ANOTHER MONTH - ANOTHER ADDITION TO OUR PURRRFECT FAMILY

Okay then people. Along time I know since I have written on this. Each week has gone past and thinkng I cannot write as I dont know where to start, and every week after I kept feeling the same, but it got worse and worse, so finally this evening I thought even though I do not have photo's to post as I deleted all of my files, including all my UNI work, Photo's iTunes - am totally gutted, but even though I do not have the pics to include I thought i'd get a start with this and let you all know what I have been up to.

Okay, since having MILO - he still pee's on the floor and Poo's which is annoying. Kelsey has her own bedroom now, and Megan this weekend has her own bedroom (photo's ill post soon). I am now just under 8 months post transplant. and 6 months just over since I had IV's for chest infection. It is so unreal I cannot believe it. Time is flying - And end of September we bought a horse! It was an early 30th Birthday pressie for me from me and this caused alot of ***** with some of my family. Mainly my dad and nan. Everyone else including friends were supportive. I had asked my mum, dad, both nan's if they would "chip" in with a horse as a special reminder for me when I am 30 in years to come. My mum said yes great idea as long as I could look after and prove I could afford it. Well I got rid of my convertible car and got a cheaper one, and also the money I had saved up for my funeral. My one nan who was recently widowed from my grandad just over 2 years ago now, said brilliant, and I showed that I could financally look after as well as physically look after. My dad was chufed to begin with and said yes its a great idea. So when I asked him to chip in, he changed his mind and said it was bad, I cant even look after my dog or cat, which is nonsence. He said this as I leave Milo at home sometimes, when I am at uni. So anyway, my nan wasnt keen but was supportive and said she'd think about it, but NOT AT ALL AGREED WITH ME, and THOUGHT IT WAS A WHIM and i'd get bored, which is really great for your confidence that family have in you. So one eve my dad went round to her house and said I am not to have one etc etc, and really got stuck in to my nan, which my nan was quite happy with as she didnt want me to have one. I had already made up my mind, as even before my transplant, I used to say to my husband at the time, when im better im going to get a horse, and that is exactly what I did with most of my family's support. My nan is still not happy, but she said she wont be nasty about it. Dad has been to the yard to see him on more than one occasion and has watched the girls ride and taken photo's which is lovely.

My pony is 13.2hh, A dark bay, and blue eyes. His name is SONIC! Oh and we all LOVE him sooooooo very much. Since getting him end of Sept, we have seen him every day - apart from one and that was this saturday - as I was decorating all day Megans bedroom to which she said, OH MUMMY, I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH (whilst jumping from leg to the other and her arms bent and fists bobbing up and down very rapidly). . . . . . :-)

Okay well the girls are back at school now Megs is in year 1 and Kelsey is yr 5. I was, I found even - it to be very emotional taking them to school, as last year I had to be let out for the day to take Meg on her first day. This time, I strolled in and hugged her loads, and strolled out taking my time, as I was in no rush to get home to do treatment or anything like that. I felt amazing, and I did have a lil sniffle.

I have been asked to be God Mummy to MY very good bestest sister type/ friend - I say sister, as where we go we get asked if we are sisters, (we squabble like siblings) is rather funny! anyway to her son Mackenzi! So am looking forward to that.

And quickly again about Sonic, where he is being stabled, I have met some new wonderful people, and at this perciest Moment in time, I am so happy and content. Life is perfect.

And finally, I am back at UNIVERSITY back to studying and finishing off my forensic science degree which going back was just a mere fantasy, a dream. One that has come true. I may not look like a disney princess, but I feel like one with my happy ever after . . . . . . :-)

Thanks for reading and hope it wasnt too boring and long winded for you. Tired to make it interesting. x x x

Another Week - A New Addition To Our Family - which to me, is PerFecT!

