Thursday 28 May 2015

Things people DON'T know about Liver Failure.

Hey Guys!
Hope your all okay?
 
I decided today after a conversation I had with someone a few weeks back to do a post about 'Things people DON'T know about liver failure'
 
When thinking of liver failure people usually come up with two usual stereotypical things - You Are Yellow, Correct. You are an Alcoholic, Incorrect.
 
Here are some things that come with liver failure that people don't always know..
(also I must mention symptoms are different for us all..)
 
Liver Failure Causes Confusion..
(Pstt I did not know what an IPod Was!)
 
Your liver is the organ that filters toxins so when it is failing it starts doing this not so well, so as liver failure progresses you get further toxin build up.
Now I know some people don't get to this stage and are lucky enough to be transplanted before they start asking why a patient in the bed next to them keeps going and buying eggs (yep this is what I thought..).
 
Myself and many others on the other hand though get very poorly and the toxin build up leads to really bad confusion and it also affects your personality. I become VERY sarcastic and said things as they were - which is not like me usually, I'm very sensitive of others feelings.
 
Although to people witnessing it, it can be rather amusing when it is happening to you it can be very frightening and worrying.
I remember every day getting more and more confused until the point that I couldn't Gage what was real and what wasn't once I started having hallucinations of floating feet every night (Bizarre eh?!)
 
Have to say this was the one symptom I really Hated.
 
Constant Itching... GRR!
 
This is probably the one symptom that most liver patients get and the one symptom everyone equally hates!
 
On the liver ward I am pretty sure Piriton is probably the most used medication.
When you become jaundice (yellow) it is cause by something in your blood called bilirubin and when your liver is failing you create more bile which causes this Yellow colouring - which in hand causes constant itching.
 
I remember having to be tucked tightly into bed so I couldn't move in my bed because I was just waking up to sheets covered in blood from itching myself to pieces in the night - I tried everything to stop the itching. Pressing cold ice on it, hot water bottles, blowing cold air on the itch but every temperature change made you itch...
 
Oooo I don't miss the Jaundice Itch!
 
Its not A Beer Belly... Its Ascites!
 
This is the BIG one many people don't know and I know I'm not the only one that wished more people knew about it.
People see Liver patients with big belly's and presume "Oooh there an alcoholic look at the beer belly!" yet that's not always the truth!
 
When your liver fails some people get something could ascites which is basically fluid build up in your stomach.
This fluid often needs to be drained from the stomach as you can carry lots of litres in your stomach which is absolutely horrible especially if you have also lost a lot of weight because of liver failure your also carrying around this uncomfortable weight too.
 
It causes breathlessness too as it pushes up on your lungs..
To the point I ended up in ICU with fluid round the lungs and heart!
Not nice, So next time you see someone a think "look at that beer belly.." maybe just take a second think.
 
 
There are many other symptoms people are unaware off.
Did you know these were symptoms?
 
Stay Safe & Speak Soon
Kate
 
x o x o


Monday 4 May 2015

Monthly Roundup | APRIL 2015

Hey Guys!
I hope your all well?
 
Well I am sat here in my office with the rain tip tapping of the window and can't help but laugh at how ironic April Showers are since I am sat here writing my April Roundup! 
 
Its been another slow month here at home but here are my favourite parts of April 2015.
(And here is last months post for any of you interested..)
 
 
Receiving Flowers!
 
I have been very lucky this month as Gareth has brought me two beautiful bouquets.
There is something about flowers that instantly brighten my mood so you can see why the second bouquet I received last week is now sat with pride of place in my office! *glances up*
 
Gareth is actually quite the romantic but that said as soon as I posted the middle photo onto the dreaded Facebook it was instantly covered in - "What's he done ?" kind of comments..
Why do we think if a man buys flowers he is after something ? (sometimes a tad true...)
 
Thank You for cheering me up Gareth !
 
What are your favourite flowers?
 
 
Organ Donation RT From Zoe Sugg.
 
