“When I look back, I can see I began to feel slightly unwell towards the end of March 2019. But, it was only after my walking holiday in the Pyrenees that I made an appointment to see the doctor. My blood test results in June worried the doctors. I had some additional tests and scans done, which showed that my liver was very small. As I am small, my husband and I both thought that was the reason why!
I was feeling perfectly normal and it was only in early July when I was admitted to the local hospital with uncontrollable vomiting. From this point on until after my operation at King’s two weeks later, my memory is very vague – I have fleeting memories of groups of doctors standing looking at their computers, my daughters in their summer dresses, having cold feet despite the hot weather and one particular consultant who often wore pink shirts and floral ties (whom we nicknamed Dr Pink!).
I didn’t understand what was wrong with me, so when the doctors asked me to sign a consent form for a liver transplant I was confused and initially refused. My husband later told me that if he and my daughter hadn’t convinced me to sign the form, I would have died.
When I woke up after about 48 hours, the feeling I experienced was amazing. I felt almost normal! Towards the end of July, in the middle of the heatwave, I was moved to Todd ward to continue my recovery.
I am so grateful to everyone who was involved in my treatment and rehabilitation. The doctors and nurses were of course amazing but so was everyone else. From the transplant coordinators Faye (‘call me Dunaway’!) and Sarah, who were so helpful in explaining what was going to happen and made me feel like there were no silly questions, to the gentleman who brought the food trolley around CCU, who encouraged me to eat, even though I didn’t want to, and always cheered me up.
I received superb care, both in the liver CCU and on Todd ward. I knew that, when I was well enough, I wanted to give something back in order to help other patients and to honour the amazing generosity of my donor and their family.
The 2021 hike was fantastic! The weather was perfect and there was such a great buzz at the start. We took it slowly and made great use of the stops where there were toilets and lots of food and drink available. There was a real party atmosphere – lots of music and laughter.
Our family joined us for a picnic lunch at Beckenham Palace Gardens. My daughter travelled up with my granddaughter from Bath – she hadn’t told me she was coming so there were lots of happy tears! We also met up with my other daughter and granddaughter further along the route at a pub in Bromley. While we there, one of the marshals saw my walking bib (which said I was walking for the liver unit) and he told me that he was a transplant surgeon at the liver unit! He took a photo of us and said he would show it to my surgeon and my consultant. Life after a transplant!
Finishing the walk – not in record time! – was a truly fantastic moment. All in all, it was such a memorable day and a real milestone in terms of my recovery. We have already signed up to walk the Great Hospital Hike in September 2022. This time, we’re being joined by our three children and another friend who loves hiking. I can’t wait to do it again!”
Join Angela at the Great Hospital Hike on 17 September!