have been looking for a clock for ages and had this idea in my head about it being a duck egg blue to match the tiles and maybe having some little birds on it.  I then had the idea I would try and make one using a round canvas and attaching a clock mechanism I bought.
I am quite pleased with the final thing - so far it has also kept time which is quite important :-)

Seb has been his usual self and there have been a couple of 'incidents' over the past week.   When we go out I had started leaving the study door open as he has a little bed in there, so I thought it would be nice for him to have more space.  The other day we went out and could hear Seb barking.  Andrew then went back in to get a jacket and as soon as he opened the door, there was silence.  Seb was to be found on the window sill in the study, completely still and trying not to be seen.  The only way he could have got up there would be to jump on the piano stool, climb onto the piano, then onto the desk, walk all the way round and then get onto the window sill.  The speed with which he had completed this would suggest it might me a regular activity...   Andrew took him back to the hall and we went out.  We came back and Seb was at the door, looking all innocent, until I went into the bathroom and saw all these muddy paw prints IN the shower and then a trail back out the door.  He clearly was bored while we were away and had gone exploring in the only room where the door wasn't closed!  His final nonsense was at the weekend when I had left a plastic hanging basket lying on the grass, having just emptied it.  I then turned round and Seb was sitting with the basket attached to his side, with one leg through one loop and his entire body through another.  You really can't leave him alone for two minutes.

Mother's Day

I have had my mum here today for Mother's Day (and my dad of course as he obviously likes to be involved). We went out for dinner and took Andrew's gran out too, as Anne and John are on holiday just now. Mum was more excited about the macaroon I made her than anything else. She was getting wired into it despite the fact I was heating soup for lunch when she arrived. I don't think it will last long :-) I only ever make macaroon for mum as it's rather fiddly - in fact I broke the wooden spoon trying to mix the fondant for the middle this time as you have to make it very stiff. My mum is worth the effort though :-)

I have been feeling a bit up and down over the week. I still have this crackly cough which is really annoying me, but the doctor is still pretty sure it's just remnants of viral infection. Hopefully it will clear up over the next week - my throat and sniffles are better though :-)  It's been a tiring week at work because I was a bit under the weather and this week I also have an extra half day training session on Tuesday. I have taken the following monday afternoon off though as it's my birthday! There have also been applicants for the staff grade job I am helping to cover at the moment, so hopefully by the summer the pressure of doing the extra cover will be eased. I will probably complain of being bored then ;-)

I bought Seb a new toy during the week - it's called Crazy Squirrel. It looked like road kill so I knew he would like it.  He likes to squeak it and drag it around the floor and then once he has conquered the beast, it looks rather fetching as a trophy fur...