GIFT OF LIFE: Helen's diary

SaturdayI came into Sheffield with mum, dad and brother for a meal at Ask near Cole Brothers. A member of staff asked if I had a voucher from The Star for their two-for-one offer. Well, once they mentioned The Star, I had to tell them I'm in the paper and why!I also told all the people in the restaurant. They were so nice to me. I felt so relaxed and at ease, there was no-one staring like they usually do as I'm on oxygen. I had pasta and pesto and it was so beautiful that I ate my first proper meal in six months. It took me about an hour but normally I'd only eat about half because it's hard to coordinate eating and breathing. Mum and dad were so pleased.SundayI'm setting myself some new goals. Normally I stay in bed all day on a Sunday because I feel so exhausted and I sleep most of the day. I didn't get out of bed until 11am but I stopped up all day. I was on the settee and watched football with my husband John and son Daniel. I'm not really into football, we watched two matches, but it felt great that I'd achieved my goal.MondayBecause I stayed up all day yesterday and made all that effort, I felt terrible so spent a lot of the day sleeping. But later I helped a friend of John's out with his CV which he sent to three agencies and he had three interviews later in the week. So a good result.TuesdayI'm emailing everyone I know with my diary in The Star and have had some lovely responses. A girl I've not spoken to for 15 years, who I knew when the children were young, says she's now signed up as a donor after reading the diary.WednesdayGot up at noon and visited my friends at work. I am reliant on them, they came to collect me as I need help to get to the car and with the oxygen cylinder. I could have stopped in bed but I know if I do that my brain will disintegrate, I really do need mental stimulation. It's good to get out of the house and talk to friends.ThursdayI got up at 8.30am today - the first time I've been up that early in months. The sun was shining through my window and I wanted to be up. It took two hours to get ready and I didn't do much. But it was a lovely day and better to be up rather than just staying in bed.I had an email from an acquaintance who said he was so moved by the diary he's signed up to the organ donor register and is going to do T
he Star Donor Run. And a friend in Doncaster is emailing the diary to all her friends and work colleagues and they're signing up for the register.FridayWe're getting ready to go to Center Parcs for the weekend. It's only half an hour away but I'm a bit nervous as I'm away from home. I've organised for oxygen to be delivered - luckily I checked yesterday as it had been forgotten - but they say it will be delivered.