Q on the BBC Breakfast

Hi everyone, this is a video of me and my Mum and Dad on BBC Breakfast yesterday - LIVE!

I was very excited. Dr Rees was there too from GOSH which was great. We had a car to take us to the BBC at White City. We were collected at 8.30am so I had to get up early to get ready, not even a school day! When we got there we we were taken up to the Green room to wait for our turn in the studio. We were in Studio 6.

It was quite weird waiting but interesting in the green room because one minute someone was in with us waiting, the next they were live on air and we were watching them on TV. A make up lady came and put a bit of foundation on me and my Dad so we would not be shiny on air. She also touched up my Mum's makeup and Dr Rees.

When the floor manager showed us into the studio we were shown where to sit and she attached microphones to us. I was surprised that there was no one else in the room, the cameras pointing at us were all controlled remotely. The studio as well was quite small, it seems much larger on air.

Susanna and Charlie interviewed us, they were very friendly and made me feel quite relaxed. Before I knew it, it was all over and the next person was on who happened to be Maggie Philbin. She was reporting on having spent a night with bats!

Well I have to say, it was great and much more fun than my geography coursework!

Another news post - Wow

Hi everyone, here we are in the news again. It's amazing. Thanks to Laura for the great writing.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1081110/I-given-kidney-mum-AND-dad.html

I am doing really well, on half term now. I went to golf today with my Dad and I drove the buggy. It was so much fun. Got a lot of work to do as well - unfortunately!

I have just visited Nick Lewis's site - see his comment in my previous news post. I have put a link on my site. He has had a transplant too and left a nice message about me on his blog! http://www.nicklewis.net/blog/

I may get to go on TV soon. That would be very exciting!

Q

In the news!

My story has been in the news! See this link http://www.mirror.co.uk/life-style/real-life/2008/07/28/mum-and-dad-each-donate-a-kidney-to-give-their-son-life-saving-transplant-115875-20673916/

In hospital again but only one day!

I had my final procedure yesterday - Tuesday - to have the stent removed. I was keen to go and have it done because it was giving me some trouble but I also knew it would hurt after, so I had mixed feelings. It was also another general anaethestic which was not great. I did get to have a good chat with the nurses though.

Right now, although it is a mini heatwave, I am lying on the sofa with my duvet which I always do when I am 'ill'.

Can you believe it is now 5 weeks since the transplant? My Dad has gone back to work now and seems to be ok.

I went and helped out with Grandma's school play last week, Guys and Dolls, which was very good.

I am managing my medicine well - there is one immune suppressant which I have to take twice a day but the timing is quite hard - it has to be one hour before food and two hours after food. Since I am hungry all the time this is not easy! I have put on several kilos and Mum thinks I am addicted to tuna sandwiches! That medicine also makes me quite shaky which is weird.

Last week was cool - I had a sleep over with my friend. It was great to get away from home for a night. I also played on the Wii for the first time in my life - it was really fun and it gives your arms a workout. I also watched a movie with my brother on Saturday.

I am down to twice weekly visits to the hospital for check ups.

So things are slowly getting back to normal......

National Transplant Week

Thankfully my Biopsy results were fine and my creatinin has gone back down to 82. I hope that when they take the stent out they won't need to do a another biopsy but they probably still want to, so they can make sure. I am doing fine and starting to go less often to the hospital.

It is National Transplant week this week. I have a Donor card, HAVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!
If not there is a link on my blog. Just click on the Donor card symbol. One person can save 8 lives!

My birthday was excellent. I got lots of money and gifts, especially from school who sent me a box full of Washing stuff. HA HA!!

Odd as it may seem, it was nice to see some of my teachers. I also want to thank my school for raising over £200 at the school Midsummer festival for GOSH, through a sweet sale. THANKS

A blip

I was in a really bad mood yesterday. I found out I had to have a biopsy as my results suddenly got worse. My creatinin jumped to 97. The biopsy was booked for this morning so Mum and I are back here on Victoria Ward. I was in a horrible mood to start with but now it is all over and I do feel fine now. The biopsy was ok; I had entemol gas so I was too high to notice much! The nurse also told me everything as it was going on so that was fine. The lights seemed liked smiley faces spinning round me but all in one place. Very weird!

Since then I have been eating constantly. I seem to be having a shaky day today which is a side effect of one of my immunosuppressants but it seems worse today even though the level has been tested and is ok.

Some good news - I don't have to go to the hospital tomorrow! It is my birthday and I have a day off!

Saturday - new weekly update

This is a picture of some of the 'get well soon' cards my Dad and I have received. Everyone has been so kind thinking of us.

I have decided to update my blog every Saturday now that I am home from the hospital. If anything interesting happens, I will do a post in between. I hope you will keep checking on my blog each week.