Well I went to the Heartlands Hospital On Thursday as planned, and was really quite strange. Just walking up there and not needing to be admitted, the first time in a few years that this has happened and being a patient is such the norm. I first dropped off the sharps bins, and then met up with Steve as he is in hosp at the moment, and we had lunch at the canteen. then we went to the Physio Department to drop off the first bucket of chocolates! Was so fortunate that it was the monthly Physio meeting, which I wasnt prepared for and walked in and I was able to Thank ALL the physio's for all their hard work. Right then, next stop, the clinic, and then we walked round to the ward, where Ash and Ben were. This where I gave Ash the chocs for the ward, and then I saw a real good friend Juliann, and she looks much better than what I imagined last time when I spoke to her last. Then I saw the CF nurses and gave them their choc'c which were to be shared with the CF Physio's. Then I had my blows checked which were 1.59 over 2.45Best Ever Blow on the second half. Rifat the doctor listen to my chest and said WOW!!! She has never seen a transplantee post, and she could NOT believe the difference... I then saw Dr.Whitehouse and Dr.Nash which was lovely to see and Thank for their care with looking after me, and Dr.Whitehouse said she'd like a post card from all the places me and the girls travel to next year.

Friday we just chilled as I was shattered going to Birmingham on Thursday, and we had planned to go to the Cinema on Saturday with Kelsey's BFF Nell, but it was going to cost me £18. so I decided to go on the Sunday which the cost was only £6. And we went to see Night At the Museum 2, and it was really Funny. I like the actor Ben Stiller - he's short and of course FUNNY!

Monday, what did we do, I cannot remember, oh yes, I went to NO I didn't Ikea was Tuesday. Hmmm, think monday I just stayed at home, oh yes, we had roast beef and we took Megan to tesco's on her bike and it took us twice as long, but she enjoyed herself, riding and stopping and riding some more! Oh and I went to the doctors, as I got no sleep, my back is really paining me lately, and its been going on for over 2 weeks. Its lower pain, in the kidney area, but sometimes too it aches in the lower left of my side. Even strong painkillers such as morphine tablets were not killing the pain, so thought id better go to the doctors,which felt quite odd as I don't usually go to tge GP for things, as I was always being seen at the hospital. So I was prescribed some antibiotics just incase it was an infection.

Tuesday Cathy took Meg and I to Ikea whilst Kelsey stayed with her friend and her brother. First time I have left Kelsey with an adolencent and not an adult and I was scared from the time I dropped her off to the time I picked her up and I wont be doing it again, as I was too worried, but she is getting older and needs abit more responsibilty, but I am not ready to give that just yet. But I suppose you don't know until you try.

In the evening, my niece came over to baby sit whilst I went out to a YUMMY MUMMY CURRY evening, which was great stuff. I tried lots if Indian cuisine and actually liked it. Since y transplant I like different things and spice is one of them!!! On the way home, the night was clear so I decided to put the roof down and drive home, to which as soon as we dropped off Sally it started to rain. Was great fun.

We bought some stuff for Kelsey's bedroom, as now my mum is no longer here, and got a job without even letting me know, I have decided to now decorate the room for Kelsey and the girls can now have their own room, which I promised this once I had a transplant. And another thing I Promised was:

This is Milo...... He is a cross between a Yorkie and a Maltese, called a MORKIE!!!!!!!

I got him from stafford, and the family that we got him from were lovely. I don't know what I expected, but I was impressed that he came from a loving a family, and I think they were impressed that he was coming to a loving home. The girls absolutely adore him and I have not seen them so in love and carefree in a long time, and it is nice to see them both relaxed and H.A.P.P.Y.!.!.! He was born 27th May I think . . . . I cannot remember, but will find out. He has a lovely temprement, and is such a happy pup, I hope this continues, though I cannot really say this, as he has only been with us one night so far. . . . so time will tell, but the girls are happy right now, so I am happy too.

Meg Learned To Ride Her BIKE!!!! YAY!!!!!

