People...

So many people have been involved in this whole process, I almost can't comprehend it!  I'll list some: Doctors, Consultants, Nurses, Haematology Outpatient staff etc... in Kings College Hospital, Transplant team at Kings and at Hamburg Hospital, The Anthony Nolan Trust, blood donors, Doctors, nurses, outpatient staff at Northampton hospital, fertility team at Guys St Thomas Hospital, couriers who bring my now specially matched blood products to the hospital...Renal doctors, heart doctors, x-ray staff, my donor, the person who brought the cells over on the plane from Hamburg...and loads more....

Then there are the people this has, what is the right word, affected... or at least touched in some way...my amazing friends, wonderful family, work colleagues, my housemate, Rich, his family, my sister in laws family, mums close friends, my donors family etc...

All this for me...crazy stuff to get your head around really.

I know it goes without saying in a way but, I couldn't have got through this without the very special people I have around me.  In essence I am talking about family, Rich and friends but also some special nurses who I see regularly.  I know how much this has affected their lives too and that makes me feel bad sometimes, I don't want to inflict this on them but they (and they know who they are!) have been incredible in so many different ways, some have been exceptional.   

I don't have a vast array of friends, my family is very small but they are pure quality! ha ha.... they are truly the best.  I can never thank them enough but I can say that I am there for them as much and more.

We busily go through life taking these kinds of friendships for granted I think, assuming that someone is always there, maybe not making so much effort or getting wrapped up in other things but I pride myself on being a good friend and to always make time no matter what is going on in my life.  It is at times like these when you need these people that you find out who your true friends are.  This is a time I want to say thank you to those people and to say I am here for you no matter what.

Life is too short and can be taken in an instant.  Without all the people I've mentioned above I would not be here.  The relationships we make should be things we cherish so much more than we do, it is time we maybe all acknowledged that a bit more and maybe made a bit more effort...I am sure we all have someone we know we need to do that for.


I'm going to finish with some pics of two very very special people in my life who popped in to see me this week!