Ohh, would you look at that! It's yet *another* cheesy 'look how my life has changed' moments that still, 12 and a half months after my transplant continue to pop up. *Twirl*

Today we went out to the National (left that bit out yesterday) Aquatic Centre, complete with three slides and a lazy river and wave pool. It was nice. Except for the part where my hat snapped. Or...my Mum's hat that I had borrowed snapped. Right. Down. The. Middle. Forcing me to go out and fork out €1.50 on a new, stupid, red and white material (*shudder*) hat. I hate material hats!

We did a few lengths in the competition pool, had another go on the slides and came home. It was at the point of transferring paraphernalia from the locker to the cubicle and back again that I realised the change:

In October 2005, mere weeks before I was told I need to go and queue up for a transplant, myself and my brothers and sister went to Disneyland in Paris. I knew it was coming (the whole lungs being useless thing) soon and that trip served as proof that things weren't...ahem...great.

In our hotel we had a pool with two slides in it. I only went on the big slide three times as the steps were too much for lazy lungs. Afterwards, when we had all had enough we all went to get changed. And that's when I had to stop. I couldn't get changed. I sat, huddled in my towel, in the cubicle, breathing and panting. The heat was too much. The effort was too much. And I just couldn't (No such word as 'can't' but couldn't sure exists!). I sat for an eternity, eventually struggling bit by bit to get changed- even the socks were a chore. My sister called into me twice, and I did my 'Oh yeah, I'll be out in a sec-COND!' cheery routine. The third time she came pestering looking for me, I told her simply to go on ahead.

Needless to say when I caught up with them some time later they were all confused and all like 'Like where WERE you' and 'Wow, you took your time...like..'. Fools.

So today, sitting in the heat, in my towel, I COULD do it. And I DID do it. And I was first ready. And there it was: the moment when I was reminded yet again of just how lucky I am. *cheesy cheese cheese



See those stairs (get the magnifying glass out, because they ARE there)...I could only manage those three times. Three. THREE!!! Something about that doesn't seem right...although neither does being vomited out of a dragon's mouth...