A Look Back at 2010

Being New Years Eve I thought I would reflect back on the past year and what a year it has been!!

In January, Trev and I commenced our 10th year together, I can't believe how quickly that time has flown by! It only feels like yesterday when we met!

In February I received the most exciting letter of my life from the Flora Day Committee, asking me to be in the leading set of the Midday Dance! The mix of emotions I felt when I received the letter ranged from jubilation to shock to being in tears!! I rode this high all the way until May the 8th when I finally had my dream come true!!

Trev's 40th Birthday was in July so me, Anita and Richard spent many a day planning his surprise birthday holiday to Tunisia! On the morning when we were to leave and I "let the cat out of the bag" Trev would not believe me and it took some persuading! He could not believe that everyone including his colleagues were "in on it"!!

In July Anita and Richard had the honour of going to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party because they are VIP's!!

By the time we reached my birthday in August things were going downhill, my highs were a distant memory! I carried on as normal, working and playing, but things were not right. This was eventually confirmed on the 31st August when I was diagnosed with kidney failure.

In September Tara and David got married in a lovely ceremony at Trevarno. It was a wonderful happy day.

Also in September, Trev passed his HGV driving test, a great achievement for anyone on any day but even better after being up all night with me at the hospital!

In November I became an Auntie again when Andy & Emma had a baby boy called Jago. He is going to be a heart breaker when he grows up!

Finally in December the hospital confirmed that my dear mum is able to donate a kidney to me and that the operation would take place on the 11th January 2011!! The best new year present I could possibly ask for!

So there's my year in summary! I can't hope that 2011 is better as so many wonderful things happened in 2010. I am blessed in so many ways, with family, friends and hopefully health in the new year ;-)

Comments

Time Flys When You're Having Fun!!

Well here I am again letting you know that another year has passed since I had my transplant FOUR years ago! The difference this transplant has made to my life is enormous. Whilst on dialysis, although I carried on with my life, the fatigue meant I spent the majority of my free time in bed or with my feet up wrapped in loads of blankets with the heating on full as I could never warm up. Now life is unbelievable! In my last blog in August I was telling you the story about my success at the British Transplant Games. Since then I have had the honor of being asked to represent Team GB in the World Transplant Games in Argentina which will take place in August this year!! I entered the British Transplant Games initially for two reasons, firstly to raise awareness of organ donation and that is still extremely important to me, so if you haven't done so already please sign up here but don't forget to discuss your wishes with your loved ones. Secondly to get fit and heal...

Goodbye Dad

It is with great sadness that I am writing this blog. My Dad, Terry Carroll, passed away on the 31st August following a cardiac arrest on Helston Bowling Green on the 24th August. We take great comfort in the fact that he was doing what he loved. Dad was taken to hospital by air ambulance and had his heart restarted, however, his brain was without oxygen for too long and we were told by the doctors that he was very unlikely to survive. After three days with no response from dad, the doctor introduced us to the donor nurse. As you know, all of my family are advocates for organ donation, but we never thought for a minute that we would be on the other side of that conversation. Dad had been on the donor register for many years, long before I was unwell, and had made his wishes very clear, therefore we said yes. The fact that dad wished to donate his organs meant that there was a delay before the doctors took dad off his ventilator, 12 hours or so. We ...

Six Year! WOW!

Another year has passed with the gift of life which I received from mum six years ago! It has been a year of ups and downs, with actually way too many downs. The Pirate FM Awards In April last year I had the honour of receiving the "Sporting Achievement Award" at the Pirate FM Local Hero Awards. Trev had put my name forward unknowingly to me and I won! You can read more in my blog HERE . At the awards ceremony Poorly Mum At the Pirate FM awards ceremony, mum wasn't very well. In fact she wasn't well for a very long time with several long stays in hospital and two operations. Mum was not actually beginning to feel better until late August. I'm pleased to report that mum is back to her normal self again now. Mum & I at Christmas The British Transplant Games The British Transplant Games were in Liverpool last year at the end of July. As is always the case, the Plymouth Team was small but mighty! Winning 25 m...

Me and my journey through kidney disease . . . .

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