Have a look at my Transplant Journey..

Hey Guy's,

I recently discovered loads of photos from before and during my transplant so thought I'd share you with you  all.

Some of them are very emotional for me to look at as it brings back memories of struggles.

Just makes me realise what the last 3 years have really been like..

                         

                         

I was a 'normal' teenager loved my family and friends and having fun..

And working in child care doing the job I loved.

Then it October my face started to swell..and I started feeling unwell.

In the second picture you can see how withdrawn I was feeling.

In between then and my diagnosis of liver failure there were no photos...
Apart from those from the plane crash that was carrying donor organ number one..

Then after transplant #1 + #2 ...

(the transplants were 8 days apart)

So this was my first Christmas post transplant!

I was let home on December 23rd 2010.

Look at that steroid face!

ha ha 

Then I began my recovery..

    Living a normal life,being crazy as usual and doing all the big sister things I had missed out on while in hospital.

Then wasn't long and I was suffering with rejection again..

By my 19th Birthday it was evident how my liver rejection was affecting me.

Jaundice was setting in and then I found out I was again in end stage liver failure and I would soon be put back on the list.

 Each week I was just going down hill and it was evident..

I was getting more jaundice and  I was getting gaunt and breathless.

But Christmas 2011 I got to go home,

and on the journey back we got the call to say I was on the list.

I wasn't to stay home after christmas though I was to go straight back and honestly I have very little memory of that christmas..

All I did was sleep because I was so weak and exhausted.

When I got back to the hospital it wasn't long until I went down to intensive care as I had fluid in around my heart and lungs..

I was so tired,I was constantly fighting but I still stayed positive.

Two weeks before transplant I could barely stay awake for visits,even though I was too positive to admit it. Time was ticking on and things were not looking great.

But they got better.

And I had transplant number three on the 4th Febuary 2012.

Yet again a selfless donor had saved my life...

So the last three years have been crazy ones to say the least..

I built myself  back up..

and thats been eventful...

Upsetting..loosing both my grand dads in this time..

But there's been amazing times too!

I met the Queen!

Became Friends with one of the firemen who saved liver number one!

Passed my first year studying fashion!

Ran in a competition to be the face of a cosmetics brand.

   Fall in love with a right crazy person!

    

       

Made some new friends...

and kept some of the old ones..

                         

           Got support from the strangest of places..

But most importantly.

I finally have happiness and health.

I'm taking every oppurtionuty that get's thrown my way and I'm loving it!

You don't know when your day's will get called so seriously guys

live.laugh.love.

Kate

xoxo

Dress Drama..

Hey Guys.

Hope your all well ?

So I have been a busy girl this weekend!

In the week I spoke to a lovely lady at the Variety children's charity who was so nice and we spoke about what I had planned to raise money for the final.

Once she knew what I had planned she sent me a load of fundraising materials in the post so now I crack on with raising some money!

Looking at doing photo shoots,providing baby sitting services and bag packing and what not - more details coming up this week. wahey!

I went to go and look at dresses at a gorgeous shop in the Bullring called Sonique.

I've been there before when I was looking for a dress for the help for heroes ball last year and then I was amazed by the dresses and the service. For that reason it was no surprise when I ended up in the shop trying on dresses.

I tried on four different dresses and they were all gorgeous,

but as always some dresses just didn't suit my frame or clung to my scar.
Then I tried on dress number three and just fall in love!
Everything about it I loved - the fit,the colour,the style. Perfection.

Not the best picture eeek.

That was the detailing on the top of the dress but obviously not going to show you the whole dress - that is a surprise for the final!

I know its prom season at the minute so seriously guy's if you live in/near Birmingham go check the shop out its amazing.

Well I've got a busy few days organising fund raising so I'm off to catch some shut eye.

Stay safe and speak soon

Kate 

xoxo

The Amazing world of... Twitter!

Hey Guys,

Hope your all well?

The last few day's have been slightly crazy for me.

If you guys watched my latest YouTube Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFztjufsUtY),you will know that I had tweeted Katie Piper asking if she would Re-Tweet my blog for me..

Not going to lie I fan girled a little - Katie Piper is a real inspiration to me !

So Katie did,and since then?

Majority of my footfall on my blog is from twitter!

Means a lot that you guy's would take time to read my post's,and although there is still not loads of people looking at this blog it doesn't matter,as you guy's are all so supportive!

Since that one re-tweet I have been given the chance to speak to lots of other brave and amazing ladies over twitter and it just made me more determined for the Miss Birmingham final.

Every girl I spoke to has had a different struggle in life, Cancer,Road Accidents,Organ Failure - Yet not one of them is negative. There all so positive and that's amazing.

As positive as the girl's I've spoke to are,I've also spoke to people who don't feel so positively and I'd like to think that just having a quick chat over twitter,tumblr or how ever it may be that they feel a  bit more positive about their situation.

When I applied for Miss Birmingham I didn't expect to hear back from then and I defiantly didn't think that they'd want me in the final after my nervous audition - but they did.

This was just more proof to me that everyone is beautiful.

When you have been through something that's live changing and leaves you with scars and such I truly believe that generally it just enhances your strength and outlook on life.

I mean before I got all my scars and stretch marks from fluid build up I'd moan about the tiniest of spots,now with a 9 Inch scar that's kind of out of the question haha..

