Ask Me Anything Answers - Part 3

And here is the third and final part of my Ask Me Anything answers. You can read part 1 here and part 2 here. I've really enjoyed answering all the questions, so thank you to everyone who asked one or more :) I hope you've enjoyed reading my answers :)

Emma asked a few questions :)
'Was the decision to go for transplant an easy one?'
Yes it was for me. Everyone's circumstances are different, but I was aware that without a transplant I would die (and probably within months), but a transplant would give me a 60% chance of survival. So it wasn't a hard decision for me. However I have 2 friends who are on TPN like I used to be and have been recommended small bowel transplants. For them though it isn't a matter of life and death, but a transplant would probably improve their quality of life. That must be a much harder decision. One of my friends is really struggling with that decision because she lives for her animals. But animals are a big risk after transplants because of the immunosuppression. So if she chooses to have a transplant her health will improve and she'll have a better quality of life, but she'll have to give her up animals which mean so much to her. If she chooses not to have a transplant she will be able to keep her animals but will have a poor quality of life. What a horrible choice to have to make.

'Is your outcome better or worse than average (or it's hard to say)? You've written about a couple of people needed second transplants and I was wondering is that common because the organs only last a certain length of time?'
I think my outcome is better than average for small bowel transplants. Rejection is a very common problem post transplant, but is usually treatable. 90% of small bowel transplant recipients have rejection in the first 6 months post transplant and 98% have it in the first 2 years post transplant. So I'm very lucky to be in that tiny 2% who don't have any rejection in the first 2 years and I've still not had any to date, fingers crossed. Although rejection is often treatable, it isn't always and chronic rejction can lead to someone requiring a second transplant (which is the reason for most of the children I know who have needed second transplants needing them). It isn't a time thing with the children I know who need second transplants, because none have them had their transplants more than 4/5 years ago, whereas the first successful small bowel transplant recipients are now 10 years post transplant and their transplanted organs are still working. Because small bowel transplants are relatively new there aren't any recipients that are more than 10 years post transplant, so it's not yet known how long small bowel transplants will last for. Other organ transplants don't last forever though, so it's likely that small bowel transplants will have a lifespan, but it isn't know what yet.

I also had quite a good chance to start with because I'm not of an ethnic minority and am almost adult sized, so I stood a good chance of getting my transplant in time. Organs from ethnic minorities are much rarer (ethnic minority translant recipients need ethnic minority donors) and the smaller the child the smaller the range of organs that would fit them. Children need organs from donors similar in size to them, whereas I was big enough for adult organs.

I think people need to be aware that transplants aren't a cure, they're swapping one set of health problems for another lot, but hopefully the new lot won't be life threatening. I'll need to take anti-rejection tablets for life and will always have a risk of rejection.

'What's the best and worst things about having been transplanted?'
The best thing about having received a transplant is that I'm alive now and have a future ahead of me. Without my transplant I wouldn't have survived. And being able to plan my future is great :D I also really like being able to have more freedom and independence now.

Trying to think of a worst thing is difficult. I guess the fear of rejection and possibly needing a second transplant sometime in the future will never disappear. There are some inconveniences too, such as hospital clinics and inpatient stays for tests and having to boil all water before drinking it, but they're such a small price to pay. One thing I'm having more difficulty with than I expected is eating. I assumed that after my transplant I'd be able to eat and that would be that. But it's more complicated than that because I still don't feel hunger and rarely enjoy eating, but I have to make myself do it. That can be tough.

'Your username is bookworm molly, so what's the last book you read? And your favourite book ever?'
I used to love reading, but really struggle with it now because my concentration is poor due to having ME. I find magazines much easier to read at the moment. This week I read the latest issue of the Official Nintendo Magazine. The last book I flicked through was a funny little one I've got called 'The Coffee Table Book' and is exactly that. Each page contains a postcard from a different person about what makes them happy. The last novel I think I read was called 'Gifted' by Nikita Lalwani, which my mum recommended to me. But that was a couple of months ago.

My favourite book ever is a difficult question. I can't just choose one, but I love 'Before I Die' by Jenny Downham, 'My Sister's Keeper' by Jodi Picoult, 'The Girls' by Lori Lansens and 'Memoirs of a Geisha' by Arthur Golden. I'd highly recommend all of them if you've not read them :D

'What's your favourite colour?'
Purple :)

'And what's your one life long goal that if you achieve it you'll know you've done what you were supposed to or what you always wanted to?'
That's a really hard question. I know this probably sounds cliched but I think it would be being a mum :D And I'd quite like to have a book or piece of writing published too :)

Lou asked a few questions via Facebook :)
'What is your greatest fear?'
Death. And I'm also claustrophobic, which has caused problems in the past when I've needed MRI scans.

'What did you want to be when you were a little girl?'
A teacher I think. I remember how I used to play schools with my friend when I was little :) I know I never wanted to be a ballerina though - I had one lesson when I 5 because all my friends did ballet and I refused to go back, hehe.

'If you could only take 5 things in a suitcase on holiday, what would they be?'
Ok, my sensible head says that would have to be my tablets, sterile water (for the journey), my passport, money and my phone. But luxury things would be my iPod, my phone, my laptop + an Internet connection, my camera and my mum :D

'What is your most annoying habit?'
Picking my lips when I'm nervous or bored.

'If you could meet any celeb, who would it be and why?'
Mika :D Because I love his amazing music, his creative music videos and album booklets, his energetic live performances, his great personality...

'What one item of makeup could you not live without?'
The only make-up I wear is nail varnish, so that's quite an easy question for me. It's got to be my dark purple nail varnish - I love it :D