Me and my journey through kidney disease . . . .

Today it has been ten years since my mum made the ultimate sacrifice and donated one of her kidneys to me, freeing me from nightly dialysis and allowing me to lead a full and (almost) normal life.  It feels like yesterday on some days and a lifetime ago on others.   I am very delighted to be able to say that my kidney is behaving very well and is  consistently working like a little trooper! The doctors did say that mum's kidney was like a 20 year olds and I do believe that's proving to be right!   I can still remember how Trev, Mum and I felt entering Derriford Hospital early in the morning.  But twelve hours later, one of mum's kidney's had been successfully removed and was transplanted into me and working brilliantly!! Mum recovered well and was fighting fit again within three months.   It took me longer to be fully recovered than anticipated.  I naively thought I would be up and about in no time!  However,  taking immunosup...

Yesterday marked the day of my diagnoses, nine years ago!  I discovered that night that I had a 6% kidney function with a blood pressure of 250/150 and would need dialysis and/or a transplant to live. So much has happened in those nine years. I’ve been on dialysis, been fortunate enough to receive a kidney transplant with the kidney coming from my mum, participated in the British Transplant Games on five occasions and represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the World Transplant Games twice! I am very delighted to be able to say that my kidney is behaving very well and is consistently working  like a little trooper! My Transplant will be nine years old on the 11th January 2020! I’m looking forward to celebrating with mum on that day! Although I was unable to attend the British Transplant Games last year, I was there this year catching up with my transplant family old and new.  The games were in Newport and very successful. I enter the games with Plymouth...

So here we are on the first day of Organ Donation Week and seven years since I was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure and it feels like a lifetime ago! So what's been going on over the past year? Harry   Trev and I decided the time had come to hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet in our home and we would now like to introduce you to Harry who joined our home on the 21st January. He has made us so happy and is keeping us on our toes  ❤️ Harry at 8 weeks old Harry has had an enormous impact on our lives in the short time he has been with us, there is so much fun and laughter all of the time as we watch his antics and go for long walks along the fabulous Cornish coastline. Harry is now nine months old and he comes everywhere with us :-)  Harry and I at the end of August Second World Transplant Games I had the honour of being selected to represent team GB at the World Transplant Games once again and they were held...

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...

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 ...

On the 23rd March I had a surprise call from Pirate FM .  Unknowingly to me, Trevor had nominated me for a Pirate FM Local Hero Award for Sporting Achievement and I had won!!  Trevor and I were filmed on the 6th April by Pirate FM and they created this clip to show at the awards ceremony as to why I had won this award: Trevor and I were given four tickets to the black tie awards ceremony so we took along my mum, without whom I wouldn't have won the award and my brother Jon. We arrived at the Tregenna Castle Hotel at 7pm where I was presented with a sash to show that I was one of the winners for the night and we then went into the lounge where there was champagne and nibbles on tap! Trev, Me, Mum and Jon on arrival at the awards After the drinks reception we proceeded through to dinner.  Each table had one award winner, the sponsor of that award and representatives from Pirate FM. We had a lovely meal and were then entertai...

SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES! Another year has passed but this year with several significant milestones!    In August I reached the ripe old age of 40!  I have no idea how I got so old so very quick!  Where has the time gone!   In December I celebrated my 10th year working with/for Frugi  they started out as one of my clients when I was self employed and now I'm their full time Finance Director.  A job I absolutely love!  (Most days!!)   Earlier this month Trev and I celebrated 15 years together!  We have such a laugh all of the time, no day is ever dull!   Finally today is the fifth anniversary of my kidney transplant, an important day in my calendar.  Everyday I live without the need for dialysis is such a gift.    I am fit, healthy and live everyday to the full.  I am so very privileged and wouldn't be in this position without my mum, my donor.  Thank you mum.   Mum and I at the...

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...

It is hard to believe that only four years has passed since I was diagnosed with kidney failure. So much has happened in that time and I have gone from being seriously ill to being extremely well. So what's been going on? Well this year I decided it was time to get fit and healthy. To help me to achieve this I decided to enter into the Transplant Games which is like the Para Olympics but for people who have received a life saving transplant. I contacted my local team, which is Plymouth as that is where my transplant took place, and was immediately made extremely welcome when I attended my first team meeting. By getting into contact I was committed, in my mind, to attend the games.   Next I had to chose which sports I would take part in, there are lots but I decided on swimming as I used to be fairly good at it, over 20 years ago!!!!  Those who know me will be well aware that I am a competitive person. Being extremely unfit at this time, my c...

Hello!! Another year has passed and I'm here again trying to think of something exciting to tell you! Well, with pleasure, I would like to say that there is no exciting news whatsoever!!  I still attend my outpatient appointments on a quarterly basis and religiously log on to see my results the next day. These have stayed constant the entire year meaning my kidney is doing a fantastic job keeping my body free of toxins and fighting fit. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that my life is no different to anyone else's, if you ignore the mountain of drugs which I have to take daily. I work, rest and most importantly PLAY!! Below is a pic of Trev and I  in the van getting ready to go away for the weekend to "play"!! Mum is extremely well, suffering no ill effects from donating a kidney to me. I'm the luckiest girl to have such a selfless mum who could give me such a perfectly functioning kidney!!  This year to celebrate, instead of goi...

I seem to have been sitting here for some time staring at a blank screen with no inspiration for what to say. It's funny what a difference two years can make.   I remember it like yesterday when I was diagnosed with end stage renal failure in August 2010. I couldn't stop the words from flowing and having to try so had to make my blogs a sensible length. This continued until six months after my kidney transplant when I felt better and the words dried up. So what's new?  I am still doing extremely well :-)  I consider myself lucky everyday as others in my position can suffer terribly.  I still take a mountain of drugs everyday which take their toll and I like to take it easy, but I am on the slippery slope down to the big 4 0 you know!! Most people don't realise that I am not actually "cured" of kidney disease, I am simply receiving the very best treatment which you can get in the form of mum's fantastic hard working kidney!  The one which th...