I am the most smiley lucky girl in the world. Today was a fabulous day, here are some of the highlights:

I had a bath. No oxygen mask whacked up to 8 litres, no panting as my body attempts to get used to the hot water, no gasping as I had my hair washed, just a hot bubbly relaxing bath.

I did some washing up instead of lying on the sofa whist A made breakfast.

Whilst at my parents I went upstairs to chat to my dad instead of him having to come down to me.

I made my mum a cup of tea when she got in from work.

It's funny how it's the little things which are quickly becoming the most treasured, today I finally started to realise that actually, this is my new life now, by doing something like having a bath I wont then be laid up for the rest of the day my lungs screaming in fury. I went shopping today too (big yay) although after a fairly substantial walking attempt did give up and use the wheelchair as my legs are still pretty rubbery and there was muchly purchasing to be done. We stayed in town for four hours and lunched out, so wonderful not to have the constant constraint of Oxygen cylinders running out forcing me to return home after two hours.

I had my first outpatients appointment yesterday (didn't even take my wheelchair, what a feeling) and got a glowing report, everything was heading in the right direction and the doctor was really pleased. I am still in the very early days so I know that further complications are likely, but I am just focusing on this wonderful feeling of just being alive and able to breathe which I am lucky enough to have right now. Can I at this point say a huge thank you to everyone who donated money to the fund that Emmie so kindly set up for me, I am a bit overwhelmed by the generosity and promise I will update with what it enables me to do.

My birthday on Sunday was wonderful, surrounded by my family and friends who haven't seen me tubeless for 2 years. It was exhausting but fantastic, the best part: blowing out the candles on my cake.

ps - Hotmail kindly terminated both my email accounts whilst I was playing around with ventilators and the like, so I won't have received any mail sent in the last few months. I have now reopened both but of course lost all my addresses so please get back in touch everyone!