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Justine
- 36, Female
- ESSEX
- United Kingdom
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Justine's Discussions
Visiting New York maybe this November!!! does anyone live there?
1 Reply
Started this discussion. Last reply by Justine Aug 21.
My Blogger Site
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always smilin n always will x x
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Profile Information
- What is your city / state and country of residence?
- Essex/England
- How are you touched by transplantation?
- I am a Recipient
- If you are a recipient, what type of transplant did you receive?
- Double Lung
- Recipients: In this space, feel free to list those you are grateful to for receiving the Gift of LIfe:
- MY LIFE IS TRULY WONDERFUL NOW, THANKS TO THE MAN WHO SAVED MY LIFE. NO MORE COLLAPSED LUNGS, NO MORE PAIN, NO MORE BREATHLESSNESS, OXGYEN, OR WHEELCHAIR TO MOVE. I CAN DANCE, EXERCISE, BREATHE AND SMILE AGAIN. THANK YOU!!!! ALSO THANKS TO ALL THE TEAM AT HAREFIELD HOSPITAL (UK) NOT ONLY THROUGH MY HORRIFIC ILLNESS/TRANSPLANT, BUT MY RECOVERY PERIOD AFTER 3 WEEKS OF BEING IN A COMA. MY PARENTS FOR THEIR CONSTANT LOVE AND SUPPORT, AND TO ALL MY FAMILY/FRIENDS, AND SUPPORT FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THROUGH MY WEBSITE.
- If you are a recipient, when did you have your transplant(s)?
- JULY 9TH 2006
- What is your principal transplant med(s)?
- ALENDRONIC, PREDNISOLONE, MYCOPHENOLATE MOFETIL, CO-TRIMOXAZOLE, AZITHROMYCIN, TACROLIMUS
- What is your hospital and, or doctor's name, city / state and country?
- DR. CARBY, HAREFIELD HOSPITAL, ENGLAND
- What do you do for a living?
- Work part-time in a gym as a Lead Generator and like to paint in my free time
- About Me: Please use this space to tell the community about yourself and your unique experience with transplantation:
- I AM A BUBBLY, OUT-GOING LASS AND I HAVE A REAL ZEST ON LIFE THANKS TO MY MY NEW LUNGS. I SUFFERED THE WORLD'S RAREST LUNG DISEASE, LYMPHANGIOLEIOMYOMATOSIS (LAM) AFFECTING ONLY 1 IN A MILLION WOMEN, AND HAS NO CURE.
MY ILLNESS TOOK 10 YEARS TO DIAGNOSE AS IT IS SO RARE. I SUFFERED 2 RIGHT LUNG COLLAPSES IN MY EARLY 20'S AND HAD AN OPERATION THAT PINNED MY RIGHT LUNG TO MY RIBS. THE REASON FOR MY COLLAPSED LUNGS - I WAS TOLD WAS THAT IT IS COMMON IN TALL,SLIM,ATHLETIC PEOPLE TO HAVE THESE. THE OPERATION WAS TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER RIGHT LUNG COLLAPSES.
MY PAIN CONTINUED OVER THE YEARS AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS 32, THAT MY LEFT LUNG COLLAPSED. IT WAS ALL A SUDDEN DOWNHILL SPIRAL WHEN MY ILLNESS WAS CONFIRMED AS END STAGE/ADVANCED LAM. I WAS TOLD THAT MY RIGHT LUNG NO LONGER FUNCTIONED AND I WAS ONLY SURVIVING ON A SLICE OF MY LEFT LUNG. I HAD 12-18MONTHS TO LIVE, AND NEEDED A TRANSPLANT TO SURVIVE. MY LEFT LUNG THEN COLLAPSED 13 TIMES WITHIN 8 MONTHS!! 3 OF THOSE LEFT LUNG COLLAPSES WERE WITHIN A WEEK AND LEFT ME FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE, SAYING MY GOODBYES/FUNERAL WISHES TO MY DAD.
