What to Expect When You're Expecting... A Transplant.

As you will have seen from the dates, I have not written my blog in a while for three simple reasons:

1. I forgot my login details 

2. I have been very busy (debatable)

3. Because I felt that what I had to say wasn't important...

All of which are just excuses and, in reality, the last one is quite the contrary. I have a piece of artwork hanging in my living room that reads “be stronger than your excuses” so here goes...

To tell this story properly it needs to be told in three parts.

Part one: Post-transplant 

Part two: The six months after it

Part three: Where I am now 

I tried to write all three pieces in one but it would’ve taken you all too long to read and you would’ve been bored, so here is part one!

Before I begin, I should point out that organ donation is one of the best things created by modern medicine. It saves thousands of lives a year but the more I talk to people who have received a transplant, the more I realise that everyone has absolutely no clue what to expect. 

My story isn’t your average, run-of-the-mill transplant anecdote but there are bits in my next three posts that everyone who’s had a transplant will be able to relate to on some level. I feel it’s so important to talk about what happened and to show other patients (and in fairness, everyone else) that you’re not alone.

Plus, honesty is the best policy. Even though this wasn’t easy to write, and probably won’t be easy to read for some either, I feel that what I have to say is pivotal to transplantation. And, in fact, life.

The last time I published anything of note was over three years ago. I was sitting in a hospital chair attempting to get some sort of positivity from the story I was writing. I was six weeks post (second) transplant and I was still in hospital because my new kidney had rejected, twice. I was under the assumption, like most, that once I had my transplant my life would be wonderful. As if Jesus would put his healing hands on my forehead and give me the gift of immortality. 

I had all these wild, romanticised ideas about what my life would be like post surgery. I would be healthy, happy, get to lead a normal life again. I could plan holidays without making them near a dialysis centre.  And I could finally finish university without any hiccups. My life plan finally seemed to be coming together. 

However, this was not meant to be. 

I remember waking up after my transplant in the high dependency unit with all sorts of tubes coming out of me – never fun – with my Mum and my boyfriend at the time, A, sitting next to me. 

I remember thinking morphine ruled (totally does) and being on the phone to all my friends and family telling them the good news.

They all cried – needless to say!

I remember swearing profusely at my then 12-year-old cousin along with many other family members telling them how “f**king awesome” morphine was. 

I also remember waking up just out of surgery and having a chest X-ray done. I was lying in bed and a cluster of nurses appeared out of nowhere, lifted my back up and propped a metal plate underneath me. Now, bear in mind I’m like... less than an hour out of surgery, higher than Pete Doherty during most of the early noughties and my scar is new. Even though I was on a ton of pain killers (woohoo), I could still feel my stitches pulling apart. In pain, I dug my (very long) nails into the nurse that was holding me up. She shouted: “Ouch! That hurt.” To which I replied: “Sod off. I’ve just had a transplant. You got nothing on me!"

Still possibly one of the best things I’ve ever said.

Anyway, I digress! 

As the days rolled out after the transplant and I became far more sober, it was agonisingly obvious that the kidney wasn’t working. Having slept for nearly four days (and spending one burping out all the gas they'd pumped into me during surgery), it was time to do some tests. 

I was naive to be honest with you. I thought that everything was going fine, that it was just a lazy kidney and had taking after me. But sadly, it wasn’t.

Less than 12 hours later, two doctors swung open my hospital room door and told me: “Your kidney is failing so we’re going to give you anti-rejection drugs. This is your only opinion but you may die if we do it. Let us know your thoughts”.

Well... they didn’t say those exact words but they definitely said “die” and “only option” which is never reassuring.

They left me in a state of absolute panic. I called A and told him what the doctor said. I honestly thought I was going to die. This was it. If they couldn’t save my transplant I would be bereft of life, as John Cleese would say!

Frantically, A rushed to the hospital and was able to calm me down. Turns out, after minimal research(cheers Google), that the anti-rejection drug the doctors wanted to give me (that they said would kill me!) is given to almost every transplant patient in the US as a precaution. Honestly, doctors have no bedside manners sometimes...

This death-defying drug is known as ATG, antithymocyte immunoglobulin. It is essentially used to tear your immune system apart, which is exactly what it did to mine, so your kidney has a fighting chance.

For the next eight weeks I was in isolation battling severe rejection, contemplating life and wondering if it would all be worth it. Years later, I still asked myself that same question but we’ll get onto that in part three!

