Japan!

I've mentioned this briefly in previous posts, but thought I'd tell you a bit more about my trip to Japan that is coming up very soon. During half term (and a couple of days before it) I'm going on a school trip to Japan. We'll be staying in Kyoto for 8 nights and doing lots of sightseeing, learning about Japanese culture and of course doing a bit of shopping too! In my 6th form we have the option to study Japanese (which I've been doing since I started there in September 2007) so every year the Japanese teacher organises a trip like this. There'll be 2 teachers and 8 students going, which is a nice number I think - not too many, but not too few. And within the 7 other students going is my best friend from school (Catherine) and another close friend (Abi) :D

I'm really excited about this trip as it'll be an amazing experience going to Japan and it'll also be the first time I've spent more than 1 night away from my parents. Before my transplant I was on intravenous feeds (putting nutrients etc straight into my bloodstream via my heart through a central line) every night, and setting it all up was a sterile procedure every morning and evening, so it meant I wasn't able to go on school trips unless my mum or dad came with me to help out. I could manage 1 night sleepovers at friends houses though as I could get connected before I went. And since my transplant I've not yet been well enough, and the enteral feeds are still a bit complicated to organise (though not as complicated as my intravenous feeding was). But now with my eating going as well as it is, I shouldn't need to be on any enteral feeds while I'm in Japan.

There are still quite a few things that need organising before Japan, but it's all going ok. I have been abroad since my transplant (I went to Florida with my family last month - more to come in another post), but since that was a wish granted for me by the Make-A-Wish foundation, they organised everything for us. And of course I was with my parents too. So Japan is a bit more complicated to organise as I've got to sort everything out myself. I'm currently trying to sort out my insurance as the standard insurance my teacher got for us all won't cover me if I need any medical treatment in Japan. I've also got to take all my medications with me as well as bottles of sterile water to drink on the plane (there's a bug in normal water, both tap and bottled, that is harmless to 'normal' people, but can be harmful to those who've had a small bowel transplant) and letters to get them allowed through with me. In Japan I'll be able to manage ok with the water by boiling and cooling it before I drink it, just like I do at home. And I've got to be wary of what I eat while I'm in Japan as I have to avoid high risk foods, so I can't eat any raw fish or shellfish etc. I'm also a bit nervous about what would happen if I had a medical emergency while away - like an upset stomach or suspected rejection - but hopefully everything will go smoothly. I'm also a bit concerned about my stamina, as it's not too good at the moment and I get tired easily, but I hope it'll be ok.

I'm quite a private person and when I started at 6th form after my transplant I decided not to tell any other students about my medical history, as I didn't want to be treated 'differently' like I had been at my previous school. Over Christmas I told Catherine (my best friend at school) everything as she'll be going to Japan too. She was very understanding and I'm relieved that there'll be someone on the trip who I can speak to if I'm having a bad day or anything like that.

I know that some of the things I've mentioned in this post about my medical history and transplant need a bit more explaining and I intend to make a post about that, but I know it'll be a long post and I've not got the time to do it tonight.