EMERGENCY AND GROUND BREAKING SURGERY WAS PERFORMED AFTER MY 3 LEFT LUNG COLLAPSES WITHIN THAT WEEK, AS I WAS DYING. HOWEVER, A FOUR HOUR OPERATION - TURNED INTO A 3 WEEK COMA FOR ME. I CONTRACTED MANY INFECTIONS INCLUDING MRSA, AN EYE INFECTION THAT ALMOST MADE ME BLIND IN ONE EYE (A TOP LONDON EYE SPECIALIST WAS BROUGHT IN) AND AGAIN WAS LEFT FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE. WHEN, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO WAKE ME UP - THAT HAS TO BE THE HARDEST BATTLE OF MY JOURNEY. I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO WALK AGAIN AFTER MY BODY HAD WASTED AWAY. I WAS UNABLE TO EAT FOR ALMOST 2 MONTHS, AND UNABLE TO TALK FOR MANY WEEKS. I SUFFERED FROM SO MANY PANIC ATTACKS AND KEPT SAYING (MOUTHING)THAT "I'M DYING..I'M DYING" I WAS PETRIFIED!! AND ALSO THAT I COULDN'T COMPREHEND WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME..THAT I WAS UNABLE TO BREATHE FOR MYSELF AND HEARING A MACHINE BREATHE FOR ME AS MY LUNGS HAD PACKED UP..IT WAS ALL TOO MUCH. MY HEART SUFFERED TOO AND ON 2 OCCASSIONS MY HEART BEAT WAS RACING OVER 250 BEATS PER MINUTE (WHICH WAS TRAUMATIC TO SAY THE LEAST). MY LEFT LUNG STILL COLLAPSED EVEN AFTER THIS GROUND BREAKING SURGERY..AND MY TIME WAS RUNNING OUT. I ENDED UP LIVING AT THE HOSPITAL FOR 6 MONTHS WAITING AND HOPING THAT I WOULD GET A PAIR OF LUNGS.
FROM A ONCE ACTIVE PERSON, FULL TIME JOB, DANCER, KIDS ENTERTAINER AND A GREAT SOCIAL LIFE...I BECAME A VEGETABLE UNABLE TO BARELY WALK/BREATHE, OR DO ANY SIMPLE DAY TO DAY TASKS WITHOUT HELP AND GASPING UNTO ANY BIT OF BREATH THAT I COULD PUT TOGETHER.
EVEN THROUGH MY "DARK" PERIODS I DID REMAIN POSITIVE AND A SENSE OF HUMOUR SHOWED EVEN IN THE MOST HORRIBLE SITUATIONS. I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE UP HOPE, AND DID EVERYTHING THAT I WAS TOLD TO DO..AS I NEEDED TO BE SLIGHTLY STRONG TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A TRANSPLANT AND NOT TOO WEAK THAT I WOULDN'T PULL THROUGH MY 10 HOUR OPERATION.
AFTER 16MONTHS OF WAITING AND 3 FALSE ALARMS - MY LIFE WAS SAVED IN 2006. THE DAY I AWOKE FROM MY TRANSPLANT - I WAS SMILING..WAVING MY HANDS IN THE AIR..AND I COULD BREATHE PROPERLY FOR THE 1ST TIME IN YEARS.
I DID HAVE A ROCKY JOURNEY AFTER TRANSPLANT WITH A RARE VIRUS CALLED, RSV..AND MY TEAM OF DOCTORS WERE LIKE - IF IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE - IT WOULD BE YOU! RARE DISEASE AND NOW RARE VIRUS, AND I LAUGHED!! I ALSO CONTRACTED MRSA AGAIN. SHINGLES AND OTHER INFECTIONS.
THE PRESENT:-
I LOVE TO PAINT, DANCE, EXERCISE, AND AT PRESENT I AM TRAINING FOR SPRINTING EVENTS FOR THE EUROPEAN AND UK TRANSPLANT GAMES THIS YEAR. I AM HOPING TO DO WELL, SO GET ENTERED INTO THE WORLD TRANSPLANT GAMES IN AUSTRALIA 2009!! I HAVE BEEN DOING HEAPS OF MEDIA CAMPAIGNING HERE IN ENGLAND TO RAISE AWARENESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING AN ORGAN DONOR, MY RARE ILLNESS, AND ALSO FUND RAISING FOR LAM TO HELP RESEARCH INTO FINDING A CURE. I REALISE - LIKE OTHERS WHO HAVE RECIEVED THE GIFT OF LIFE..HOW LUCKY I AM, AND EVERY DAY IS A BONUS FOR ME. I ALWAYS SMILE, AND APPRECIATE MY LIFE HEAPS!!
