Cosmic Concepts

COULD THERE BE A PARALLEL UNIVERSE?

Did you ever wonder if there was a world out there somewhere in another galaxy where there was an exact version of every one of us? Well, neither have I. But during my transplant journey I have had many bizarre experiences, as many of you may recall. The ones today are not among them, but are fascinating nonetheless.
They involve two people who are not my Cosmic Twins but have had some coincidental incidents that we share and some we do not.

I was visiting the heart transplant clinic today and waiting for the doc when one of the coordinators came in and told me she has seen our blog, and did I want to meet another blogger. Of course I did, and she brought "Bob New Heart" (get it? Like "Bob Newhart", eh?) into the room. That picture you see is of he and I at clinic today. Bob New Heart (not his real name) has a blog describing his experiences with a recent heart transplant. You may be interested in checking it out and seeing the amazing similarities and the significant differences from mine. He has a very interesting background as well, so take a moment and click on his link over there on the side of my blog.

Another transplant recipient with a very similar history to mine was my friend Om. Maybe you recall Cherie and I met him and his wife Ina at a support group where the speaker saw him and said "Hey, you're the guy with the Ferrari, right?" Naturally I had to talk with him after the meeting. He and Ina were very nice and later invited us to their home in Pacifica for a block party. We had a great time and I sat in his Testarossa, then he fired it up for all the neighborhood to enjoy.

When I went into the hospital in January I called Om to let him know my situation. I left a message but did not hear back from him. A few weeks later Ina did call me. She had picked up my message from Om's cell phone. Unfortunately Om died from complications of his heart/kidney transplant just before Christmas. I was of course very bummed. We had hit it off instantly for several reasons. And Ina had a philosophy that one must demand in no uncertain terms that "I DESERVE this transplant, and I SHALL get it". She felt this mantra is what got Om his new organs, and she strongly advised us to adopt it as well.

As we left SF today, just as we got to the bridge, my phone rang and it was Ina. She said she thinks about us often and wanted to know how we both were doing. I felt a little bit sheepish about telling her how well I am doing, while she still struggles with grief as well as all the complicated issues that must be dealt with after a sudden death. She wanted us to know we would be invited back to Pacifica this year, and to be sure to keep in touch with her. I must admit Cherie and I both had a "moment" after I told her about the call. I mean, here we are, Bob New Heart and I, both improving and enjoying these unbelievable gifts we have been given. And then we hear from Ina who is suffering through one of the thankfully few but always possible failures that are a part of these complex medical procedures. Very sobering, indeed.

So parallel universes? No, just a few people sharing some similar and not-so-familiar but very profound experiences.

OK, BOB/IRV, WHAT ELSE IS GOIN' ON?

I see by the old clock on the wall it's about a quarter-to-bedtime here at Transplant Trib State Headquarters. I will have to postpone my description of our clinic visit and other juicy items to a subsequent edition. Tomorrow will be quite a day, starting with an appointment with a new cardiologist here in Liverwurst, a session of cardiac rehab (which so far is going quite well) and wrapping up with a long-time dream of mine. That would be making our way to HP Pavilion to see and hear The Eagles. Not only has this been a goal for some time but it again signals a welcome return to normalcy that is a recurring thread of this story.

Nite-nite,

Bob/Irv

Miscellaneous Grumblings

I thought I might throw a coupla things out there, "just for ducks" as my dear Cheryl would say. before I totally forget them.

ONCE AGAIN A BIRTHDAY SHOUT-OUT

I wanna take an opportunity on this forum to send Birthday Greetings to my fine Brubbie who many of you may know as Gary S. Moss. Or you may know him as Dad, Daddy, Grampa or Uncle the Geg. I will always greet him as (The) Kid because I have been addressing him as such since, oh, since we were knee-high to a pregnant grasshopper. I sincerely hope he has enjoyed a fine birthday; he is one awesome Bro.

