First Transplant Call.. ahh

10th August 2011

well the date above will stick in my mind for a long time, the day i received a call having just arrived back from an appointment my phone rang being a with held number i was in a bit of a panic but i had to answer....

''Hello this is the coordinator at the Freeman Hospital, how are you?'' being my usual self, i said fine thank you... then the thing i was least expecting.... ''We have some lungs here and you are a match, so we need to know how you really are'' having just been to hospital i just reeled of what had been said, my temperatures were still fluctuating and high, but after paracetamol they seemed to settle around 37.8 ish although not drastically high this was after a temperature of 38.9 before paracetamol, i knew i had to be honest, although i knew this could also ruin my chances on getting this set of lungs, however i didn't fancy being on the operating table and unwell due to high temperature and infections. after giving this information the coordinator she decided it wasn't worth calling me up to Newcastle on the basis that i had a high temperature and possible infection

The reality suddenly came as she hung up...... Straight away i rang mum, who had no signal as she was out for a meal, My Brother was out the country on holiday, so that was a no go, Then my Sister thankfully answered the phone despite being out with her friends, she also was shocked, it would have been perfect time of year just enough time to be on the road to recovery before my birthday, nice weather for relatives to be travelling in etc...... 

I suppose in a way it made me realise how unprepared i was, which egged me on to check my transplant bag, make sure everything was in there i definitely needed.... Also the fact we could be anywhere when i get the call, out for a meal anything and you just have to up sticks and go...

 Although this would be a positive thing, and have been in various meetings to try and prepare you, there is no way you can possibly be prepared, nothing that can tell you how shaken up it feels, and i didn't even leave the house, total roller coaster of emotions..... 

As my mum had been out she pulled into the drive, first reaction was why the heck didn't you have signal, of course this had not been her fault and i did know where she had gone for a meal, so if needed i could have rung the restaurant, she thought i was joking, I'd been to hell and back on my own why wasn't she there, i then calmed down mum gave me a hug, trying not to cry as this never helps any situation... i then rang my dad to let him know, the people i told... why didn't they understand this was such a big thing, they just shrugged it off better luck next time kinda thing. Why don't people understand? ...... Why do i expect them to understand? They cant possibly understand because they haven't been through it it's not happening to them, they haven't been to the meetings they think this is a cure so why am i so worried and nervous about the whole thing

After going on facebook that evening a friend of mine had similar post she had also been called for a transplant, at the same hospital, around the same time, her op went ahead, i knew exactly what she must have been through, but then realised she'd gone through so much more, i was so excited for her, hoping everything went ok .... 9months down the line she has just completed the Manchester 10k Run in 1hour 47mins for 'live life then give life' charity ( WELL DONE HUN) 

So maybe these lungs weren't mine to have but they have saved my friend, it hasn't been all plain sailing for her but she's worked hard, and i think it's safe to say they have changed her life for the better 

I will leave it there for this post

Thankyou for reading 


Keep Smiling :D
Jess xx