Dad and I are recovering at home. My Dad has got a cold already! Hopefully it will get better soon.

I have been going to the hospital every day to have my bloods checked and my blood pressure and weight too. Of course, the day we came out of hospital, I suddenly started to feel a lot of pain that night. In the morning, it was still hurting a lot and I thought I may have an infection. At the hospital I had to have an ultrasound scan as the Dr thought maybe it was the stent that was causing it. Everything looked fine on the scan and, as usually happens, as soon as I got to the hospital I started to feel better and the pain disappeared. They think it was the stent that moved a bit and caused some irritation. Typical! (The stent is a small tube that has been inserted into my ureter and bladder whilst my bladder gets used to the kidney, this will be removed about 6 weeks after the transplant - another anaethestic to look forward to!).

Apart from that everything is good so far. Being at home is great but boring in some ways. I am resting quite a bit. I have also started to eat loads! Trust me, I mean loads! The steroids I am taking are making me feel hungry all the time. I still have pain by my new kidney but it is gradually getting better, I can turn on my right side now rather than just lying on my back.

Introducing Tyler - the newest member of the family! This is my brother's cat. He is so cute, especially when he sleeps.

I'll have another post soon.

Q

Last Post from the hospital!

Guess what everyone!!!

I CAN GO HOME!

WooHoooooo!

Dr. B suggested this to me this morning when I told him that I had finally gone for a.... Well you can guess.

I was really happy when he said "we shall consider whether you can go home today or tomorow."

When the doctors came round they confirmed that TODAY!! was the day I was going home.

I repeat Woo Hoo!

But this is not the end. However, hopefully the worst is over but I still have to come every day for a few weeks for bloods and checkups.
When I get home I get to look forward to arguing with my dad about what to watch on TV. I am very lucky that I am going home as a boy came today who is now sleeping, he is SNOOORING very loudly!!!

Keep checking the blog and keep leaving comments. Thank you everyone for your support and comfort. I MIGHT miss SOME nurses HA HA, but I am sure they won't miss me.

Once again thank you for all your support and comfort and I will do a new post soon.

I thought you might like to see the clever picture of the card my drama class from school sent me. Sorry it is a bit blurry.

Quiz

Here is a quiz for all my readers:

Read each line aloud without making any mistakes: If you make a mistake you MUST start again without going any further.

this is this puzzle
this is is puzzle
this is how puzzle
this is to puzzle
this is keep puzzle
this is an puzzle
this is idiot puzzle
this is busy puzzle
this is for puzzle
this is forty puzzle
This is seconds! puzzle



Now read this:

Now go back and read the third word in each line from the top.

Well, I thought it was funny! But then again maybe I have been here too long!!! Check out Young Times using this link www.timesonline.co.uk/youngtimes for more puzzles!

Sunday - day 5 post op

Today I have got out of bed quite a bit and I even went for a walk around Queen's Square outside the hospital. I went with my Grandma and Uncle J. We took a wheelchair with us and I have to admit I did use it a bit but mostly I walked. The idea of moving more was to try to get me to go for a pooooo. Did it work - no, not yet. Still waiting. Never thought there would be that much interest in my poo.

My results are good, my creatinin has gone to 85 - when I started this it was nearly 500!

I have been chatting quite a bit with Sarah and Sue today too on the ward.

My Dad is still not feeling that great from his infection and getting very fed up stuck in hospital. At this rate I will be out before him!
YES!!!!

Q

Freedom at last - Saturday afternoon

Hello everyone,
Today is the first day I feel more like myself again. I have finally had my catheter taken out and even though it was painful, once it was out, I let out a great sigh of relief! It's amazing to be free from it.

I had to move beds back into the main ward. I was quite nervous about doing this because it meant getting up and walking and this morning I nearly toppled over when I was standing up. It wasn't as bad as I thought as the catheter was out and this had been stopping me from doing anything. As soon as I was up there was all this nagging about brushing my teeth by my grandma. I shall hold this against her haha!

My grandma and aunty T have been reading to me this afternoon - a new book called 'Spud' about a boy that goes to boarding school like me. It's quite fun although once again I didn't have a choice in the matter about being read to!!

Please keep visiting my blog. Spread the word. Leave comments! Thanks, Q

This is my hospital buddy. He has a catchy laugh and has helped through the difficult times.

Friday 6pm

I've had a much better afternoon than this morning. I think this is because they took down the IV morphine and now I'm just having tablets. This has helped me be more alert. Also the nausea is gone but the muscle relaxant medicine they gave me this morning to help with this was horrible - it made me feel really weird and cringey.