MORE BACK TO NORMAL STUFF

Not to thrash this subject but it constantly amazes me, and I am often heard to exclaim "Hey, this is the FIRST time I have done this since the LAST time I did it!" By the way, Gentle Readers, if I am unnecessarily beating this horse into the ground or if you think perhaps "I wonder what this has to do with ANYthing, let alone organ transplantation ", then please use any or all of the communication/feedback methods I have arranged (at great personal expense, remember?) for you to share your thoughts on this blog. Like email, snail mail, carrier pigeon (recall now?) or any way with which you are comfortable. I do accept text messages but I do not text myself, since I am basically kind of a moron and never figured it out on my antiquated cell phone. So feel free to let loose with your honest (hopefully constructive) criticism. Once I pull myself together (be gentle) I will cheerfully consider (and most likely instantly reject) your input. Thanks for playing.

OK, in no particular order, here are a few things I used to do that now, post-transplant, I am realizing I am doing one again :

• Driving my S2000-slowly and poorly but driving it nonetheless. And boy, is it dirty.
• Cooking a full breakfast for Cheryl while she luxuriated in bed reading her book. I used to do this for her and the kiddoes quite frequently, featuring expertly-made omelets. Today's menu was fried egg over easy (no broken yolks, excellent flip in the pan), French toast (of course), soy sausage, and hash browns. My appreciation goes out to Trader Joe's I must admit.
• Grilling-while I never completely abandoned this I did eek and oik bitterly about "all the effort". Ditto with eating on the deck ("Aw, do we HAVE to?") when Cheryl suggested this. Tonight I enthusiastically grilled a flank steak and potato wedges and enjoyed it all on the deck, with a beautiful evening to boot.
• Exercise-had quite a long walk in Santa Barbara yesterday. Tomorrow I will make my official return to Cardiac Rehab, which I last attended sometime in December except for one visit in January between hospital stays.
• Travelling-a motoring trip to LA isn't much unless you consider my last effort in June of '09 resulted in a long stay in ICU at Community Hospital of Long Beach. I am sure I don't need to mention the desperate jet/ambulance trip back to UCSF as I am sure many of you are sick of hearing about that one. So, why do I continue to bring it up? I dunno.

So it is almost pill and bed time here, and I only got one old race watched today, a very fine Chinese Grand Prix. I am scared to death I will find out results of the others before I watch. Pretty obsessive, no? Well that is all for the moment.

Bob/Irv

Successful Trip And an FAQ

VOYAGE TO SOCAL

As some of you may have known we chose to sprint to Westlake Village to visit the cemetery on what would have been our Dad's 90th birthday. We got away a bit later than planned, about 7:00 am Friday. After a relatively pleasant trip (how much fun is I5, really?) we arrived at our first destination midday. Everything was in order and it was a beautiful day to spend some time reflecting. After a pleasant outdoor lunch at one of Pop and Viv's (his GF NOT our Mom Ruth Moss) hangouts we decided to take a quick pass down Crespi Lane for a look-see at his old condo. Suffice it to say were pretty surprised when we turned the corner and saw a termite service truck and For Sale signs accompanied by brochures at the curb. Cherie got out and peered in a window to see the place virtually empty, and she took a brochure and off we went, destined for Santa Barbara.

We crawled into SB on a very slow and crowded N101 to our lovely hotel on Cabrillo just across from the Marina. We chose a dinner spot, the Santa Barbara Fish Company, and walked the three blocks or so to the restaurant. For those familiar with SB this was the old Chart House about a block from Stearn's Wharf. We had an extraordinarily superb meal, halibut for me and an incredible pile of Alaskan King Crab Legs for Cheryl. I could not help but imagine this huge creature getting hauled up on the deck of the Cornelia Marie (R.I.P. Capt. Phil) out in the Bering Sea. Cherie gave it the old college try and did finally triumph over the crab (with some help from Yr. Humble Svt.) but it was touch and go there for a while. While she used to easily handle a similar pile at the Rusty Scupper years ago she admittedly had some difficulty this time. I started worrying that the crab might give her a real battle and we would be literally wrestling with it until closing time. But in the end it all turned out well. Despite the overwhelming response to my last restaurant review (yawn) I will force myself not to belabor you with another one now.

