Things I can do!

Since my transplant and it struck me yesterday having spent a few hours with my work people that I can now do so much more than I could pre-transplant... Although pretty much all of these things are stuff that I could do many years ago (and what 'normal' people can do and take for granted every single day) I am now appreciating these little things and thought I would share them with you so everyone can see these little things in life that can bring happiness and joy when you've had to do without them...

  • BREATHE!!
  • Being able to get straight out of bed without 10 minutes of coughing and wheezing 
  • Sleeping on both sides AND my back without choking or getting chest pains
  • Not having an annoying wheezy squeak when laying down
  • Getting dressed in one go without having to sit down and catch my breath between items of clothes
  • Moving around the house without trailing an oxygen pipe behind you (and tripping over it!)
  • Being able to cook my own food on the hob
  • Being able to play with the dog (SO missed this!)
  • Going for walks.... (over 3.5 miles yesterday!)
  • Being able to take the dog in the garden and put the washing out
  • Being able to do house chores e.g. sorting the washing (might sound boring, but not being able to do things for yourself when you're independent really gets beyond annoying)
  • Singing and dancing along to my favourite music without choking
  • NOT having to cart an oxygen 'jet pack' wherever I go
  • Being out the house for any length of time without worrying about running out of o2
  • Just wandering around town, not having to plan the closest route to where I want to go
  • Being able to walk up and down stairs without having to rest part way and at the end
  • Walk AND talk at the same time!!
  • Saying whole sentences without needing to stop for breath after every few words... that's right, I can keep talking!!
  • Makes plans for activities and adventures more than a day or two in advance.
  • Pack up & move house without having to sit back and watch others do everything.
  • Having a hot bath/shower without choking and getting faint.
  • Being able to do the hoovering (boring but I can do it now... I choose not to!)
  • Walked over 63km in 4 days while on honeymoon in Disneyland Paris... last time I went to Florida Disney, I managed about 4 miles on average a day... someday's barely even a mile. This time, our shortest amount of walking in a day was a travelling day and we still did over 8km! Our busiest was over 17km!
  • Go to an all-afternoon outside concert and dance/sing/bounce/jump like the best of 'em!
  • Do the painting and gardening myself... well to a point! I can't do paint rolling, or chopping back plants up high as my upper body strength is still not right, but I'm getting there!
  • Build flat pack furniture with little to no help (other than lifting the heavy stuff around)
  • SWIM!! I went swimming and swam underwater, played in the wave pool and didn't get out of breathe or struggle in the slightest :D
  • Do almost a full day of work, with a walk at lunch break (to clear my head a bit) then come home to a dog walk... and still be awake at 10pm!
  • 18.5 mile hike through a forest in the dark, wearing fancy dress!! Known as the Epping forest Fright Hike!
  • Host Christmas and do a full on Christmas dinner, dessert and evening buffet... not leaving the cooking to Glen and preparing (and eating!) lots of food!!
  • Chase, play with and pick up nephews without having to take a breather or pass them over to someone else.

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