My Kidney Transplant Journey Part 2.... Recovery at Home, out and about.

So after leaving the Hospital that week we went out with my Husbands Parents. We had a lovely meal and they had a bottle of this bubbly to mark the occasion. It felt surreal only days before I had been on monitors and oxygen and now I was out in the world again as if not much had changed. I felt great apart from the pain of my scar- which I have to say is quite spectacular and I will wear with pride-no more will I be embarrassed of my scars. So the days kinda blurred together a bit, but I think it was the first week I was out for my first mini walk on the
beach. We didn't go far as my scar was still really sore and couldn't really stand up straight that well. I took some pretty pictures of the beach to remind me of my journey in years to come.









I have been taking a few Selfies to show my Kidney Transplant Journey and how different I now look. I don't look ghostly pale due to my anaemia, I actually have colour in my cheeks and makeup on. I never really had the energy to do my makeup because it took up so much energy and I couldn't lift my arm to my face for long periods because my anaemia made my arms shake. So now I am loving doing my makeup and feeling glamorous again. After 4 years of being ill and having my weight fluctuate, I am starting to feel like my old self when I used to wear lovely dress and wear heels to work every day.


Wow that does seem like a life time ago, a  totally different time. So my aim is get back to this pic back in 2010, I think I'm on the right path, I recently got rid of loads of old of clothes that remind me of me being ill and trying to cover my body to hide fluid retention. As well as trying to keep warm because I was so anaemic and my kidney failure, I would feel freezing. I want to match the outside me to how I feel on the inside now, which is amazing. I think after being ill for so long you have become a different person when your ill, losing your independence but mostly body and self confidence. So one of the first things I want to do is a photo shoot to prove to my self I am beautiful still even with all my scars.

The Recovery isn't just about healing the scars but it's also healing your mental health and your self image which actually take a lot longer to heal. For me it's writing my story, feel confident in my new self by getting my hair cut (watch this space but think I will go back to this look from earlier on this year) getting new clothes to fit the new me-rather than hiding my body I want to get my confidence back and show off my very quirky personality. I treated my self to a Cape coat which I wore on my lovely beach walk, I thought pairing it with my 1920's style hat and my Jodhpurs trousers (which I hadn't worn for years because they didn't fit-Yay!) I felt was dressed appropriately for the walk but still stylish.


Also seeing friends and getting out and about is very good for the mental health side to push your self to be more independent again. I have organised to do a few activities to do with friends to look forward to so I feel that I'm not missing out on events and activities. I also am planning to go back to the gym and start swimming again and get fit so I will be ready for the British Transplant Games next year. My other plan is start redecorating the house now I can actually paint the walls and get things done without getting really sore arms or really tired. My last but most important plan is to write a letter to the Donor's Family and I also want to get a commemorative necklace to honour my Donor and the amazing gift my Donor gave me- which I will never take off. I want to include the date and angel wings, I have seen the design on Etsy.com and I loved it. It did make me cry though but in a good way as I felt so moved by it. I think this is a compromise as I was seriously considering getting my first tattoo.

So how do I feel now? Well honestly, AMAZING! I can't help but kinda feel like I'm being hyper because I always feel great and very bubbly!! I'm sure some people will get fed up with bubblyness (if that's a word) soon. So I hope when I'm more active I will be less hyper, I think it may also have something to do with the steroids I'm on which have now dropped to my lowest dose-happy about that as I hoping my face will go down too as its quite round/moonface.

I'm going out for Bonfire Night this Friday and Saturday (crazy I know)  which will be my first Night out since I've had my Transplant so I've got a new out fit for it and I'm going to do my nails and get glammed up. Sneak peak of my outfit hopefully with glittery tights (need to get) and my Cape coat and a bobble hat (need to get)

Saying good bye to the Bristol Transplant Team was emotional and a big step in my recovery and journey on to the next step of getting back to normality.

Toodles xx