Next morning (Sat.) we forced ourselves to skip a breakfast opportunity next door at the World's Oldest (and probably Only) Sambo's, instead availing ourselves of a very nice complimentary brekkie at the hotel. Suitably fortified we walked out to the end of the wharf , then back to check out and head North. We had a brief tour of State St. then turned onto the Cachuma Pass highway for our next stop, San Luis Obispo.

There we enjoyed a pleasant lunch at Creekside Brewing Co. (we did not consume any of their brewed products there but it sure looked good) and noticed a street fair happening a half block away.

Being as this was SLO it can be said that this was no Tea Party; the first guy we saw was an aging hippy in full grey beard and total tie-dye gear. All of the booths at the fair were "causes". No jewelry, no leather products, no artwork and not even any food that we could see. Plenty of Green products and services, lots of political info tables (no hint of Meg Whitman or Sarah Palin but lots of attention at the Jerry Brown booth) and, delightfully, a display of California Transplant Donor Network information manned (or womaned in this case) by a very nice lady whose name escapes both of us. She is a kidney recipient (living donor) from UCSF. We immediately flashed our green wrist bands and I pointed out my (free) UCSF Heart and Lung Transplant hat that I proudly wear whenever I can. This is despite a long hatred of Free Hats (like "Downey Savings" or "John Deere", you know the ones that are too high in front and have that netting crap in the back) that old guys not only wear but display on the shelf under the rear window of their Buicks or Lincoln Town Cars. Mine is totally cool; no netting, no financial institutions displayed, never in the back of any of my cars and of course displaying a noble and very personal cause. Oh yeah, Cheryl has one too (hers is white and mine is like a denim blue; looks great with jeans) but since she has yet to wear hers I have a choice so I am covered for any outfit I select. But yes, I know, I can't wear the white one after Labor Day. Uh, I forgot about the CTDN lady. We had a nice discussion about transplant stuff and moved on, reflecting that perhaps we might volunteer similiarly at some point.

Jeez, see? I am running off at the mouth (actually the fingers) again and I have not even gotten to the FAQ yet. Sorry but remember I have not spewed one of these on you since Wednesday. Please bear with me.

OK NOW FOR THE FAQ IF YOU ARE STILL AWAKE AND ALERT OUT THERE

Once again the Transplant Trib thanks Suzie S. (still, I believe, living in Berkeley) for her insightful FAQ. To wit:

What were the toughest things for you to deal with during all of those months/years of uncertainty/health crises/pain? What coping strategies worked best for you?

The toughest thing had to be the increasingly tragic visions I was having of other's lives without me. My overly-active imagination would produce pictures of my family, particularly Cheryl and our kids, trying to deal with that dreaded situation. Not to mention our wonderful friends as well. It became too easy to visualize situations, ceremonies and gatherings without my attendance. I even worried about what might happen to some of my more valued possesions, like my auto art and even my silly racing car models. The more frequent the panic trips to UCSF became the more time I wasted imagining these things. As I have mentioned elsewhere it seemed to be less and less likely that I would get suitable organs even if I was parked on 10 Long for like a year or two. A small number (like one) of the Transplant Team were, shall we say, not exactly encouraging about my chances to recieve the correct size, blood type, and locally available offer, especially early on in my assignment from the Kidney folks to Heart and Lung. While many at UCSF were supportive, as well as, naturally, all my fabulous family and friends, when the head guy and decision-maker is less than hopeful it is difficult to get too excited about the prospects. These factors definitely contributed to my sad visions.

Another difficult condition was my inability to physically and mentally participate in activities I have in the past done and enjoyed. A bold attempt at attending the Monterey Historics last year while mildly successful on the surface, was fraught with trembling legs, exhaustion, chest discomfort and similar problems. While I recall putting a happy face on it here in the blog it really was not as successful as we had hoped. It emphasized my hesitance to try similar things like my beloved racing events, concerts, shows of all types, or anything that I pre-judged as difficult to execute physically. Like anything that involved hills, stairs, lifting, schlepping, or "excessive" walking even on flat terrain.

