Tests followed tests which followed more tests and finally some 6 months later I was told that it was definitely liver and that I must stop drinking immediately. Knowing it is always a good idea to heed doctors’ advice when it is given, however unpleasant and unwelcome it is; I did as I was told. It is funny you know that everyone assumes that because you have a liver problem you are an alcoholic, even the doctors.

It is like a stigma you can’t get rid of and even today I can see it in peoples’ eyes when I tell them of my operation. It is very strange as alcohol is not the most common cause of liver failure by any means.

My health continued to decline and by Christmas of that year I was very unwell and had all but given up work. By this time of course I had been referred to Kings Hospital in London and also been given every check under the sun including MRI scans They had poked and prodded every orifice I have, sometimes more than once, but were as yet to finally diagnose the extent of the problem. They did find an aneurism in my brain though which I suppose I should consider a bonus really. The New Year came and went and by the February I had been admitted on 3 separate occasions into our local hospital and was being observed by the liver specialist there too. The last occasion I was not expected to last the night I was told later.

Well, I did, and after another two weeks in Kings and more tests than I can remember, some intense debate took place as to my future, as apparently I had not ceased drinking alcohol for the minimum period of 6 months required to be put on the transplant list.  As it was now mid March and my 6 months was nearly up, it was decided that I should go on the list and so Maureen – my then partner and myself attended the meeting to determine  whether I wanted the transplant and to be put onto the list.

Someone must have been smiling on me that day 30th March 2006. I have a rarish blood group and at that time the general waiting list was about 4- 6 months. As my blood type was not so common, I was told that my transplant could be a lot sooner than that. Good thing really as my partner had been told realistically I only had a few weeks to go.

It was the following evening the call came through.  “There should be a taxi with you in ten minutes, if this does not arrive then please put your plan B into operation”. Well, there was no plan B; we had not even packed my going away bag. Fortunately the taxi ambulance did arrive and I was whisked off at full speed to Kings.

One thing I did though.  When I arrived that night I walked in unaided up the steps and through into the hospital before I allowed them to push me the rest of the way in a wheelchair. I vowed that night to the porter and Maureen that I would walk on out again afterwards.

Fortunately there was no false alarm, no dry run for me. The operation did take place early the following morning. I was one of four patients being done that day. I awoke some 30 hours later and so began the slow recovery back to health.

What’s it like? I am often asked. Well, it is not an experience I want repeated that is for sure. I do not remember the full detail of my thoughts and feelings over this long period, but can comment on the following.

If you are reading this pre- op then I can offer some thought and observation.

Let us make no mistake that this kind of operation is a serious one. The actual statistics etc will be told to you at the time of your pre-op interview so no need to discuss those. Suffice it to say that the care and attention to detail from all the doctors and staff at Kings and my own hospital was fantastic. Personally I was so ill and lethargic I did not really care what they did to me, I put my faith and trust into their hands and did everything I could do to follow their guidance and instruction. Sadly, others I saw did not. What became of them I shall never know, but I do recall trying my best to follow every instruction to the letter. Staying focused it is called. I was defintely focused. Be a great patient. You are ill but do as much as you can yourself.

You are in their hands and there is little you can do but pray if you are religious and hope. I must just comment that at on no occasion during my whole illness did I think I was not going to make it, not even when they told me just how poorly I was. It never crossed my mind. All I concentrated on was my life post operation and the things I was going to do.

This really sums up my post op period to the present day. It is all about being realistic and setting small achievable targets. It is true I still wake up every new day and say a big thank you to whoever is listening and I start each day in a very positive frame of mind.

One thing a life threatening experience such as this does; it awakens you to a new reality of just how precious life is and to value each day you are in good health.

Has the experience made me a better person? I do not know but I certainly look on life in a much more positive and meaningful way. We all have choices in this life and I choose to be my best now every day, even if I do not feel much like it. I now have goals and ambitions unthought-of of before my operation, and try my best to inspire others to have the same.

You have to have a path in life to follow otherwise you have no way of knowing just how far you have come or still got to go. I now read a lot and would recommend three books for you to read, all by the same author. John P Strelecky. Since my recovery I have found these to be of special inspiration. They are a great read too. “The Why are we here Café”, “The Big Five for Life” and “Life Safari”.

For anyone just about to have their op or who has just had it I would say this. For you to live on someone has had to die and pass on the gift of life to you. Don’t disappoint them. However, hard the road to recovery is, and it is not an easy road, hold that thought. You have an opportunity they never had, so use it.

One invaluable thing you will need to help you through is the support of all around you particularly those who are close. I often think it was much worse for them than for me. All the stress and the worry were theirs not mine, I was too ill. You really do learn who loves you when you face this situation whatever operation you experience, so make sure you say a big thank you to those people too. You do not owe them as they gave for free but remember, they gave.

Whatever else you do “Remember your medication.”   Good luck - Paul Reid

Paul Reid is married to Maureen with two grown children. He is self employed as a travel consultant and as a Beyond Excellence Partner. His motto is Be YOUR Best.