Last week, I took Kelsey into town and she bought her first outfit of clothes with her pocket money and chose all by herself. (a sign of growing up) and when we came outside the shop, these bad guys were waiting for us!!! So I nabbed a pic with Kelsey and them!

My Nephew Leon, is now back in AFGAN: Missing him loads and only got to see him once. I cannot wait for him to come home later on this year and get to spend some proper quality time with him. Leon, You are Our Hero and We Miss You Loads!!! Take Care, Lot's Of Love Your Lil

x Aunt Sally x

Our War Hero

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Okay another long week before I update my blog. Again, appologies, think I will have appologies as my signiture and have it at the begining of each post!!

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Anyway, lots have happened the last week, and tiny bit....

Meg took her Ballet and Modern Dance Exams and passed. Here are the pictures:

Meg having her hair neatly done!

Meg In Her Modern Dance Costume

Megan's Neatly Beautiful Hair

Proud Meg with her Medals and Proud MUM Below with Meg's Medal.

Remember without this gift I recieved (double lung transplant)

These Photo's and Experiences would NOT be possible, and I never forget that espically when these magical moments happen!!!!!

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Meg and I went to town and had some fun and saw a pony!

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We All Went Bowling: Maddison, Megan, Cathy, Nick Mac & Moi

Last time I went bowling I found it really difficult and couldn't breathe and was forced not to be bothered and had a rubbish time. This time was just fantastic!!!

div align="center">My girls had their sports day which was fab!! Here are some pics of my girls and a comparrison of me from last year to this year. Last year on sports day I was on 4 litres of O2 sat down resting, and 6 litres when walking, and I walked to the toilet and started coughing up blood, GREAT HUH! BUt this year, I even particitpated in the mums race, which to my friends horror!! I asked the head if they are going to have parents race this year and then my friend Trish butted in and said oh common, she got new lungs this year, so little did she realise that she would too be taking part. It was well funny,as I fell right arse over tit. ( I don't know what happened, one of two things, my legs just decided to be like jelly and give way, or I was running that fast (i wish) couldnt stop and my brain was way ahead of me,and I just fell, cos my legs wouldn't go fast enough, but then when I was looking up at the sky, after i'd fallen, I realised that another mum fell too, I up I got and onward trotted and came last! But hey is was brilliant, just getting to the end - what an archievment for me I can tell you, but the best thing, wasnt being knackered at the end, or even to COUGH! So to me I was a winner there!!! :-)

That was Tuesday.
(will post comparrisons next week)

Meg and I after a lovely weekend on our own, as Kelsey had gone on BROWNIE CAMP. I found it really quiet and odd without having Kelsey around, however it was nice to just spend some quality time alone with Megan & It was just Great. Fetching Kelsey from Camp was the best. She had grown up somewhat over the weeked, and this made me realise more, that I am so SO SO SO looking forward to the summer holiday's this year!!!!!

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Megan graduated from Reception which was abit emotional for me. For one, I had to bed the doctors to let me go home just so I could take Meg on her first day which was so hard, and then skipping pretty much out the play ground taking Meg and Kelsey home from their last day of term, fully healthy and breathing with no oxygen, was really quite hard to deal with and I cried alittle bit of happiness and just amazement with how far I have come, again thanks to a kind stranger I can do this, and becoming a Donor is so easy and to beable to give someone the chances I have been given is just amazing. too,

Megan at her final praise assembly with 2 certificates!!

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My Girls at their end of term concerts. Megan playing the African Drums and Kelsey playing the flute . . . . .

Here are the mum's and I, wanting To WIN the MOTHERS RACE!!
Noone's In It To Win It. . . . - Honest!