So how did I cope with these unhappy circumstances? Not real well. I did seem to be able to sublimate my negative imaginings by substituting vignettes from happier and more beautiful experiences. I used things like our camping trip to British Colombia many years ago when we stayed on the shore of the Inside Passage across from a beautiful island that fascinated me because there were lights over there and I could not imagine why. And it stayed light until like 11 o'clock at night which was quite a treat. Another sight I used a lot was the whale-watching expedition we took on our Alaska cruise which had us in a gorgeous part of the ocean (I guess) surrounded by snow-capped mountains on an unusually clear and warm afternoon. And we were hearing and seeing whales all around us too.

As far as my fear of participation I had no useful tools other than avoidance. I tried to do as much as possible; I did not want to insult anyone or illustrate any more sickness than people already realized. Pretty pathetic on my part but it was a natural reaction to all that was going on with my health physically and in my head. Basically I was a downer and I could not act my way out of it.

Well, enough bumming about this since it is largely behind me I hope. And as Raul Julia so eloquently said as he broke off and threw away the rear-view mirror on a Ferrari 365 GTS-4 Daytona Spyder in The Gumball Rally, "What ees-a behind me, ees-a not important!". It's always down to cars with me, innit?

Well, I hope I did OK with that difficult and outstanding FAQ, Suzie. So I will end this edition of the Transplant Trib. on , I hope, a positive note, since I am feeling better and happier than I have for quite some time. Thanks everybody.

'Til next time,

Bob/Irv

Hang on a Little While Longer, Please

I am actually surprised to see my last post was last Wednesday. But, we made a conscious decision to leave the ol' laptop home during our little "escape" the last coupla days. To find out where we went, what transpired, why you might care, and what it has to do with a blog named the Transplant Trib please look for my next effort here at The Old Same Place ("You can't get there from here").

Bob/Irv

A Coupla Loose Ends

Jeez, I am So Sorry again but my fingers will not STOP blogging, as hard as I try. Despite cramping, hunger, need for medication and the cries of anguish from Cheryl I cannot drag myself away from this laptop. Please help me! Stop reading/enjoying/commenting on/referring to the Transplant Trib 'cuz that tends to encourage me to spew out more and more BS than I could have ever believed I possessed. Today I got caught up in the Early Edition and was late to Cardiac Rehab (a class, not exercise) once again emphasizing my brand-new lack of punctuality and crazed focus on this ongoing nonsense. Oh, and no, there will not be any such thing as a (regular) Early Edition or even Late Edition or Any Doggone Edition!

OK, I have calmed down now. That was a close one. Anyhoo, I am trying to clear up a few loose ends before I need to do something useful like do the dishes or finally watch some of LAST week' s televised racing events.

A (LAME) ATTEMPT AT A RESTAURANT REVIEW

Despite over 300 years experience in various forms of the food service industry (restaurants, hot dog stands, hospitals, retirement homes) I have never formally put down my thoughts about a dining event in writing, until this very moment. So here goes nothing:

Recently it was my honor and pleasure to host the April edition of the long-running Dinner with the Gang. Those who are not familiar with this phenomenon may happily search the Archives for a detailed description. Suffice it to say it was my first after missing several due to my hospitalization(s). Taking a firmly positive recommendation from good friends Dan and Carol I made reservations at Dona Tomas, located in the trendy Temescal neighborhood of Oakland. Open Table told me the next reservation for a group of nine would be in eight weeks! Yeah, right. With much trepidation I phoned the restaurant and managed to score a table at 5:30 (when they open) on a Saturday night.

We obediently lined up at the door with many others and were immediately seated in a small room located beyond the patio behind the main area. This turned out to be perfect as the noise was not bad ("What? I can't hear you... Eh?) and with all due respect to kids everywhere there was an absolute minimum number of loud, squirmy, sniffling and coughing rug rats to infect, oh, for example, a vulnerable post-transplant patient. Yes, I had a mask but it is no fun trying to force food through one of those things.