Because of the ATG, my immune system is still weak even now, over four years later. By May, 2019, I was on my eighth urine infection of the year. I was in hospital for six weeks just after New Year in 2019 with a stomach virus which made me lose almost 4kg in two weeks, and I was only 51kg to begin with. On top of that I had the flu. In 2018 I had the flu, numerous UTIs and a chest infection. The year before that was the same.

This story hasn’t been written to scare people out of getting a transplant, or becoming an organ donor. It’s to let them know what can happen and to not be scared if a transplant doesn’t go to plan. Life is life; it isn’t perfect.

I will no doubt be ill for a long time to come but I can’t help that. The way I look at it now is that everything will get easier as time goes by, not because I will actually get better but because I will learn to deal with what comes my way and remember that I’m no longer attached to a machine for 12 hours a week!

My advice for anyone waiting for a transplant is to get as much information as you can from transplant patients. You’ll have a better understanding of what may happen, how you might feel, what will happen if the kidney doesn’t work right away, all that jazz. And just because the kidney doesn’t work immediately doesn’t mean it’s rejecting. I know someone whose transplant didn’t kick in till eight months later and they spent that whole time on dialysis again.

If you’re worried or just want to speak to someone, contact your local kidney patient association (KPA) - almost every renal unit in the UK has one and I’m sure other countries will have an equivalent. Each KPA is made up of staff and patients who are there to support all renal patients, my one is the Grampian KPA. There are oodles of other incredible charities that can help as well, like Kidney Care UK, the National Kidney Federation and Kidney Kids Scotland for paediatric patients, as well as online patient groups.

Us organ failure patients get ourselves into all sorts of situations but know that whatever happens, it will get better. It’s tough but you are not alone!

Once Upon a Time in the Land of Fate

Let me take you back to a not-so-sunny day in September, 2015.

A young girl in her early 20s was sitting on her sofa next to her friend discussing a potential university ski trip.

"You should come!! It would be so much fun", exclaimed the friend.

After a few moments of deliberation, the young girl said "f**k it, I'll come". And with that the deposit was paid and she started to plan her trip with her university friends.

They were due to go on 22nd January, 2016, for a week to "de-stress" after all of their exams were finished for that semester.

Her first step was to contact the dialysis travel company, one that she trusted and had used many times before. The lady she dealt with said that the trip would not be a problem and that everything would be sorted out as soon as possible.

The young girl was so excited to finally go on a university ski trip, something she had wanted to do for years. She had heard about all the brilliant shenanigans that went on, including the (naked, drunken) midnight skiing. And even though she would never partake in such a frivolous activity... she was just thrilled to going.

A month went by and she hadn't heard anything from the dialysis travel coordinators which was not like them. She phoned them again and on answering they assured her that everything was getting sorted and she had nothing to worry about.

The young girl carried on as normal with her life and university studies, as well as attending dialysis six days a week. After another two months had gone by with no information given, the hospital started asking for more travel details and when they needed to have the blood tests completed by. The payment deadline was coming up too so she phoned the coordinators again.

She was informed that the lady who was dealing with her request had recently had a knee operation and had not been into work, nor would be returning for another month. Feeling disappointed, the young girl asked if anything could still be done and if, in fact, anything at all over the last three months had actually been done.

Sadly, it had not but the dialysis travel coordinators said that they would try over the next few days to help. This was so unlike them. They had been fantastic over the last three years.

Feeling a little disheartened, the young girl phoned the ski travel operator and informed them of the situation. With the final payment due in two days they said that they could push back the payment deadline to give her time.

Discouraged by all of this, she decided to phone her Mum who always had the perfect advice for everything.

"You know, Katie, I have a funny feeling something is meant to happen while you are away. It's like someone doesn't want you to go. Maybe just leave this trip and you'll get again."

With that advice taken on board, the young girl decided to cancel the tip and, to be honest, she was ever so slightly relieved. The travel operator even gave her the deposit back which was very generous.

Six weeks passed without much thought about the trip. With exams over, the young girl just did what all students to best - sleep!

One morning, at 40 strokes past 2, the young girl received a phone call. Rummaging around her bedside table for her phone, she answered: "hello?"

"Hello Kate, this is the transplant coordinator from Edinburgh here. You can probably guess why I'm calling?"

"No."

"Well, we have found a match for you. Would you like to get some things together, pick up your notes from Aberdeen hospital and come down to Edinburgh as soon as you can...?"

And with that, she jumped out of bed and packed her bag. Looking in the mirror, she knew this was it. She'd had a call before that didn’t go ahead but this time, it was hers!