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NOt sure what happened rest of the week, oh yes, Wednesday I had my first lay in, and then Thursday a trip to harefied to check on the new lungs, and even though I felt rubbish and thought id need to stay in, my lung function had improved to 1.84fev1 over 2.45fvc . . . . So I came home, still none the wiser to why I have been experiencing lower back pain(kidney area) and lower left lung pain, so taking co-drydamol but wasnt working so starting takng oxinorm I think, but just one tablet. I only decided to take this after 2 nights of no sleep, (where I was getting so grumpy and taking it out on the girls, so now I have been better after taking one at night.

Friday, had a day of complete rest. After London on Thurs I was shattered, and then Saturday, Kels had her theatre and I went home to clean and Iron (i think) and then when I picked Kels up we went to nanny paulines where they would see their dad and had a lovely lunch with them at the pub. Then my friend texted to ask if I was still going to house warming and engagement - Oooops, I forgot, though I knew there was a reason to my girls staying with their nan and dad. So I quickly went home and to the local shop.store to by a bottle of wine and I get asked for ID. I didnt have any, so I wouldnt get served. I was complimented by looking young, but unhappy cos I couldnt buy a bottle of wine for my friends. So I just went witha card and a bought pint of milk (for my tea) joke, I needed some for home before I went.

Sunday I stayed in my PJ's ALL DAY!!!!!!!! As lately I have been v tired, and not 100%, but after the rest, I have started to feel much better, but still have lots of things to do. I have been thinking lots about the trip i'd like to go on next year. Have decided on destinations, and they are -
From London to:

1) India
2) Japan

3) Thailand

4) Australia

5) New Zeland

6) Fiji

7) USA (LA)

8) Back To London

Just me and the girls are going to go, my mum is thinking about it, but if im honest I think i'd rather just do it on my own with my girls - some bonding that hasn't happened for a very long time. So Christmas is going to be rather sparse and birthdays too. Though I have to make up Kelsey and Megan's room, as now my mum has gone, I promised Kelsey that she can have her own room, so I need to find bits and peices for their rooms, I am going to do during the school holidays whilst they are at their dads, and my good friend Cathy said that she would help and also offered her bf to help too!! :-) So great. Have been to homebase (hardware store) to choose some paints. We have about 5 different swatches of paint on the wall, and none are the colours Kelsey likes. Meg however will be happy with what ever :-)

Meg Is Still doing her Piano and is doing really well & Can now play YankeeDoodle all the way through :-)

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Tuesday was Ethan's 9h Birthday. Kelsey went to his party last tuesday at the bowling alley. Was a good party. Thank you Ethan, And

H.A.P.P.Y - B.I.R.T.H.D.A.Y

Here are the Guy's On Eth's Birthday Having a Giggle

Ethan's 9th Birthday Playing bowling and coming 3rd!! (Here Come The Girls - Thinking they RULE! (of course) :-)
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Kelsey Wii'ing It!

Here is Meg as Optimus Prime
(I can see you!!!)
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I have started buying school uniform and waiting on a delivery from the internet with the rest of their clothes then all I need to buy are shoes and trainers. Feel so up on it all at the moment.

Friday last week, I finally had my long over dued Guitar Lesson!! YAY . . . . Thanks Brian.
Kelsey I have since found is way more into it than I am. She really want's to learn it so she can sing with it, wheras I cannot sing for the life of me and I like strumming it for a bit of fun and to chill. I think Kelsey will take it up as an instrument and Megan will do the Piano. So that will be something to look forward to - Lots of NOISE in our household!!! :-) I enjoy it actually, makes me feel alive!!!!!

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NOW TODAY!!!! BEST DAY OF MY NEW LIFE SO FAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kelsey, Nell (Kelsey's bestfriend) and I taught Meg how to ride her bike with NO stabilizers!!!! I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Happy!!!!!!!!!!!! It was one of my aims to do when I got better, and I (we) did it...... Megan only needed to be pushed fast twice and she got the hang of it straight away and didnt fall off, just kept putting her feet down to stop her falling, and towards the end of the bike ride, she was pushing herself off and riding by herself with absolutely NO help!!!!!! It was sooo cool.... I did however say to the girls, "Right then, if we get Megan to ride her bike all by herself today, i'll buy you ALL an ice cream!!!" (I thought; id better have some money in my purse, cos now I have said this, Meg will be able to ride her bike) and true enough, she did and I had to pay out with IcE CrEaMs - but hey, it was SoOoOo Worth it!!!!! I am the proudest Mum in the World Right Now!!!!! Here are some pics of Meg riding; and our day at the counrty side centre!

