Thursday, May 21, 2009

16 months tomorrow...

“Feeling very downish. Still waiting for news. Just SO TIRED of sitting around. And it's not like I've got nothing to do, I'm just tired of everything that there is to do. It's a Saturday evening, the weather's lovely. People my age are going out, having fun, falling in love etc and I'm just being bored and going to bed early hoping I'll have an exciting dream. Because I can honestly say that's the most exciting part of my life right now. Sometimes I dream I run, and in the dream I'm thinking 'I can't believe how easy this is'. Other times my dreams are filled with passion, but those leave me unsatisfied and wanting more when I wake up!!! So bottom line is: I feel like venting because my life's so boring right now and everyone's getting ahead in life EXCEPT ME!!!! My whole freaking life revolves around stressing about transplant and trying to keep my lungs in shape. (I use the term 'shape' loosely) Your 20's are supposed to be your best years dammit!!!”

That was part of my blog post 10 days before I got the call for my transplant. How things have changed!!! The 3 biggest things. and I basically refer to all of them in this snippet, is that I now have HEALTH, LOVE and A JOB.. ie LIFE. I can run and I can’t believe how easy it is (on the lungs, not necessarily the legs, lol!). I’m in love, going out and having fun. I’ve got a challenging but satisfying job.

I do miss my friends in PE and Cape Town, but I try to see them as often as possible. And yes I still drink lots of pills, but I don’t mind it at all, because in the past 16 months I’ve coughed less than I used to cough in a single day, I had flu only once (which is less than lots of “normal” people I know), I haven’t had any rejection whatsoever, haven’t been back in hosp for a day, and I’ve gained aprox 960 hrs (40 days) in total by not nebulising (taken at roughly 2 hrs per day, although it was much more on some days). I can truly say I’m blessed beyond my wildest dreams, and I thank God for that every day. I pray that Bree, Lynn, Helen, Louis, Maryke, Jolandi, Francois, Megann, Lucille and all my other friends waiting for their lungs will also get to be this lucky.

10 comments:

CFHusband said...

Yeah! Time to celebrate! I like your new blog look too!

Bree said...

Awww thanks deary! I hope all our times come soon! I def. agree with your sentiments that you wrote 10 days before your call! Lord knows i'm having more of those moments myself recently!

Just gotta pray!

Jac said...

great post :-) xxx

Piper said...

awesome post and so inspiring what you're doing with your life now, alice. it's great to hear you're giving those new lungs a run for their money! keep it up and keep living in gratitude for such an awesome life...it's really amazing how beautiful the world is when you're healthy enough to enjoy it, isnt it?

iwenie said...

geluk! Awsome is `n understatement vir hoe ver jy al gekom het...

het gister gewonder of daar iemand op facebook (SA) wat `n groep het om mense bewus te maak daarop dat hul skenkers moet word?

* irene *

BreathinSteven said...

I'm so proud of you, Alice -- you've been on an incredible journey down some very rough paths... And I'm so happy for you and your family and all of the people around you who love you...

And thank you for thinking of, and mentioning some of the people you know who are waiting for the gift you've received... You can't struggle through this without thinking about the folks struggling along side of you and hoping they get what you have -- soon...

Whenever I see your face, and your comments, here or on facebook or wherever -- it makes me smile. I hope you make me smile for an awful long time...

Love, Steve

BreathinSteven said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Allie, ek is so dankbaar vir die seën wat jy ontvang.

Ek bid dat daar ook uitkoms vir die ander sal wees wat wag.

M

LouMS said...

My friend just received a kidney after a 2 year wait. It started working during the surgery. He is posting online as if nothing happened. Its just so amazing, pre and post transplant. I am so excited for him.

It also shows what a difference a day makes. One day. One surgery. Life changes.

Lou

Lynn said...

Thanks for the kind thought of me on your blog...it so funny how we all seem to have those thoughts while waiting for a transplant or a miracle !!! my diary practically consists of the word WHY !!! but as Bree says we just gotta pray & you such a inspiration to me & im sure many others.
Hope you feeling tons better !!!