Trevor's funeral and Louis is sick...

So Chris and I went to Trevor's funeral last week Wednesday in Klerkdorp (about an hour, 45 mins drive from here). It was very sad and touching. Never seen that many people at one funeral before in my life. He would have been impressed! So just as I thing there's been enough bad news in the transplant community, Louis gets rejection. I saw him 2 weeks ago at the heart-lung party function-thing. He was admitted to hospital the previous day, but he was fine, just a "cold". Turned out he had some rejection, and from what I understand he wasn't responding well to treatment. Bottom line is he's fighting for his life in ICU now. I went to visit him on Sunday, expecting him in the ward-room, but instead found him in ICU on a non-invasive ventilator struggling like hell to breathe. I think he's fuly intubated now. 3 weeks ago his lung function was like 100%. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?? Three of my friends have passed away in the last 6 months, Lynn, Gustav and Trevor. I really don't want to lose a 4th one, so please pray for Louis...

On a more positive note, my wedding dress has arrived, and is fully paid up now! Final fitting on the 3rd of July... SO EXCITED!!!! Off to bed now, have to get up at 5am again to study (writing exam next Wednesday on the 9th...). Am tired and it's COLD!

OK time for a proper update. As you can see from previous pics, we have moved into the house! Chris is now living there, and I’m visiting, lol. Wish I could just fast forward time to the wedding, but I know that life’s too precious to fast forward time. The recent sad events in the transplant community have made me realise that more than ever. So I’m patiently enjoying the exciting build-up to the BIG DAY… Speaking of which, I got a call today that my dress has arrived!!!!! So I’m going on Sat to pay the outstanding balance, and then in July for the final fitting (hoping to lose like a kilo or 2 before the wedding, haha, not good with dieting, so used to the opposite scenario).

Apart from the house and wedding plans, not much news… had a bit of a housewarming on Sat eve, which was very nice. Went to gym after work and watched Greys with Jenny afterwards tonight.

Hope your Monday wasn’t too blue and have a good week!

28 months today and Trevor is gone :-(

Today marks the 28th month-aversary of my transplant. It's also the day of Trevor's memorial service... He passed away yesterday @ 11am. He never got that second heart he was waiting for :-( So sad... Will do proper post later, just wanted to post some pics.

Pics of the new house!!!!!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!

Happy mothers day to all the moms out there and ESPECIALLY my mom!!!! Even though it always (and still does, although doesn't happen as often anymore) irritated me when she's been overly caring, and always checking up on me, I wouldn't trade her for anyone in the world. Thank you for all those times you forced me to eat (hard to imagine now...), forced me to drink more Ensure, made me wear the thickest jackets, got up and made me tea when I was coughing my lungs out all night, fetching stuff for me when I didn't have the breath to walk, buying clothes for me when I couldn't shop, the list goes on... God knew I was going to be a demanding child to raise, so He chose you to be my mom!!!

Baie lief vir mamma en wens ek was vandag daar xxx

Wow, time flies! Less than 3 months to go to the wedding (Friday was 3 months), and 6 sleeps until we get the keys for our place!!! SOOOOO EXCITED for next Saturday!!! Wishing this week would just fast forward past. We bought our fridge and washing machine yesterday, also to be delivered on Sat with the couches. Will post pics!!! We're having some friends over to watch the rugby on Sat eve, and more for coffee on Sunday afternoon.

Had transplant check-up last week, bloods were all good, everything's fine. Still waiting for CMV results, but even if it's positive it just means 1 extra pill per day for 3 months. YAY!!! This coming week on Thursday is the yearly Milpark Hosp transplant function. It's always a great event, with some speeches, gifts (tree we got last year still growing in a pot and will soon be in our garden!), yummy snacks, seeing medical staff and patients I haven't seen in a while... lots of fun. Really looking forward to it.

Hope your weekend was good as well, hoping the week goes fast til Wednesday!

Breathe Easy Gustav...

So the guy I wrote about excitedly yesterday passed away... I can't believe it... it's incredibly sad to say the least. 24 hours ago his family was full of hope and anticipation, and now they've got nothing. It doesn't feel real yet. He had a blog, mostly in Afrikaans... but a while back he wrote a poem in Eng to a friend of his who died from lung cancer. I want to copy it here and dedicate it to him:

My friend may you find wings

to fly away to a land far from here

may you never look back and wish

that you were rather here, may you find

a place to rest your soul and may

you find that place soft and warm, a

cradle for your tired being

May your eyes never cry again

and may you see a view worth

waiting for and may your labors

not have been in vain

May you find a soothing song whispered

to the ears of your soul and may

you never again hunger in any way

May all your fears and pain be left

behind in this broken land and the place

you now reside be filled with love

and laughter all around and may you

never be in want of anything ever

again but find that you are now

cared for in a very special way.

Gustav Odendaal 25/03/2010

On a different note, got my biopsy results at least today... No cancer or abnormal cells, so that's good! Why am I so lucky?

May!

Wow, it's really May already... still waiting for biopsy results, phoned on Friday and results were out, but the Dr is only there on Tuesday to call me :-( We moved all of Chris's furniture into our new place yesterday, was a bit of a mission with it raining in the morning! Luckily it did clear up later. In 2 weeks time we'll be properly moved in! Well Chris and our furniture that is.

Got some awesome news earlier, one of the CF guys is getting lungs today! He's been waiting over 2 years, and such a positive and intelligent guy. Very excited for him!

Not much else newswise, having lung-checkup tomorrow, Organ Donor Foundation meetingand gym on Tuesday, cellgroup on Wednesday, Gym on Thursday...

Hope you had a good weekend!