Today was my yearly checkup at Harefield, my transplant hospital.

It was a bit surreal, I just always have a slight knot in my stomach when going there, as it makes all this transplant stuff seem so real (stupid comment as it is infact real) but that is where the actual operation will take place etc, so it does feel a little strange going there. We drove up in Sammy car, and arrived about 10.30ish to get all the tests done, blood, Xrays, lung function, ECG and obs.

All the staff at Harefield are just so lovely - the phlebotamist (bloodtaking lady for those unmedical bods) chatted away to me telling me which her favourite bottle was (a toss up between the one with the red lid as it matches the blood nicely and a slimline black one as it looks rather classy) which made me giggle, always nice when they are removing 16 bottles of blood from a vein they just told you was so small they would have to use a paediatric needle.

Tests all went fine, and then we went across to have lunch and a break, and then back to the main centre to wait to be called into clinic. I was seen today by one of the surgeons, who was very nice and thorough and went through everything much the same as last year.

We talked about the transplant rate at present - last year performed 26 lung transplant ops (I think around 14 of those were double). He also said this year has been slower so far, although this month has been good. These numbers are just so small, and a really good push for me to keep ploughing on with this campaign. I think the biggest thing I want to highlight in the campaign is the number of next of kin who refuse consent (many overriding the persons registration on the donor list). This is why it is SO important to talk about your wishes with your next of kin. Which of course is why we did the T-shirts, as if you own one of those your wishes are pretty clear! www.livelifethengivelife.co.uk buy one buy one buy one!

OK getting off my milkcrate and sitting down nicely now...So everything went fine at Harefield, I am now all taped up on a groovy little portable heart monitor for 24 hours whilst they check out my heart which has got into the habit recently of dancing about merrily which I do not appreciate.

Easter weekend was fantabulous, lots of family orientated stuff including the traditional annual easter egg hunt at my grandparents (in which I may or may not have thought we were searching for 9 eggs each when infact it was 8, therefore had everyone else looking for my extra ficticious egg for about 10 mins before my grandma realised) and my bedroom is now a GORGEOUS pale pink with a deep dusky pink wall behind the headboard of the bed. YAY!! Very excited, it is beautiful, fit for a princess you might say...