- How did you find out about TransplantCafe.com?
- Kathryn, a friend in usa who also has had transplant
- What is your relationship status?
- Single
- My Personal (non-commercial) Website, Page, or Blog URL:
- http://WWW.JUSTINELAYMOND.COM
Justine's Photos
Justine's Videos
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BBC 1 NEWS on organ donation
Added by Justine
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UK News from 2005
Added by Justine
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Justine's Blog
On BBC 1 Breakfast TV today
Hey all
Hope everyone is doing ok
Here is an article that went out on UK television today, on the news. There has a been a BIG media blitz here today all over the Uk. The Nhs Transplant was set a target to reach donor registers - and that has been exceeded...the news everywhere has been about this!
BBC 1 early morning TV clip
keep smiling
Jussie x x
Oh..u may wonder what I was doing at the start of the clip??? encaustic… Continue
Hope everyone is doing ok
Here is an article that went out on UK television today, on the news. There has a been a BIG media blitz here today all over the Uk. The Nhs Transplant was set a target to reach donor registers - and that has been exceeded...the news everywhere has been about this!
BBC 1 early morning TV clip
keep smiling
Jussie x x
Oh..u may wonder what I was doing at the start of the clip??? encaustic… Continue
Posted on January 22, 2009 at 2:30pm —
MERRY CHRISTMAS from ENGLAND!!
…………(¯`O´¯)
…………*./ | \ .*…………Hey there everyone...getting my greetings in early!!!
…………*./ | \ .*
…………..*♫*.
………, • '*♥* ' • ,
……. '*• ♫♫♫•*'.............Keep well, happy, healthy!!
….. ' *, • '♫ ' • ,* '
….' * • ♫*♥*♫• * '
… * , • Merry' • , * '
…* ' •♫♫*♥*♫♫ • ' * '......Anyone waiting...hope your organs arrive soon!!
' * ' • Christmas . • ' * ' '
' ' * • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' '
…………… x♥x
…………..*♫*.
………, • '*♥* ' • ,
……. '*• ♫♫♫•*'
….. ' *, • '♫ ' • ,* '
….' * • ♫*♥*♫• * '
… * , • Merry' • , * '
…*… Continue
…………*./ | \ .*…………Hey there everyone...getting my greetings in early!!!
…………*./ | \ .*
…………..*♫*.
………, • '*♥* ' • ,
……. '*• ♫♫♫•*'.............Keep well, happy, healthy!!
….. ' *, • '♫ ' • ,* '
….' * • ♫*♥*♫• * '
… * , • Merry' • , * '
…* ' •♫♫*♥*♫♫ • ' * '......Anyone waiting...hope your organs arrive soon!!
' * ' • Christmas . • ' * ' '
' ' * • ♫♫♫*♥*♫♫♫• * ' '
…………… x♥x
…………..*♫*.
………, • '*♥* ' • ,
……. '*• ♫♫♫•*'
….. ' *, • '♫ ' • ,* '
….' * • ♫*♥*♫• * '
… * , • Merry' • , * '
…*… Continue
Posted on December 21, 2008 at 4:50pm — 2 Comments
video done - please look - thanks x x
hey lovely people,
hope everyone is doing ok
I did this video yesterday as have been bit poorly here in the snowy, frosty, cold uk. But sure i will be better and bouncing from wall to wall in nx couple of days.
Video link here
Hope everyone keeps well and happy too
Jus xx
hope everyone is doing ok
I did this video yesterday as have been bit poorly here in the snowy, frosty, cold uk. But sure i will be better and bouncing from wall to wall in nx couple of days.
Video link here
Hope everyone keeps well and happy too
Jus xx
Posted on December 10, 2008 at 8:20am — 2 Comments
Comment Wall (219 comments)
- At 6:22pm on August 22, 2009,
steve whitehead said… - Justine,
If you're are ever in Phoenix, Arizona let me know. We would love to show you around............
Take care!
Steve
- At 11:31am on August 20, 2009,
Miguel Sewer said… - All is well, sorry for the later response been a little busy in the Islands ( BVI) but the transplant is doing ok after 22 years. How are things with you ?