I had a nice surprise because Mrs. M brought Mrs. DeB with her and I wasn't expecting it. They brought me a special card - my friends from drama class had spelt out the words "Get well Q!" by laying on the grass in the shape of all the letters. Thank you Miss. B for changing your lesson for me! All of the teachers wrote on some pieces of paper saying get well soon - thank you Mr. H for those Maths questions! Mr. G, my Year 6 teacher, brought back an embarrassing memory of when he came to visit me in hospital a few years ago and I was messing around with a toy car. Thanks Mr. G!

I find it very difficult to move to because of the catheter, which thankfully they are taking out tomorrow. It is good for me to get out of bed though because:
A) It's good for me to move around
B) My back will stop hurting
C) They will have a chance to change my sheets
I reminded myself of all these good reasons as I was trying to get out of bed this evening to be weighed. It was much easier than yesterday.

The nurses have all been great and I knew some of them from before, which helps. Katie looked after me yesterday - she went to Fairthorn Manor with me a few years ago on a BKPA holiday. Lots of people have come to see me as well, especially Suzanne, from the clinics and so on. I also feel comfortable with the doctors as they are the same ones I see in clinic. The great thing is that they all always explain everything before they do it and they are very patient with all the questions I have.

Dad is feeling a lot better and the physio made him get up and walk a few steps today. He said this exhausted him. He has had all his lines out now. My bro is also a lot better and I got to speak to him on the phone earlier today.

Thanks everyone for visiting this blog and your support. More to come tomorrow!

Q

Friday 1.50pm

The pain is a bit better today. I am off the morphine and have had my neck line taken off. It hurt because there were three stitches holding it in that had to be removed. The nurses were very kind though.

I have slept quite a bit this morning. Mrs M from school is coming to see me this afternoon and also Julie.

I have to drink now - 250ml an hour at least. I have not eaten much but I know I have to start. I haven't got out of bed yet today but have to soon because I have to be weighed. I am not looking forward to that.

My Dad is doing well. He had an infection which hurt alot but the antibiotics seem to be working. He has been out of bed this morning and is cheerful. He says he feels nearly back to normal.

Q

Thursday - day 2 12.45pm

Today I feel really tired. I managed to sleep for the first time last night but woke up with an awful cough. Because I am so tired and don't feel well, nothing is cheering me up.

Th last couple of days when I couldn't sleep they didn't want me to do anything but when I get a tiny bit of sleep they keep wanting me to do things and be more active. With a big struggle, which took around 1 hour, I managed to get into a chair. This took my mum and Katie, my nurse, a lot of effort too. But now I am in the chair. I have a pillow over my tummy for extra support which helps.

The medicine is making me a bit shaky and I feel sick. Coughing also hurts alot and is not going away. I should be eating lunch but I don't feel up to it.

On a positive note, my results are good and the doctors are happy.

Wednesday morning

This is Q's Mum here. He is not really up for blogging at the moment! I just wanted to do a short post to let you all know that both he and his Dad are doing well.

Q is trying to get some rest after some intensive nursing care over night. His creatinin is reducing steadily. The nurses are great and I must say very patient. As soon as they try to go off for a break something starts beeping! He still has a lot of monitors on and fluids, medicines going through etc but these are gradually reducing. He is now on 4 hourly bloods rather than 2 hourly. So basically things are going really well.

Dad has called us from the RFH and seems to be doing ok. Brother also alright and resting at home!

We will do another post soon when Q is feeling more up to it.

I'm back

Hello everyone. This is the blog note my uncle Jude wrote out at 7.35pm shortly after I got back to my room from theatre. Don't worry Mum has checked it with me!

Just woke up, feeling a lot of pain. Mum, G'ma, my Aunt and my fab uncle Jude were waiting for me. I am very happy as I just found out I have no canula's on my left hand and that hand is completely free. I have lots of canulas in my right hand. I think canulas are one of the worst things about being in hospital, especially when they need flushing. Something new should be invented!

I have a button to press when I need more morphine. Unfortunately they have fixed it that the maximum I can press it is once every 10 minutes. This stops me from overdosing. That stops my fun!

Feeling very sleepy with 7/10 pain. The nurses said the first question I asked was about how my Dad was. Fine apparently and wathching the France match. My Mum just told me they cut my hair whilst I was in theater! Ha Ha!

My bro also decided to join in the fun today - he was sent to A&E at the RFH by the GP because of his symptons - very bad cough and other stuff - he was seen by the tropical disease doctors. They were very good and he has had all possible samples taken. Any way he has been sent home with antibiotics.

My Dad is doing well. He is quite sleepy too. My mum took a photo of him for me from his hospital bed.

Tomorrow I will be able to tell more.

'The Day'

OH MY GOODNESS this is the big day

Dad is now having his op and I will be going in around 1pm

HELP!!!!
Thank You everyone for your comments and prayers and support!

