4th Lungaversary

This Sunday (5th March) marks 4 whole years since I received my 2 beautiful lungs! 

Why 2016 doesn't suck!

Let's face it, the world seems to have had a pretty rough 2016 and a lot of people have also had a bad year in their personal capacities. My year was by no means perfect but I can't say it was awful. It's actually quite hard for me to have a bad year now that I can actually breathe! Pre-transplant my life really wasn't ideal and now that I have working lungs, I am the happiest of bumble bees.

If you and your loved ones are healthy, you have everything! Yes, we all need money to survive and that can be very stressful, but too often do people forget the difference between NEED and WANT. If you have everything you NEED then you are far more blessed than the majority of the world. Whenever you are feeling down or that it's been a bad year, look at what you have, not what you don't have.

I have seen so much suffering this year in the lung transplant community. In the last 2 weeks, 3 friends have passed away. First was Lorraine, whom I got to know whilst I was waiting for a donor. She had her double lung transplant just after me and unfortunately had quite a few medical issues which she eventually succumbed to recently. Next was Kirstie Tancock who I have been following on social media for years and is someone I truly looked up to. She has a really incredible story, having had a double lung transplant and then beginning a career of pole fitness only to then need another double lung transplant! She then went back to pole fitness for a few years but sadly she has passed away from rejection. You can read more about her amazing life and last words here - 2nd Chance At Life. Last but not least was Odette who I never got to meet but she is in a whatsapp group with a few of us and I got to know her through that. She had been in hospital for about 10 months and had gone through so much pain and suffering before she passed away. Heart breaking :(

Odette, Lorraine, Kirstie

For these girls, 2016 was their last year in this world and for their families left behind it is most certainly a tragic year that they will never forget.

The thing about pain and tragedy is that it's all relative. When you have experienced so much pain and suffering, your tolerance becomes a lot higher and it takes a lot more to hurt you. Not everyone has had the 'opportunity' to experience true suffering so I understand that my tolerance of what a bad year encompasses of is very different to the average person.  However, everyone has experienced pain or loss of some sort, so I encourage you to revisit those feelings and then compare 2016 to that. If you had financial, romantic or personal troubles this year that has lead you to believe it's been a bad year then remember - you are alive and that's a better year than others have had.

Losing these special ladies has been hard, but I also know of some deserving humans that have finally had their transplants this year and for them, 2016 will be one of the best years of their lives!

2016 doesn't suck. There have been tragedies but there have also been miracles. Don't get caught up focusing on the negative.

My 2016 has been amazing. I have had incredible work opportunities which have not only grown my skill set and confidence but also my network of friends. Travis and I moved in together and we have been so happy living together. I love our little home, it's small and nothing fancy but it's ours and it's filled with love and happiness. I finally got a cat, after wanting one for so long and Dooku is just the most handsome of cats (*In South Africa) and he really does fill the last bit of my heart with joy. 

I know that my good health isn't guaranteed and that life can change in an instant so I try and make the most of every single day. My wish for all of you in 2017 is that you have a great year and where there is darkness you see only light xx

Pre Lungaversary

So next month my amazing lungs will be '3'... as in I would have had them for 3 years, I have no idea how old they actually are.

Goodbye 2015

As we draw near to the end of another year, it's time to reflect on 2015, the good, the bad and the unexpected....

Sasha and I at our epic birthday party in June

Life Expectancy

Before my transplant, no one really asked me what my life expectancy was. It was just a socially unacceptable question to ask someone who was dying. My doctors also didn't discuss it with me as we all knew the answer all too well. The answer was "any day".

Lungaversary week

On Thursday the 5th of March it will be 2 years since I recieved my new lungs and my whole life changed.

I lived

One Republic have released the music video for ‘I Lived,’ the sixth single off their 2013 ‘Native’ album. The video is dedicated to a 15-year-old teen named Bryan Warnecke who lives with Cystic Fibrosis.

#LoveChange

"I want to tag Fawn from Deer Delights to share her #LoveChange story.  If you dont know, I met Fawn at her #ChariTea event on Woman’s Day.  The event was in aid of The South African Organ Donor Foundation, a charity very close to Fawn’s heart (or lungs as the case may be), as she is an organ donor recipient!"  - Gina A Bit Of This A Bit Of That

The Saturday Star 26.07.2014

Finesse August Issue 2014

Somehow I was asked to do an interview for an afrikaans magazine, Finesse. I can't speak a work of Afrikaas so I did the interview in english and it was translated. For all of those who, like me, can't understand what the article says, here is the english translation (Or so I was told - hopefully it's correct)

12 Things To Do More Often

You probably already know the things that make up a good, healthy, happiness-filled life. (And you’re pretty sure it’s not Cheetos, checking email in bed, or gossiping.)

