Hello and welcome
to my journey
My blog is about how a simple change in my eyesight lead to one of the most serious operations a body can take - a liver transplant. Going through a transplant is a life-changing experience that amasses a wide range of emotions, from the initial diagnosis, dealing with the symptoms, undergoing treatment, waiting for the call, and finally having the transplant. I hope that by writing about my experience I can help others who are starting their journey, in the midst of it, waiting on the list, and those who have had their transplant, recovering and living life to the full again.
It's also dedicated to my two boys, family and many friends, the amazing medical professionals at the three NHS trusts who have supported me throughout this unbelievable journey; you all are and still, an essential part of my life and I wouldn't have made it without you all.
And especially to the families who make this happen by allowing the wishes of their loved ones who wanted to donate their organs in hope that others would live on. Thank you so much.
Let me share a little about myself before my transplant.
Before this new chapter of my life, I led a typical life as a mother of two children, working full time, and a lovely social life with wonderful friends. My professional background lies in the design industry, where I made the move from the West Country to pursue my design studies in London and afterwards, a career as a graphic designer. I worked across various projects from retail, print, corporate branding, packaging, small/medium design companies, below-the-line advertising agents and freelance work.
Once married and with a new baby, I decided to take a break from design and realised that not only did I missed it, but needed to keep up with the ever changing technology so bought my first Apple Mac and became a freelance designer. Eventually, we made the decision to return to the West Country, where our second son was born. I still continued to freelance and eventually became involved with the local college as a Visiting Hour Lecturer, eventually transitioning to a full-time role teaching graphic design and other institutes. Then, one day I woke up with a scratch in my eye and turned yellow.
The 13 Stages of My Journey
On my blog page, you'll discover a comprehensive account of my liver journey from the initial diagnosis to my current situation. The narrative is divided into 13 stages, designed to be both informative and hopefully, an interesting outlook.
I wanted to share this experience from three perspectives: In my own words, the medical viewpoint, featuring letters from the three NHS Trusts, my diagnosis, the assessment to the transplant to follow-up appointments and a photographic transition from a healthy person to the toll of this terrible disease and the physical recovery.
Writing this has been an therapeutic experience, allowing me to reflect on my journey through the journals I wrote and talking with family and friends. I truly believe that positive thinking can help you through the most challenging times, it certainly played a vital role in my journey.
You can click on this link to take you to the blog or just go to the menu bar Blog.
Contact
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I'm not medically qualified I'm happy to share my experience and guidance through this crazy journey.