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I need a rest!

All has been going well these last two weeks, but I think I've done too much! I became really out of breath and had a horrible feeling in my chest on Monday while I was out and about so I just went to my GP to get checked over and they did an ECG, and the next minute I knew I was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. Basically the GP panicked when they saw my ECG but it turns out that's what it always looks like, but they didn't have any previous ECGs on file to compare it to. Now bare in mind, this is the first time I've ever had an ECG done at the GP. All the time I went and wanted answers they never once did an ECG even though it takes 2 minutes, so I was gobsmacked that they even had an ECG machine! Why don't they use it?? So they put an oxygen mask on me while I waited for the ambulance which I thought was hilarious, because my oxygen is 100%. Even the nurse said "it probably won't do anything but it looks like we care", I burst out laughing! The ambulance ride was fun though, the team were really nice and they were very interested in my condition and I learned a lot! Maybe I'll be a paramedic one day!




But I've had a nice couple of weeks having more energy and I don't regret maybe pushing myself too much as I at least made the most of it and had fun! I've had a couple of lazy days now and I am feeling better, I slept for 13 hours last night even though I napped 3 times yesterday so I clearly needed it! I had a busy weekend, we went out on Saturday night after my MRI scan and then we went out Sunday evening and I was up at the crack of dawn on Monday to go and see my grandparents. I felt fine Saturday and Sunday so I just carried out like normal and then it hit me on Monday.



On Saturday 27.01.18 I had my Liver MRI which was funny because we went out to a party afterwards so I was very dressed up to be at the hospital! I also handed in my DCD consent form to the ward while I was at Wythenshawe (consent to accepting a heart from a donor who's heart has stopped before they take it out). I thought the nurse was really ignorant at first when I handed her my form and she just sort of looked at me and said she'd pass it to the coordinators. But then as I was walking out she shouted "Are you on the waiting list?" and I said not yet, I've been assessed and I'm going on next week, and she went "Oh I'm sorry, you just look so well! If the surgeon saw you he might take you off!" Which I thought was funny. But because I have a different form of heart failure to most people (most struggle pumping blood and my heart struggles filling) I don't look ill but inside my heart is sad.



My INR wasn't high enough still when I went to the clinic on Wednesday last week but they stupidly took Apixiban off my prescription list so I couldn't take it anymore, and I just upped my Warfarin dose to try and get my INR up. They tested it when I was in the hospital and it was 2.6 which is perfect. INR by the way is the measure in your blood that tells you how much clotting agent is in it. So 2.5 means it takes 2.5 times longer to clot than normal, and my blood needs to be between 2 and 3.

So all is sorted now to be listed, I spoke to them today and I'm ready to be listed tomorrow morning. Things were hectic at the hospital today so she said she'd rather do it properly tomorrow when we can have a chat, which suits me. NOT LONG TO GO!

Watch this space, I will soon be on the waiting list! And with that will come a whole host of emotions I imagine but my mind is set on the positive future :) PS I am now officially listed!

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