Last week Zoe Sugg better known as Zoella tweeted out a photo of her organ donor card so in response Me & A fellow transplant patient Katie (You can read her blog here) tweeted her.
A few minute's later my phone was going crazy! Low and behold Zoe had very kindly retweeted us both.
 
This is far past being RT'd by someone I enjoy watching on YouTube it is amazing for organ donation awareness, as it shows above she has an amazing 3.2 MILLION twitter followers,and our message of how important organ donation is got showed to them in a matter of minutes !
 
Between the two tweets we managed to get 7K Favourites and around 700 retweets and that number keeps rising every day which is fantastic.
Just shows how amazing social media is for sharing messages of importance !
 


Feeling a lot more content!

In last months round up you may remember I spoke about how I wanted to get fit and I really did keep to this and boy do I feel better for it. (You can read about my progress here)
I never thought I would be the person that looked forward to working out but that's how it has ended up.

I love the feeling you get post workout and when you can see a progression from working out, I can never see it myself though until I look at photos I have taken after every couple of workouts to keep track. Don't get me wrong I am far from fighting fit and I won't be running a marathon any time soon ,but I am trying to get fit for several reasons (tone up and help my anxiety) and I am really proud of myself for sticking with it.

What did you get up to this April?
Are you ready for May?
Stay Safe & Speak Soon
Kate
x o x o


Sunday 3 May 2015

Photo Challenge | APRIL

Hey Guys!
In April I decided to do TWO Photo Challenges - but I did cheat a little.. oops

When I say cheat, I mean the photos weren't necessarily take on that day - For Example the Rain Showers photo of Day one? Yeah that was taken today..

But that said, Here is my month in Photos !

Day One.
Rain Showers and Something Purple.

 
  
Day Two.
Together and In my hand.
 
 
 
Day Three.
Favourite Colour and Shapes.
 
 

Day Four.
Light and Good Together.
 
 
 
Demo of lush golden egg & Fizz banger bath ballistic..

Day Five
Sweet and Not Mine
 
 
Day Six.
Letter and A Taste of Spring.
 
 
 
Day Seven.
Worn and Where I'd rather be.
 
 

Day Eight.
Embrace and Hobby.
 
 
  
Day Nine.
4 Things and Dark. 
 
 
 
Day Ten.
Grain and Favourite Part Of The Day
 
 
 
yes i love food!
 
Day Eleven.
A is for.. And 3 of A Kind
 
 
 
Day Twelve.
Tiny and On my Left.
 

 
Day Thirteen.
Warm and More Please.
 
 
 
Day Fourteen.
Large and Dirty. 
 
 
 
Day Fifteen
Someone I Love and Reading This.
 
 
 
Day Sixteen
Quiet and My Vice.
 
 
 
Day Seventeen.
Relax and Something Learnt.
 
 
 
Violet learnt to walk YAY!
 
Day Eighteen.
Change and Good.
 
 
If you ask me that penguin is feeling great about life ha!
 
 
Day Nineteen.
Left and Money.
 
 
 
Day Twenty.
Right and Egg.
 
 
 
Day Twenty One.
Bucket List and Close.
Bucket List - Start A Youtube!
 
 Day Twenty Two.
Weather and Four Things.
 
 
 
Day Twenty Three
Polka Dots and Entrance.
 
 
 
Day Twenty Four.
Cozy and Colour
 
 
Day Twenty Five
Rings and Remember
 
 
 
I thought this couple looked like they were sat reminiscing about things..
 
Day Twenty Six
Soft and Enjoy the little things.
 
 
 
Day Twenty Seven
Square and Under my feet
 
 
 
Day Twenty Eight
Something New and Chaotic
 
 
 
Day Twenty Nine.
Fuzzy and Contrast
 
 
Day Thirty.
You and Something Silly.
 
 
 
 
I hope you all had a great April & Enjoyed this post!
 
Stay Safe & Speak Soon!
Kate
x o x o