As she left, she turned round to lock the door knowing that this was meant to be. Life would never be the same again.

With one final pause, she looked up at her trusty cat sitting on the top step, looking at her as if to say "good luck. I'll be here for you when you get home!"

It was a Tuesday. Tuesday, 26th January, 2016.

Back in the Swing of Things

For the last two years, almost to the day, I have been somewhat of a... recluse. I think that is fair to say.

And here's why...

Two years ago, on January 26th, a beautiful soul somewhere donated her organs and I received a gift that has changed my life which makes me Dialysis Girl on Tour no more (does a little dance!). I am now Transplant Girl - Take Two - on Tour but that is much too big a name to have, I feel.

In later posts I will talk a lot more about what happened during my time in hospital and what has happened since. All the juicy details I know all you lovely people like to read. For now, however, I am going to start off nice and light to get back into the swing of things for me and, also, to ease you all in gently before things get gory again!

I thought I would start off where I ended things last time, with a post I did not get round to publishing. It is also about being kind to people which, right now in the world, is more needed than ever.

So... here goes. Dialysis Girl on Tour, but actually Transplant Girl - Take Two - on Tour, take two. Phew!!!

"Fit an Affa Fine Quine"

(English Translation from Doric - What a Lovely Girl)

I massively believe in Karma. If you do good then positive things will happen in your life.

This is a short story about a little person who, to me, did a big thing.

Four and a half years ago my beautiful cousin married the man of her dreams in Edinburgh.  I was, like, majorly excited - I absolutely LOVE a wedding especially when it is a relation. I come from quite an extensive family so when we all come together at events, like a wedding, it's the Scottish equivalent of Hajj!!

At the time of the wedding I had been back on dialysis for just over a year and a half and was still struggling with some of the side effects of the treatment. I had also recently been told that I would have to re-sit one of my modules again for university and basically do second year for a third time so I was feeling a little.... disheartened.

Before the wedding ceremony took place, several family members gathered together in one of our rented apartments to take pictures, re-connect, chat about what their children were now doing, you know, the usual thing. Then my cousin, one of the many, came up to me and said "did you know J (the cousin in question's daughter) wrote about you for her class project?". Stunned at the sort-of-random statement, I shook my head.

"Yes. She had to write about an inspirational person and she wrote about you".

Trying to hold back the tears I said thank you and spoke about how wonderful J was, and still is (both then and now), and how grateful I felt.

You may think that is was just a school essay but to me it was so much more. To have affected someone in that way is such a glorious thing. To this day I still get a warm fuzzy feeling whenever I think about it.

The Karma I am talking about is for J. The little girl who made someone who was a bit down feel very, very happy and loved.

Recently, and this is speaking from the present day, I was in Costco buying a few bits a bobs, walking around with my pizza slice in hand, looking for the free samples cause really, that's the only reason you buy the membership! That and family sized bags of sweet potato fries.

Anyway, I digress.

During my walk I suddenly needed to pee - cause I can do that now!! - so off I go to the loo. While sitting there I thought I heard crying coming from one of the cubicles. I stayed there longer to see if I could hear more after everyone else had left. After washing my hands a lady came out of the end cubicle who had obviously been crying for whatever reason. Her English wasn't great but I asked if she was ok. In her broken English she muffled out a "yes" and I instantly gave her a hug.

I have been there. I have needed a hug from someone, anyone, when I have felt sad and alone. I have been the person sobbing in the toilets for various reasons. Mostly because my feet are sore but the shoes were so pretty I had to buy them in the 3 even though I'm a solid 4/5 (boyfriend, take notes!!!)

Anyway!!

After about 30 seconds I let go and told her everything was going to be ok before I left. I do not know who she was, where she came from or what had happened. All I know is that at that moment she just needed someone to be kind to her.

No matter how small a gesture is, whether it be a smile, a compliment about your hair, a hug or a chat with a glass of wine (bottle),  it's the tiny things that make such a difference. You can change someone's whole day and even their outlook on life by just being nice, even if it is to a complete stranger.

Peace and love everyone. 

Till next time,

Kate x

P.S. Wherever you are Costco loo lady, I hope you're doing OK.

My Kidney Does Not Work. I Do Not Pee!

"Never judge someone without knowing the full story"

It is one of my favourite sayings. And it's true - don't.

                                                                                     

I would like to think I am not a vindictive or horrible person however I know I can and, regrettably, have been because of how I was feeling on a particular day and people probably judge me very much on that. It's genuinely not who I am though.

