“I can hear voices, yes I am awake now! I was having a lovely dream but I can not remember what it was, all I remember is that it must have been very pleasant because I feel happy, relaxed and peaceful.

Any way who is that holding onto my hand and asking me to wake up? I open my eyes, all I can see is the sun just rising over the hills in the background, I focus a bit better and I can see this figure standing next to my bed and calling “he’s waking up he’s waking up he’s awake.” Of course I’m awake! What’s wrong with you? But before I begin to get annoyed I realise that the person is a female, but I can’t see her face, she has this red ‘hue’ around her head. John you are certainly dreaming that’s why you woke up feeling so good.

Much later I discover that I had been in a coma for about 12 days, and that ‘angel’ was one of the young nurses who took care of me for the whole time I was asleep. Great!!

Seven years later, this time I’m well and truly awake, it is 6pm and the phone is ringing."Hello."
“Hello Mr Loupis?”
"yes."
“Mr Loupis this is R.P.A. Hospital we have a possible new liver, could you please come in as soon as possible, and don’t have anything to eat or drink from now on.”

I am left standing there with the full range of emotions hitting me, all at once, fear, excitement, elation, confusion and uncertainty. Thankfully my real guardian angel just walked through the door and got me organised and drove me the one and a half hours to R.P.A.

Three weeks later, I am once again woken up by a nurse, (this is getting a bit of a habit John). But she isn’t an angel, it is pitch dark and she is shining a torch in my eyes (what happened to the lovely sunrise over the hills?) She is yelling at me,

“Jooohn do you know what time it is? (How would I know you stupid …..? it is pitch dark in here and I haven’t got a watch on). It is 2am. And you are waking all the other patients”.
"Why are you yelling at me, I’m just talking to my wife,"
“John!! It is 2am. and your wife went home 6 hours ago. Now just shut up and go back to sleep”.

I lie awake for the next four hours utterly distressed, demoralised but most of all confused.

Later on I learned that I had a horrible time with hallucinations and that was ‘normal’. Whoopee!!

The rest of my time in hospital was a series of tests, needled, tubes, tablets and more tablets and some very funny moments, (David sorry for threatening to kill you so many times, but you were a pain, and Mustafa you were not really a loony,) we all were.

Thank heavens all the doctors (hereafter called The Team) and 99% of the nurses had gone through this many times before and just went about taking care of us loonies and pulled us through.

Talking about The Team, I know that they are the best in the world and anyone who disagrees, will have to deal with Mannjan AND me.

It is know 23 months since I was given my life back, I feel fine, I'm well, no problems, except for my sick sense of humor, (just ask Margaret, Liz, Nerida and of course my Looney Doctor Rob.)

They’ll certify that.

I AM ALIVE!!!!

And that is thanks to my Donor and his/her family for having given me the most precious gift any human can give to another.
Once again whomever you might be THANKYOU.