A Little Video Taken By Me -

Still heavy breathing with exitemeny by the sound of it!!!

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The Proud Mum & Meg

(taken by Kelsey-Louise)
Thurday I am going back to Bimingham heartlands hospital (where I used to go for my CF care) to take back the ventilator that I no longer use and the nebulizers that I started making a collection of and sharp bins and lots of other medical things that I no longer use!!! I'll have more free space in my wardrobe then.

Right I have to go now, as I need to take my 10om tac.

NIght NIght
x x

My News Piece

Here is what my friend Paddy did for us on the news. However it doesnt go into much detail about transplants. :-(

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8150786.stm

Cannot update for a while as my laptop in for repair. Will be back as soon as I can... x x

Another Great Week

The weekend was brilliant; I got to see my nephew which was brilliant. But firstly, today was a very sad day. It was my friend nic's funeral. We all had to wear a pink top, and I would say there were more than 200 peeple there easily. I was good to say goodbye, as I never got round to seeing her after my transplant.

I made it back intime to take my girls to their music lesson, however Kelsey is still recovering from a sore throat and Megan, now has a sore throat, high temp, achy legs and all over and was in bed by 5pm. If she is still not better tomorrow I will take her to the doctors, as this viral she has, is all I need. Touchwood, my immune system has been quite good. And Here I am touching my wooden table as hard as I can.

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Kelsey is sat on her laptop, well her nanny's making her daddy a birthday card. He is 32 tomorrow the old mare!!!!!

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And I am sat down waiting for the news to come on as I will be on it with my girls. On BBC1, Midlands Today. I will paste a link later on for this.

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Last week, I had my friend Vicky come down and see me with her sister Gemma and Nephew Charlie. Vicky had a transplant 2 half years ago and is doing well. We went to the pub and had a lovely time catching up -

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Monday Kelsey and Megan had their Brownie and Rainbow funday

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Now . . . . On Saturday I was getting ready for a inaugral banquet; which was held at the guildhall. I was invited to go by the Mayor Of Worcester. Here is a link to the news paper artical

http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/local/4488245.Mayor_waves_the_flag_for_patriotism/

I was presented with a bouquet of flowers too. It was so nice. I shared a table with the deputy mayor and his wife, and it seems my mum went to school with his son, and my nan went to school with him. What a small world! For the staters we had prawn salad - however I wasn't brave enough as yet to try it incase of food poisioning, so I asked if I could have the melon instead which wasn't a problem. For main, we had Roast beef yorkshire pudding, with a lovely rich red sauce. and for pudding we had appletart with cinnamon and cream, cream!

The wine was delicious too, cabernet sauvignon, my favourite, but my alltime is shiraz added on to those two :-) Not that im an alcoholic or even know anything about wine apat from that trio together tastes the best!!!! :-)

After the meal I went into town to celebrate my friends 40th. I felt too dressy with my friends who were already drunk and I just couldn't get into it. So ended up going home early'ish...

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Monday:

Michele Paduano came again, this time not to film me in hospital and out for my daughters birthday, but to film me healthy and running around. the amount of takes it took - me running up the hill, that was my weekly exercise!!! hehe,

But it was good to see Paddy again.

It went on air Tuesday, will post a link next time I post - tomorrow or lateron this eve. Thanks again for reading. Sally xx

p.s. I appologise for not replying to you who have left me email addresses, will do my upmost to answer your questions this weekend and again, sorry xx