Renal failure, and everything that comes with it -physically and mentally, is not known by many. Everyone knows about Cancer. It is a vicious disease and the sooner we can get rid of it the better. Yet, renal failure patients go through comparable things.  Please do not think I am taking Cancer lightly - I am not! I am merely pointing out the similarities between them in terms of what we have to go through and the amount of side effects we have.

I bet a lot of you who read this think that I go for dialysis, come home and it's all la-de-da.

Well it is not.

I have seen some horrific things and even experienced them myself. I want to make that known so more people can appreciate what we go through and hopefully join the organ donor register.

The main thing about renal failure patients that people should know about is that most of us do not pee. This way seem like an obvious thing but the amount of people who have asked me why is ridiculous. Think about it, our kidney's flush all of the toxins out of our bodies and ours do not work therefore we cannot pee. As a consequence, we retain fluid. Everything we eat and drink stays in our body. We drink a cup of coffee (which we are not suppose to do), everything in that stays in us. Even if we eat a strawberry (which, again, we are not suppose to do) that is made up of 92% water, we retain that fluid. 

A couple of years ago I was out for T's birthday, you all know T. It was a milestone birthday and we all went a little wild. Me more than most. I had dialysis of the Friday night and went out with the girls straight after. On the Saturday night she had a proper party and we all went out again. On the Sunday I went to Manchester with my Dad to a football game at 06:30. I got to bed at 05:30! When I went for dialysis on the Monday I had put on 6 kilograms. 6KG! That is almost 3/4 of a stone in liquid! At the time it was funny, I had never done that before. Looking back however, I realise how much pressure and potentially fatal risk I had put my body under. We have to be very careful about what we put in our bodies whether it is healthy to a 'normal' person or not. I have put these photos in to show you how bad it can get but these aren't the worst. I've deleted the realllly bad ones! The left photos are of me going to dialysis and the right ones are of when I am done. At first glance they are funny but it is actually pretty serious. I am very self conscious about the pictures and don't like going out in public when I look like that but it's the hard truth of what I go through on a daily basis.

 

High potassium and phosphate are also side effects of renal failure. Earlier this year I was suppose to have an operation on my fistula however on two separate occasions I was declined treatment because my potassium and phosphate levels were too high which meant I was at risk of having a stroke and a heart attack.  This is not known by many people, if any in fact. Furthermore, high potassium can cause extremely itchy skin and I have itched so much before that I took three layers of skin off my foot one night.

Another thing is that we get sick. Very sick. I am extremely lucky and have only been sick a small handful of times on dialysis and that was at the very start of my treatment but I know people who are sick every day they have dialysis and even when they are not in. During dialysis the machine takes approximately 350mls of our blood out of our body and pushes it through the filtration system. Some people cannot handle that and are violently sick for the duration of their treatment.

In addition to this we get severe cramp. Most pregnant woman and athletes will empathise with this. It's awful. As I stated before, most of us do not pee so during dialysis the machine, as well as clean our blood, takes off the excess fluid that has build up in our body. We can often misjudge how much fluid we take off during treatment and if we have put on too much then we're more likely going to get cramp. 

Cramp is the "involuntarily and forcibly contraction of the muscle that does not relax". 

I remember being in the side room once and I was just about to come off of dialysis when I experienced the worst pain of my life. Luckily one of the nurses was walking past my door and she immediately gave me some saline through my machine but that did not suffice. The cramp started in my feet and worked its way up my body in every muscle imaginable. This lasted for what felt like forever and before I knew it there were two nurses around me and a doctor frantically trying to massaging my muscles. The pain eventually subsided but I vowed to myself that I would never feel that pain again.

Furthermore, we can also faint from time to time. As a result of the fluid loss, again, our bodies sometimes can become low on liquids and we completely pass out.

We can also die on dialysis which is non-such-a-fun fact! This rarely happens I would like to stress, but it can and there are so many possible causes of it including haemolysis. 

"Haemolysis is the rupturing of red blood cells and the release of their contents into surrounding fluid (e.g. blood plasma)". 

This basically causes the red blood cells to explode and release deadly toxins into our blood and can happen if the lines accidentally become kinked. I would like to remind you that this genuinely hardly ever happens. But it can.

Several other things that can often occur in dialysis patients include:

·         Low Blood Pressure (hypotension). Low blood pressure may be accompanied by shortness of breath, abdominal cramps, muscle cramps, nausea or vomiting. If I have overdone the fluid intake I can feel the fluid in my chest and sometimes cannot walk very far (especially after the 6kg incident!)

