Hi I am Kerry Aylward and I am 17 years old, I live in Ellesmere port with my mum, dad and brother.

• I went to Ellesmere port catholic high school, and I came out with 5 d’s,3 e’s and an f,

• I have not had the best start in live due to health problems.

• I have an older sister called Katie and a niece called Tia

Likes

• Music e.g. Jls, pink, westlife, take that.

• Watching/reading Harry potter• Shopping for clothes• Talking to friends on the internet • Watching television • Cooking• Swimming• Playing scrabble and monopoly

More things that I like

• Horses• Horse riding• Watching my brother play football • Chocolate bars • Crisps e.g. Salt and vinegar • Drinking pop e.g. cola ,Pepsi max• MacDonald's chips • Salt and pepper/barbecue ribs • Spending time with the family

Dislikes

• Needles• Crowed spaces • Public transport e.g. Buses • Unexpected changes • Bullies • Unfamiliar places • Peas • Peppers when raw • Blackcurrant juice

• There are some more things that I would like you to know about me:

• The one thing that I would like to change is that I could play sport that I like e.g. Netball and that I could be comfortable when I go out with friends

Taking medicines

• Before my transplant I was really nervous about taking my tables as I didn't know how big there were, so I had been practising to take them with tic tacks and I was trying really hard so that I was well prepared for all of the medicines that I was to take after my transplant.

• I know that some of them come in different forms : table, crushed, liquid and dissolved

• I had also made some decisions about taking them, if I had a choice.

• I could suck on ice pops before taking my liquid medicines and neat blackcurrant juice to disguises the taste

• Do you know were your kidneys are?• Do you know how much water you need to drink a

day?

Kidneys

• Kidneys work in pairs but you can get by with just the one, they're hidden away at the side of your body, just behind your rib cage. Their job is to keep your blood clean by taking out any waste. They also keep a check on the amount of fluids in your body and your hormones.

Did you know

Dehydration is one of the most important causes of kidney failure.

• Some doctors restrict the in take of drink as most cases of kidney disease patients need to drink more then others

Healthy people who have a strong family background of renal failure should take classical homeopathic treatment and this is to avoid the risk of renal failure

Patients who are waiting for a renal transplant should stat homeopathic treatment and this means that it can stop the urgent need for a donor.

My kidney transplant

• On the 28th September 2005 I went into Pendelberry hospital to have my kidney transplant, I was feeling quite scared about it but at the same time I was very excited, as soon as we got there I was shown around the hospital, then my room was ready and I went into it, my room looked very large to me as I was only small.

• When my surgeon came to see me after my transplant he said that I had to drink at least 2 litres of water a day so that my kidney is working properly

• When I was settled into my room I met my nurse, she was very pretty. My mum and dad had gone for a cup of tea when they came back we done some colouring in it was really fun, then it was time to take my mum to the royal Manchester hospital as she was giving me her kidney, I asked the nurse if I could help her with anything and she said yes of course you can, she said that I could help her check my mums heart beat.

• On Thursday 29th September 2005 I went down to theatre to have my kidney transplant, I was feeling very scared and I was saying silly little things to my dad, like I didn’t want to have my kidney transplant, although at the same time I was having a sensation were I did want to have my transplant as I knew it would my me feel a lot better and that I could eat whatever I wanted to.

• I ended up being in theatre for over 24 hours as my transplanted kidney was to big for my body, after the operation I ended up being in a coma for one week and my family and nurse came to visit me.

• When my dad and little brother came to see me they looked very happy as I was making progress, when my uncle peter came to see me I was just coming around from being in my coma, my granddad came to see me and I think I was learning the alphabet again as I had forgotten it.

• As soon as I was well enough I went back to the ward and my aunties came to see me, I asked my auntie Shirelle to tickle my face as I was very tried and she said of course I will.

• The next morning I was allowed to go into the hospital school and we made a chocolate sponge cake it was really fun as I was with my friends Holly and Ryan. When my dad came back from taking my mum home he came to see me in school and he had brought my little brother Daniel with him so that I could see him as he had been in school all day.

Reasons why I came to college

• I have came to college because I have had my whole life in hospital and I would like to further my education.

• I had chosen ICT because of my kidney transplant and because I can help my family understand computers, I can also get a really good job in the future