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HELEN'S DIARY: I can't fight sleep and I just drift off
HELEN Miller is waiting for a lung transplant and keeping a weekly diary to support The Star's Gift of Life campaign. The 38-year-old mum-of-two wants readers to know what life is really like on the waiting list.
SATURDAY
Awoke with the laughs and giggles of my niece trying to be quiet. Stopped in today and watched her playing shops and creating jigsaws with mum and Tracey, her other aunt.
I fell to sleep for three hours whilst all this was going on. I am not able to fight going to sleep - I just drift off.
I can't breathe through my nose anymore and therefore I end up with an extremely dry mouth all the time, especially through the night.
In the evening all the family got together and we had a buffet, which was nice.
SUNDAY
THE headaches are getting worse in the morning, I couldn't open my eyes and was in agony until I had three cups of tea and strong pain killers. Even the turning of the newspaper sounded 100 times magnified.
MONDAY
JOHN came to see me at mum's as he was working nearby. I was laid on the settee just drifting off to sleep and so were mum and dad, we laughed and said it was like a retirement home. Yes, peace and quiet... it's wonderful.
Then reality hits home when Abi walks though the door and, like any other teenager, she has the worries of the world on her shoulders.
TUESDAY
HOSPITAL day today for my bone density scan. All okay, a little under average but with the medication I am on it should remain stable.
WEDNESDAY
I HAD a text from Louise (transplanted lung) today, the reason I hadn't heard from her was that she'd had to have a second operation.
Have read up about transplants and know what to expect and what could go wrong.
THURSDAY
MY Open University pack came today, so I am avidly reading through the requirements and watching the DVD which accompanies the unit.
FRIDAY
Stopping at mums again for a few days and doing my Open University work. My Aunty Katy should be staying for the day tomorrow and I hope she does, so we can all go out tomorrow.
- The Star's Gift of Life campaign has added the names of 25,000 readers to the Organ Donor Register.
Currently 8,000 people in the UK are waiting for a new kidney, liver, lung or heart. But a shortage of organ donors means hundreds people are dying on the waiting list each year.
Click here to go to the Organ Donor Register
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Weather for Sheffield
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
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Sunny spells
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