This morning they got my bed ready for after the transplant. This involves an extra mattress for extra comfort and a special weighing sheet. It was really fun when they weighed me, you get lifted up when you are in bed. This bed is going down with me to theatre and I will wake up on it.

Now I am having my blood pressure taken, they need to do both arms and my legs! That is weird and ticklish on my legs. I needed a laugh!

Last night I stayed up chatting to the nurses for a couple of hours - I didn't go to bed until 2am, then I played on my PSP to help me get to sleep. As I was just getting to sleep the two babies opposite screamed and cried. When I did finally sleep, next thing I was being woken up to have some breakfast - I had 3 slices of toast. I was allowed to eat until 7.30 and I am allowed to drink water until 10.30 which is in half an hour.

Dad seems ok, he sent my Mum a couple of texts. He said he looks lovely in the stockings!

Wish me luck.
Q

The night before we go in

Thank you all for your comments. This is my last evening at home before going into hospital tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to all this being over. There are three things I am looking forward to after the operation:
a) not having to take a horrible tablet called calcium carbonate
b) feeling better
c) growing

I feel really gutted that my bro can't come and visit me in hospital cos he just got back from Mozambique and he may be carrying something which I don't want to catch. My brother was there for most of the important appointments for my Dad and me about what is going to happen, how its going to happen and when. He wanted to be part of it all. Now its all going to be on the phone!

Keep leaving me comments. The next post will be from the hospital and I'll also include thoughts from my Dad at the RFH.
Q
xx

Last Appointment

Today was my last day at the hospital before the transplant next week. I didn't make it back to school as the hospital took longer than we expected. Because of that, in between my appointments at GOSH, we went to the RFH where my Dad is going to be - he signed the consent form! We also saw the ward where he would be and it was quite strange from what I am used to at GOSH but the view is very good over London and the Emirates stadium. My Dad was more concerned about the TV and missing the football - France vs Italy on the 17th! Vive la France!

I signed my consent form today too. We thought there might be a hick up with the transplant going ahead at one point because of something I won't go into on my blog but luckily it all turned out ok. Just made it a very long day at the hospital as I had to see another doctor in the afternoon. I guess I am going to have to get used to that; there is going to be a lot of hanging around waiting for bloods etc after I leave the hospital.

I feel really tired now and fell asleep in the car and when I came home. My mum wants me to do some maths work but I am too tired and not in the mood to do any work right now. She says I need my dinner and that will make me feel better but I don't think it will make me feel like doing maths.

Being in the hospital all day also means I haven't done my english coursework speech yet. I think this means I will have to do it first thing on Thursday and everyone else will do theirs on Monday and Tuesday, when I'm in hospital.

My Dad is being very kind to me and getting up early to take me back to school tomorrow morning so I don't have to go tonight, so I can get a good nights sleep at home.

My brother gets back from travelling in Africa this weekend. We just found out today that he should not come home and should stay at a friends house until my Dad and I are in hospital in case we catch something, like a bug he may have picked up - even if he doesn't think he has! He doesn't know this yet, not sure what he will think. I am annoyed that he will not be able to see me in hospital.

I'll be back soon. Please leave comments for me. Q

Week before the big day

This is my last week before the op. What have I got to look forward to? Well - this week I have to do exams - french, math and RE! What fun! The french is part of my GCSE coursework - yea! I also have to do a speech for english which I am surprisingly looking forward to. It is about the hospital and what makes it so great. In fact, I will try to upload my slides to this site so you can join in. Yeaaahhhahh. That also counts towards my english GCSE. I'm trying to keep up with everything but its kinda hard.

School have been great, they are treating me with lots of care and kindness. Big thanks to Mrs M, Mrs G, Mrs B and Mr W and of course, the infirmary. Everyone really. Also good luck to Sister H who is retiring - what will you do without us to keep you busy?

Tuesday is my last hospital appointment before the big day - this is when they do a last cross match between me and my Dad. They do this by taking blood samples. This is done at GOSH. After this appointment my Dad is going to the RFH (where he is having his op) to find out more about the ward and to do a pre-admission. This means he gets to go in later on the 16th but I have to arrive at midday. I'll tell you more about that in a later blog.

Why this blog?

I started this blog because I am going to have a kidney transplant very soon and I thought it might be good to keep a diary of the event - it might even help some of you out there about to experience something similar or if you know someone going through it. Meanwhile it is a space for me to jot down my ideas or thoughts.

The operation will be in just under two weeks time. My Dad is donating so it is a pretty big event for the whole family. All the tests are done. Everything is pretty much ready and we are just waiting now - waiting can be the hardest part. When I am in hospital, my Mum is going to be doing the typing for this blog - she has promised to write what I want.