Before transplant I was an over sensitive little soul (mind you I'm just as sensitive now haha) and would cry at everything life chucked at me,but for some reason when it came to transplant my mind set completely changed.

It wasn't a case of will I get a donor organ? It was when?

It wasn't what if this organ failure finishes my life? It was hey liver failure,You won't finish my life!

So really,the last few days have just reminded me why I want to win Miss Birmingham and represent my city.

It's to show everyone - not just girls.

That you have don't have to look a certain way or have certain interests to be seen as Beautiful and Inspirational.

I think we live in a place full of social media and media in general now and peoples aspirations have totally changed.

Instead of wanting to study,they want to be a WAG instead for example. Now of course there's nothing wrong with that IF people are doing it because they want to but girl's these days are so easily influenced by what they see online and television really.

So my message to girl's is Yes celebrities are Beautiful no doubt about that,I myself often say "Aaa wish I looked like her!" 

But the truth is,I wouldn't change my life for anything.

I'm happy in my skin,and I want to help other people feel that way too,even if it's just one person thats one more self confident person then before!

Sorry for such a long blog post guys,but last night I was thinking of this over and over.

So stay safe and speak soon

Kate

xoxo

Roll on Miss Birmingham Prep...

Hey Guys,

Hope your all well?

It's time now to start getting prepared for the Miss Birmingham Final,which may I add I'm insanely nervous for!

What was I thinking ! haha.

But after all this year I wanted to push myself to do thing's my anxiety would stop me doing before,and after all what better excuse to dress up eh!

All in the prep is :

• Fundraising for The Childrens Variety Charity (comment below if you'd like to sponsor me!)
• Getting outfits for :- Sportswear,Evening Wear,Party Wear & Eco Wear.
• Getting people to come along to the final!

And all that kind of stuff!

This means for a while I'm doing what I love most,and thats dress shopping!

Well really I'm looking for dresses to hire for the event as it makes way more sense really. I already have a gorgeous evening dress that my boyfriend brought me for my birthday last year which I'll most likely be wearing!

As for eco wear,I'm looking for a Birmingham designer to help out with making an amazing outfit. This then helps show there designs too!

Makes perfect sense - so if your a designer? GET IN TOUCH !

I've sent of a view emails this morning,and hopefully can get a view fittings this week.

So there will be more vlogs up over the next few days,as I'm hoping to start some fundraising!

But for now here you go http://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=MFztjufsUtY&ns=1

So Stay safe And Speak Soon

Kate 

xoxo

March Faves! (Tad Late..)

Hey Guys!

So I decided since I've been doing quite a view 'beauty' style blog posts that I would give you all a look into what this months fave products have been..

With a few lifestyle products in there too!

The first product is something I received from last months Glossy Box.

The Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush - The Color I believe is Very Berry?

I'm not going to go on and on about it as I did in the glossy box review but the color pay off is amazing and it's so long lasting! Moisturising and just lovely!

Not the best photo of me ! 

But this is showing the lasting power of about 2 hours wear AND eating/drinking!

My second product is the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream.

It's a multi use serum/gel/cream - I can't really understand what it is and the texture is a lot like a serum!

This was amazing for using under make up as an eye cream!

I also suffer with dry skin round my nose and this also helped my foundation go on alot better!

I Will defiantly be buying this full size!

I've also enjoyed using the Dainty Doll powder blushers that I ordered from frangranedirect.co.uk.

The color pay of is amazing but they are so natural looking on my skin tone!

I'm in love with the lilac/pink one on the right hand side!

Its been my go to blusher this month!

Going on from the above picture,in the fashion aspect of things the swallow shirt Im wearing above has defiantly been one of my most worn items of clothing this month!

It goes with jeans,leggings skirts - everything

It was from primark for about £12? Dont quote me on that price though..

Also fashion wise I have had three other items I have loved

This Tie Dye Dress was £10 from republic 

It has studded shoulders and is just gawwwwwjus! ha ha 

Also my studded high tops were £15 from new look,and I haven't really worn anything but them!

Everyone who knows me knows I love studs!

So these are just perfect !

And My Third Clothing Item were a load of Hi Lo skirts I brought from republic in the sales,sadly I have no pictures of them but they were beautiful.

Then there's my beautiful orchid my boyfriend brought me for in my room,and it smells gorgeous and just looks too nice that I had to add it in here!

And a sneak peak of a dress that's coming that may make a sneak peak in the Miss Birmingham finals..

More to be revealed ha ha 

So that's my months faves.

Stay Safe & Speak Soon!

xoxo

Oops,IM SORRY!

Hey Guys,

So...I'm upset with myself as I haven't wrote any blog posts for what feels like forever!

Sorrrry!

The last week has been pretttty crazy!

Those of you who have read my previous post's will know that I applied for Miss Birmingham 2013..And Guess what.. I'm in the final!

Whaaaat  I hear you say. Yep I was shocked too. Since the audition I didn't really expect to be asked back to the final as the girls were just stunning!

So that's all exciting and I'll be keeping you all up to date with blog posts and vlog's so you can all follow this exciting experience! (note that means alot of girly shopping!)

So I'm going to upload a few extra blog posts the next few days,

And hopefully get a vlog up on my youtube channel too!

Stay Safe & Speak Soon

xoxo