Jayd Dell - Living with Friedreich's Ataxia (FA)

I recently stumbled across this beautiful girl on a blog post that her best friend, Raechel did on her, entitled My Best Friend Is Dying. It was such a moving story, not only because of how beautiful their friendship is but also beacuse how inspiring I found Jayd to be. There are so many people with terminal illnesses but not everyone has the attitude that Jayd has. I sent her an email to chat to her more about her disease and I asked her a few questions. 

'Modern Family's' Sarah Hyland - Kidney Transplant

Modern Family actress Sarah Hyland had a kidney transplant in April 2012.

Slightly puffy cheeks (like me) from her rejection meds. 

The 21-year-old actress, who plays Haley Dunphy in the US TV show, told the new issue of America's Seventeen magazine that she underwent the operation after battling kidney dysplasia her whole life.
Hyland also revealed she got the kidney from her father, actor Edward James Hyland, ahead of the procedure on April 13th.

20 Signs You're Spiritually Happy

When you meet someone who is spiritually healthy, you're immediately drawn to that person. You feel good just by being around them. These people are magnets for happiness, freedom and generosity, and have a unique ability to enjoy the present moment.

The only way you can achieve true spiritual satisfaction is by following your heart's desires.

Here are 20 signs you're spiritually healthy:

1. You stepped out of the victim role and now play the game of designing your destiny.

2. You love your life because you're living your soul's purpose.

3. You feel like you're contributing and serving with generosity.

4. You got off the emotional roller coaster, and your emotions feel like smooth waves on a clear day most of the time.

5. You catch yourself when you judge others and realize that what you're judging is intimately related to your own self-acceptance.

6. You don't fear making the wrong decision, because you're aware that there can always be a spiritual lesson.

7. You understand that freedom and happiness are qualities you cultivate from within, and the more you work on them, the more they grow.

8. You no longer feel like you need to hide out of fear of judgment; you are the full expression of yourself personally and professionally.

9. You spend time in silence daily and crave it when you miss a day, because you feel like something is "off."

10. You have the courage to let go of relationships that no longer benefit you because you understand that they already served their purpose.

11. Your soul is happy because you find a moment to play and dream every single day.

12. You don't feel lonely or disconnected, and you highly appreciate alone time.

13. You seem to notice details, colors, tastes and beauty with a sensibility that makes you feel like a kid.

14. You express your needs and desires with complete confidence and without confrontation.

15. You don't feel like you have to explain your lifestyle, because you understand how it serves you and might not serve others.

16. You're able to be in the now at least 25% of the time; you're fully present and in joy.

17. You don't second guess yourself because you trust your intuition and act on it.

18. You trust that life is on your side and problems are always opportunities or lessons to be learned.

19. You are able to fall in love over and over again, with your friends, with your partner, with your work.

20. You start your day with an intention and go to bed in gratitude.

Taken From - Mind Body Green

30 Things To Start Doing For Yourself.

30 Things To Start Doing For Yourself. #4 Is Absolutely Vital.

I've been shocking at blogging lately, so now I have resorted to stealing! Here's something I have taken off  LIFE BUZZ for you to read. Enjoy! 

Marc and Angel are the authors of 1000 Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. Here’s their amazing list of 30 things to start doing for yourself. If you enjoy this, be sure to visit their website for more inspirational advice and tips for life.

#1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.

truongxuabancu.fpb.yuku.com

#2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.

Seth Casteel

#3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. Read The Road Less Traveled.

Brian Oldham

#4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.

Alex Goh Chun Seong

#5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.

Paul Kipping

#6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.

Lisa Brown

#7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving. Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures. One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.

Vivian Maier

#8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.

Daesung Lee

#9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind. You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.

Gregory J Smith

#10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile because you can. Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it. But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too. Read Stumbling on Happiness.

Tal Cohen EPA

#11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just have to go for it! And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.

animalstime.com

#12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward. So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.

acidcow.com

#13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.

Igor Guschin

#14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People and priorities change. As some relationships fade others will grow. Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.

Anna Gorbach

#15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.

Yongzhi Chu

#16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.

Sanket k

#17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.

Max van Son

#18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.

Ana Gregoric

#19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.

Wason Wanichakorn AP

#20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.

bluebirdsunshine.co.uk

#21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks. – Slow down. Breathe. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose. When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity. These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.

Waugsberg

#22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.

Vivian Maier

#23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.

Lars Anshelm

#24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something! The harder you work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result. Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Konstantin Kaminsky

#25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.

Igor Efimov

#26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.

Scott Sculberg

#27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.

Simone Sbaraglia

#28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.

Manu Fernandez AP

#29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on. Read The How of Happiness.

Vivian Maier

#30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night. You didn’t go to sleep outside. You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn’t spend a minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have access to medical care. You have access to the Internet. You can read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.

Miyoko Ihara

Credit: marcandangel.com

This is such a wonderful list. If we take little steps every day and practice these things, we can make great improvements in our lives. Share this post with your friends and loved ones.