- At 8:26am on August 19, 2009,
Raenotta said… 
- At 1:32pm on July 18, 2009,
Barbara Murphy said… - Hi
not sure what conventry is all about we wern't told about it over here, it must be for people who had transplants in England. hope you do well and enjoy the experience, Vichy was my third games and each time i have a blast and meet new friends i think thats what the whole transplant family/community is about...meeting and sharing experiences...encouraging and supporting people not matter where they come from.
Barbara
- At 8:12pm on July 17, 2009,
Nicole Bryant said… - Hey girl, how are you? My toy poodles are my life, I love those lil fuzz balls, they really help cheer me up all the time. You know it's funny when I was going through dialysis I wasn't quite sure how to keep myself happy, but when I got Hershey and Shilo they just took all of that sadness away. The blonde (Hershey is male about 14lbs) & Shilo (black) is about 7lbs. We all go walking all day everyday and they are so funny b/c they know all the people in my apartments and people that pass us in walking always stops to just pet them, it's really funny. They like most dogs love to growl at the mail person, the ups truck and of course people on bikes. Tomorrow I am going to the Beyonce' concert and I am cutting all my hair 13inches Yahhhh! I would donate it but it is a mess, I just have to pray over the sissors when I get it cute lol. Hope all is well ..Nikki
- At 5:59am on July 17, 2009,
Barbara Murphy said…
- HI justine
i remember running against you in the 100m in vichy. we had a lovely time over there. not sure if i am going to sweden my daughters 21st on the same time.
thanks for adding me
- At 10:50am on July 13, 2009,
Holdol said… - Hell yea I'm going to Australia girl..:) I'm going to be swimming and doing beach volleyball. I'm super pumped! Well I hope you get the chance to go next year. I'm addicted to going...lol they are just so much fun and you meet so many amazing people.
- At 9:38am on July 13, 2009,
Matt LaBauve said… - Heya CBC!
Congrats on 3rd. trx anniv! Woohooo!!!
Adventure park sounds like it waz a blast.
Yeah i'm kindo like U in that i like the sprint events, don't know about
badminton though, to me that seems so funny 2 watch. :)
Well i guess the web/ebay is the way to go to get Ur art recognized and self promote. :)
Not 2 much new my way, it' hot a he__ here right now, i almost finished up moving this past weekend (AC was out at my (old) Appt. which made it so much more worse. :) )) I have been making time to go out a run a 1500 M
every other day or 2 even w the neat, so it's kind of fun to be doing some faster running again instead of all the distance stuff.
Hey, Good luck at the Brit games... when do they start again?
Well waffle back soon! :)
- At 7:17am on July 5, 2009,
Tony Schmalstig said… - Hey Justine, just wanted to pop in and say hi. There's a new pic of me and my brother takena month ago on my page. I now have officially had his kidney longer than he did! He was 25 yrs and 2 months when he gave me the gift of life and now I have had it 25 yrs and 3 months. It's officially mine and he can't have it back! Take care and I hope you're doing well.
- At 3:37pm on July 3, 2009,
KidneyKorner.com said… - Hi Justine! Sorry I have been away. So many sites I belong to that I can't possibly be on them all lol! I have been spending a lot of my time on my site at KidneyKorner and also at TransplantAlliance and KidneySpace and KidneyFun plus a few close friends of mine died .. 2 post transplant. So I have been quite sad. Plus looking for work and also getting ready for an upcoming Give the Gift of Life Walk in my city! :)
How are you doing? It is easier to get ahold of me in email :)
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Brilliant, All the best!
Max
Congradulations, I wish you the best of health. I will never forget that day in 2008. Good Luck, Nick
Hello Peggy, I am also from Philly,19mo.s post liver, and doing well. I wish you the best of health. My biggest problem is employment . Good Luck, Nick
How serene. I could live there~ no problem.
something simple like angel hair with marinara sauce. :-)
What is your favorite 'All American' dish?
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We had a nice quiet thanksgiving, just three of us because the rest of the family live in Oklahoma.... But at 12:04 a.m. on Friday morning, we got the call! It only took us 24 minutes to get dressed, throw some things in a bag, get out of our gated parking area, drive 10 blocks or so, get ticket in the parking garage, park and get into the hospital up on the 7th floor at the nurses station. I think that was record time. Brady was pulling me in the garage trying to make me hurry, but I have arthr…© 2009 Created by TransplantCafe.com