·         Sleep Problems. People receiving hemodialysis often have trouble sleeping, sometimes because of breaks in breathing during sleep (sleep apnoea) or because of aching, being uncomfortable or restless legs.

·         Anaemia. Not having enough red blood cells in your blood (anaemia) is a common complication of kidney failure and hemodialysis. Failing kidneys reduce production of a hormone called erythropoietin (uh-rith-roe-POI-uh-tin), which stimulates formation of red blood cells. Diet restrictions, poor absorption of iron, frequent blood tests, or removal of iron and vitamins by hemodialysis also can contribute to anaemia.

·         Bone Diseases. If your damaged kidneys are no longer able to process vitamin D, which helps you absorb calcium, your bones may weaken. In addition, overproduction of parathyroid hormone — a common complication of kidney failure — can release calcium from your bones.

·         High Blood Pressure (hypertension). If you consume too much salt or drink too much fluid, your high blood pressure is likely to get worse and lead to heart problems or strokes.

·         Inflammation of the Membrane Surrounding the Heart (pericarditis). Insufficient hemodialysis can lead to inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart, which can interfere with your heart's ability to pump blood to the rest of your body.

·         Access site complications. Potentially dangerous complications — such as infection, narrowing or ballooning of the blood vessel wall or blockage — can impact the quality of hemodialysis. This has been a problem throughout my treatment and I have had to get 6 operations on my arm in three years.

·         Amyloidosis. Dialysis-related amyloidosis develops when proteins in blood are deposited on joints and tendons, causing pain, stiffness and fluid in the joints. The condition is more common in people who have undergone hemodialysis for more than five years.

·         Depression.

(mayoclinic.org)

Just after I returned to college after I had been in hospital for six weeks I was in the lift going from the basement level to the ground floor. It was only one floor but having just come out of hospital I was extremely tired and decided to take the lift. There was a lecturer in the lift who asked me what floor I was going to and I said ground.

She proceeded to say "ah you're one of those lazy students who can't be bother to walk up one flight of stairs!!".

I wish I could go back and tell her exactly what was going on in my life because I didn't say anything and shied away in the corner. She was totally in the wrong and judged me before knowing the full story.

People can be mean sometimes. I know I have said and done things that I deeply regret because of how I was feeling that day. I do not mean things personally, it is just word vomit. I also try and understand why people say and do things because it is usually built up from something going on in their lives.

From now on, try not to judge people based on how they act because nine out of ten times they will regret what they say instantly!

Kate xx

Ignorance is Bliss?

"Eww, what's that on your arm??"

That, lovely person who is drunk and I have never met before, is what keeps me alive.

I have had numerous people coming up to me in clubs, bars, shops, uni, you name it, questioning me about my arm.

I am all for people asking what my fistula is. It is an interesting, yet slightly creepy thing and we, as the human species, are curious creatures. That does not, however, give you the right to be a total douche. You want to know more about my health and disease then by all means ask, I am happy to tell you anything. Just don't be so ignorant.

I use to work in a club and had to wear a dress that didn't cover my arms (or much else to be honest) and three or four times a night I would have people coming up to me and asking what had happened to my arm. It happened so often that I came up with the story that I had recently been to Arizona with my Dad and was bitted by a King Cobra. This story was foolproof until some biologist came along and was like "yeeeah..... King Cobras are from Southeast Asia!" Should've done my research!

The point is, I have to accept that my arm is a talking point and I am totally fine with that. I adore my scars. They are the lines on which I write my stories and the proof that I have battled relentlessly to get to where I am.

I have mentioned B briefly before in one of my past posts. We have been close friends for probably just under five years and she is one of the brightest, most loyal people you could even wish to meet and she, like me, has scars.

I'll keep her story short as to not embarrass her because I know she will be. At the start of our fifth year at school, B fought severe septicaemia and had to basically get all of her organs taken out of her body, cleaned and put back in again. As a result of that she has a scar leading down her tummy. May I just add, she was in hospital for like three months yet still achieved 5 A's! Incredibly smart.

We had a conversation a few years after her op and she asked me how I dealt with my scars. I said it like I did above. I love them but B wasn't so enthusiastic.

I would just like to tell you now, B, that your scar is beautiful and so are you. On the inside and out. That scar you have has given you the determination to do everything you have over the past five/six years and it is the reason you will become an amazing doctor.

