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HELEN'S DIARY: Now I burst into tears instead of having a laugh
HELEN Miller, from South Anston, is awaiting a lung transplant and keeping a weekly diary to support The Star's Gift of Life campaign to encourage people to become organ donors.
The 38-year-old mum of two wants readers to know what life is really like on the waiting list.
Helen, who was a training manager before she fell ill, now has so little energy that brushing her hair and cleaning her teeth are exhausting.
Here, she explains how her condition affected her last week.
Saturday
Didn't go out. Went to mum's and watched TV and slept. Saturday night Tracy and Beth came to stay and watch TV with me. I had a good time and so did they.
Sunday
Woke at 11 and then lazily dressed and bathed. I then watched a film with mum and did my degree assignment. Sunday night TV then beckoned and I watched Strictly and Celebrity. I went to bed at 7 as I felt funny. I couldn't put my finger on it but I felt sluggish, headachey and tired.
Monday
I asked mum to wake me a 9 as I had an appointment with the physio at 12.45 (that's how long it takes me to get ready and settled now).
Came home feeling tired and still had a headache.
Tuesday
Had lots of things to do on the internet today for Abi and Dan sorting out various issues and school and university. Dad was laughing at me watching Jeremy Kyle and I said it takes my mind off my own troubles. Sometimes, it all gets too much and if anyone says anything to me that normally I would ignore or laugh about I just burst into tears.
Wednesday
Nurses came to take blood samples to check my antibodies and whole host of other things which I never ask about. John's mum and sister came to visit me for an hour which was nice.
Thursday
I'm trying to tidy up a bit today, I can sit down polish the table and then have to rest for 5 minutes, I then move to the TV do the same and rest. I'm trying to do this as part of my exercise plan as I don't have physio at the moment. It's Abi's birthday next week. She will be 19, I'd love to be able to take her out on my own but I can't and that upsets me.
Friday
Kettle broke, Dan forgot his dinner money, a dear friend has just lost her father. Not a very good day.
- The Star's Gift of Life campaign has added the names of 28,000 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
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Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
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