So life begins at 24??

Well it did for a few weeks. With me released from Newcastle I was put in quarantine for a couple of weeks. I was feeling absolutely fantastic. One question that confused me was. Have you got taller?? To the average eye it looked like that but in reality before transplant I would walk around slumped as my lungs were in constant pain and it was comforting. That’s what I thought. Now there probably is a medical term. With the new lads there was no pain so I was standing up straight. I was wearing a mask due to infection as I have no immune system now. Why?? My new lungs are foreign bodies so when you get flu your immune system reacts and kills the foreign bodies. Hence my lungs are the same. If you have flu, cold or a bug stay the fuck away from me. Scary but 40+ tablets is much easier along with physical activity with energy is much easier. So I flew along for 2 months and we decided to throw a party to show all friends and family how well I was doing. So the party of the lungs was christened.

Those of you who attended saw the pig on the spit. The cake of the lungs and the hullabaloo of it all with Benen Tierney playing all I need is the air that I breathe. I had a fantastic time and I would again like to thank all my friends. On that occasion we had a minister there called Michael Ring because years ago when I sat with Crohn’s disease eating me away he was good enough to get me a bed in Beaumont that basically saved my life again. Another TD who turned up that night was at a funeral and dropped in on the way home. Anything for a vote. This was also the same year #CFBD was born so we had my mother’s cup there also. I would like to clear up one thing about this night. I did not catch swine flu on that night, I know where I got swine flu and it would have been impossible to avoid and I do not regret holding that party as that’s what I wanted.

When I arrived they sent me straight to the 3rd floor. I felt like my life was just horrible and it would never end. Why?? I was back where it all began and I knew I was sick. Then the shit hit the fan. Consultants came in and were asking stupid questions. I remember one very overweight man who decided he would talk to Martina not the patient. I lost the plot and told him the patient was here. One thing you need to know about me and a lesson for you too. You need to be treated like you want to be treated no matter who is speaking to you. We all come from one place so fuck it. Respect others like you respect yourself. So that night things were not getting any better. I awoke the next day in Castlebar with my savior Dr. Michael O Neill at my bedside. He put me at ease but his face changed when he was told my symptoms. All I could think of was death. Now my subconscious mind was different thank god. Martina rang at 11 am and I told her I was nearly on 100% oxygen she definitely sent ripples through the doctors because within 30 minutes O Neill was in telling me he was getting a anesthetist up to look at me. When they came up she told me they were moving me to ICU but I would need fluid to rehydrate as I was very low. So I was wheeled off to ICU and when you see nurses crying you know you are in trouble. When I got there I had Lorna my CF nurse one side and Sara my Physio the other. They kept me going because as I said before this was the only time I felt like giving up. I was ready to die.

Nobody could explain the pain of swine flu. After 1 hour and looking into the other room where O’NEILL was talking to Dad. My heart broke. Dad and olive left after the talk and I really only found out why afterwards. My lungs were full with fluid. They sent X-ray off to the mater. Looked like I was goosed. Then the anesthetic came in and I was never so happy to be knocked out. The rest was amazing how the body works. After I was ventilated I was put on a special ambulance that supports life support. When I arrived all my family were called as there was a small bit of my lung still there. They were told by an amazing doctor with a hat that you better pray this gets bigger. Like my wonderful Martina years earlier I received my last rights but again with the help of a plethora of antibiotics and my mother not ready to see my face the little bit got bigger due to my very strong heart and kidneys that have got huge results.

Recently I met a man who only cared about himself and thought you never had real problems in your life. What’s the lesson here? If you think about giving up just give things time and it will work out. I’m sure everyone has heard bad news in their life. But as my outstanding cousin who is just after completing an iron man for organ donation. All he could think of was the people close to him went through pain that they didn’t choose he endured pain and with mental spirit got through.

#beadonor