Your scars are something to be admired and cherished. I know that my ex's and my current boyfriend love my scars and whoever you are with should love them too. If they don't well..... bye bye.

I cannot tell you how strongly I feel about showing off your scars, no matter where you got them from. Unless you are some crazy killer. In that case, hind them. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Whether you have a chronic illness, Crohn's disease, are a transplantee, whatever, you have earned your beloved life lines.

Be proud of them. Show them off. And don't ever care what other people think. You will always get the "eww, what's that" kind of people but let me tell you... they don't deserve an answer.

Until next time,

Kate x

Dear Friend,

Before I tell you about the next part of my story, I would like to remember a very special lady who so sadly passed away two weeks ago. This lady was on dialysis with me and I knew her for three years. She, and her husband, never had a bad word to say and I have never seen anyone love their wife as much as he did. They loved each other wholeheartedly and supported each other through all of their tough times. She was a tremendous women and fought so hard against her illnesses. Life is so short. You have to grasp every day and fill it with happiness. You can never know when it may be your last.

Rest in Peace, my love. I hope you are happy wherever you may be x

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I ended last time with me being in hospital with kidney failure, again. I was in a phase of my life where things clearly were not going my way. All I kept thinking about was getting home and continuing with my studies. However, my life had changed and I had to adapt to it. As soon as I was discharged from hospital, with tubes still in my neck, I started back at college.

Then ended up back in hospital.

I had done too much far too soon and pushed my body to do something it wasn't capable of doing. I should of let myself rest but, for whatever reason, that is something I am not very good at. I need to work or study or clean or do something. I cannot just sit and twiddle my fingers but that was probably what I needed to do.

During the Summer of 2012 I lived in Aberdeen with my friend and in fairness, did not really do very much apart from shopped. I tried to apply for university but because I had not finished my HND at college, I did not qualify for third year entry. I had dreamed about going to Robert Gordon University for five years and I was truly gutted but, in true Kate spirit (yes, I used third person), I persevered and decided to give them a call. I explained my situation and the lovely lady on the other end said, "I'll see what I can do."

Even though I was not allowed into third year I was however accepted into second year. I know, second year again! But I was ecstatic and didn't care that I had to repeat a year. I remember my first day at uni, being so scared yet so proud to have finally made it to where I had always wanted to go. But things never stay the same for long.

Three weeks into uni I contracted pneumonia and ended up back in hospital again. At Christmas I, somehow, managed to catch meningococcal meningitis and pneumonia at the same time which lead me to not being able to sit my exams. In April of 2013, same time as my exams again, I had influenza A (really bad flu) and did not manage to submit a piece of my course work. That meant that I had an exam to sit over the summer along with making a documentary and developing a website with little information about how to do either because I had been off for so much of the terms.

With a lot of work and help from my friends I am happy to say that I passed the exam and handed in my website (albeit, I got a D) but I didn't quite get my documentary done in time. And to make things even more annoying because of the amount of credits the documentary was worth I was not able to carry over that module whilst studying third year. So, again, I had to re-sit second year.

Whilst studying part-time I worked for the majority of that year at a business development and marketing company as their marketing assistant and I was so lucky to be part of such an amazing and supportive team. In September 2013 I decided to apply for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - which I will go into detail about another time - and heard in the January that I was successful and one of their 15,000 volunteers! I thought this was the perfect subject for my documentary and while I was there I recorded a video diary. Safe to say I achieved an A... PARTY!!!! So worth the wait.

So, everything was finally picking up. I was in an amazing relationship with my boyfriend, I had been awarded Student Ambassador of the Year by RGU for my contribution to the students and The Great Scot of the Year Award for my contribution to sport for the Commonwealth Games and my determination throughout them. I was finally away into third year (thank the Lord) and moving into my own Home... And got Eta. That was last October and since then, touch wood, I have not been in hospital, apart from dialysis obviously, been on holiday six times and finished third year with virtually no setbacks and achieved another two A's.

 

There is nothing more powerful than the determination of your mind. Set yourself goals, write them down, make a dream board, whatever it is you need to do to visualise where you want to be. It may take you longer, you may need to take a path that you initially didn't want to but that will only make you stronger and you will be so proud of yourself by the end of it.

I fully believe that everything happens for a reason. Yes, of course I sometimes get upset about my condition, it is only normal, but I am not angry. So many good things have happened in my life in the past three years. I have met some incredible people and work in places that I probably would not have if this disease had not taken over. You have to look at the positives of every situation and maybe they are not always clear at the start. But you'll find them.

Until next time,

Kate x