Friday 7 November 2014

Day Twenty-Eight


1. The Power of Threes


Today marks the end of our first month waiting for William's re-transplant. In the last twenty-eight days eighty-four people have died on the transplant waiting list in the UK! In a week where I have seen posts all over Facebook and Twitter about he John Lewis advert, where the coco-cola lorry will be polling up and general excitement about Christmas approaching, it is very sobering indeed to think that eighty-four sets of families, friends and loved ones have had such a huge, gaping hole in their lives open up at a time the community around them is planning celebrations. My heart really goes out to all of them. If you are not on the organ donor register then please up sign here and, if you are, please this weekend tell three people about your wishes to donate your organs when you no longer need them and ask them if they are on the register, then ask them to do the same and tell three people... The power of threes. By the end of the weekend hundreds more people will know. Tell them about the three people who die every day, tell them about Ubaid, tell them about the 6840 people who are on the active transplant waiting list in the UK right now, each hoping they get that call to tell them a stranger has offered to give them the gift of life before it is too late for them. I am setting myself the challenge to write three pieces of writing every day to raise awareness of this, all I'm asking you to do is tell three people....and then ask them to pass it on.

2. Random Acts of Kindness


2014 has been, and still is, the most crazy of years for us, and for so many people I know too. Someone told me today it was written in the stars that this year was going to be a challenge. I don’t know about that but I do know it has been for the majority of my friends and people I know, beyond the general things that life throws at you. It has also been a year of blessings too. Wonderful people have done amazing things for me and there are moments this year that I will treasure forever, and there is more to come too. Random acts of kindness can make you feel so special, especially when they come at unexpected times and unexpected places. Knowing how awesome this can be, especially when you are going through a really hard time, William and I came up with ‘William’s Wishes’ - a charity (not yet registered but working towards it) to give ‘wishes’ or random acts of kindness to people who have a similar journey to our own at times when they need them the most. There are a number of fantastic children’s wish granting charities and we don’t do anything on the scale of their work. Instead, we send wish boxes of toys or craft things to children who are going through difficult times with intestinal failure or following intestinal transplants, and to their families too. I have talked about the rescue kit I made up for myself. I made one for a friend who is having a horrendous time and she loved it too. Next year, I hope to be able make these for other mums in situations a lot like the ones I need to rescue myself from. I’d also love to do some workshops to help parents in these situations to use their creativity, be it writing, art or anything else, to understand and express their own emotional journey, much like I am doing through this writing. William loves receiving surprise gifts when he is in hospital and he enjoys doing the same for other children.

We have spent four Christmases in hospital, one at the very last minute, travelling up to Birmingham late in the night on 23rd December. I remember desperately trying to buy some mince pies and other Christmassy things and finding pretty much the whole of Central Birmingham had run out. So we are making up ten Christmas Hampers to provide Christmas in a box for some families who are finding themselves in hospital for Christmas or at home in difficult circumstances. I’m really excited by this project. We have bought some things through the charity but the idea has captured lots of people’s imagination too and they are keen to donate items. I’ve been asked to come up with a wish list of things for people to donate. Of course, that has me thinking - what would I put in a perfect ‘Christmas in a Box…


3. Christmas in a Box


I’ll pack you a box full of Christmas;
Mugs with hot chocolate and candy cane spoons
Chocolates and toffees
Jellies fruits and fudge
Christollen, lieberkucken, gingerbread and shortbread
Royal Iced Christmas cake
Nuts, clementines and dates
Bottles of wine, brandy and Baileys
Crackers, paper chains, snow globes,
Real snow
A snow man
A pine scented Christmas tree
Twinkling with fairy lights
and bright decorations
And a pile of wrapped presents
Books brimming with adventures
Handmade Dolls, cars and trains
Candles and perfumes
Board games,
I’ll pack you a box full of Christmas;
Days packed with fun with your loved ones surrounding you
A magic box that makes wishes come true
A pillow to sleep on that stops all your nightmares
An end to the pain and the sickness you’ve struggled with
Face cream for mummy to wipe off worried frowns
Promises that next year will bring good health forever
Energy to run, dance and play like a child should
Days full of happiness
Days full of smiles
I’ll pack you a box full of Christmas
and send it with all of my love.


If you are enjoying this blog, please help me to keep going and help crowdfund my Three A Day: Waiting project  and get some lovely postcards and an anthology, limited for only those who support and invest in the project.


No comments:

Post a Comment