OK now for the food and service. The food was, uh, very good and the service was,er, real nice. Sorry but I have already forgotten most of the details of our meal due to the understandable and dreaded loss of memory I have been experiencing. I do recall that Jane T.RD forbid me having any of the ceviche ("yes it is marinated but I still say it's RAW") and for the first time in anybody's memory Tanya R. RD consumed her entire meal. No doggie bag this time, eh Tan? I am reasonably sure she had the same thing as I did which was the Carne Asada con Salsa Pasilla which came with killer pureed sweet potato that hadda be loaded with butter and sugar. Good thing I didn't eat mine (attn: Transplant Team if you are seeing this) though I devoured the grilled asparagus. Cheryl I believe had carnitas and if memory serves it was quite good although she told me later on the way home it was a little dry and not the best she ever had. In general although I can't for the life of me recall what everybody else ordered , they all seemed more than happily satisfied with everything. And, oh yeah, our traditional dessert-sharing was done with my delicate condition in mind (I went first) but again I can't remember what we had except the flan which was quite good.

Well there you have it, as promised. I guess the Chronicle can safely keep their critic without too much of a threat from me. So be it.

TODAY'S "NORMAL" EVENTS (relax, this the last paragraph)

These included furious blogging in the morning followed by a panic dash to LifeStyle Rx for the My Heart's Content class. Then I did a bit of grocery shopping all by my very own self like a real Big Boy. Simple, yet satisfying. It is now time for a bit o' dinner and perhaps a brief period of TV before beddy-bye time. Maybe I can find a moment or two sometime for those old races I need to see. Tomorrow it will be off to the ophthalmologist for a much needed appointment that has been postponed at least three times since December. And Suzy I have not forgotten your third FAQ. It's a-comin'. But for now, "ThThThat's All, Folks".

Bob /Irv

Another Excellent FAQ

FAQ ANSWERED (HOPEFULLY)

Allow me attempt to respond to another fine FAQ sent to us once again by Suzi S. of Berkeley, CA. In this one, Suzi asks:

"What were the three things you most missed pre-transplant that you are enjoying now or hope to enjoy in the near future?"

Excellent question and thanks Suzi. This one has made me think real hard (duh) and try to decide the three things I missed the most. There were many from the ridiculous to the sublime, but here is my best shot at sorting out the top three.

1. I very much missed my interest in participating in activities I had previously enjoyed. Everything seemed too difficult physically; I had to evaluate everything on the basis of "can I physically do this ?" If it involved hills, stairs, or a lot of walking it frankly freaked me out. That is not to say I am instantly renewed in this area. I still have some serious work to do both in and out of cardiac rehab to restore my lost muscle, especially in my legs. Long periods of "sheet time" in the hospital do not support maintenance of muscle health and I do feel that now. I do not, however, expect to be limited by chest discomfort and potential heart problems like before. That has been a constant cloud hanging over me for many years. So I am looking forward to being physically able to do more as I become stronger. The long-lost mental desire to engage in activities seems to have been largely restored as well. Cheryl is particularly interested in this area where it relates specifically to travel. We have both, and she particularly, have very much missed the many travel opportunities we could potentially have enjoyed with her involvement in the industry. Recall my disastrous visit to Long Beach last summer which resulted in a difficult return trip to UCSF via medivac jet and ambulance. And that was only 400 miles away for one night! So a return to some (initially limited) ability to get out and go will be very greatly anticipated. We will experiment a bit this weekend by going to Westlake Village to visit the cemetary on what would have been our Dad's 90th birthday. My big concern this time is not about winding up in some dumpy ER somewhere but instead my ability to go more than, say, an hour without an, er, Comfort Stop. Cheryl is particularly insensitive to this situation as she claims to having been dealing with this for years. On the other hand, one of the very FEW advantages of dialysis was the ablity to go (actually NOT go) several days without the need for a visit to some scuzzy gas station can or even any can for that matter. It may be quite a challenge this weekend. Sorry, this may be TMI but I thought I would share my innermost fears and feelings with you, my public.

2. Being a genuine, card-carrying Moss in good standing suggests a certain, shall we say,uh, interest in dining. This is at the same time a pleasure as well as a curse, as it is a key reason how I got here in the first place. The main things I missed pre-transplant were directly related to renal failure. I have been used to diabetic and cardiac diets for some time (and have MOSTLY followed them!) but when I went on dialysis it was the final insult, so to speak. Many of you knew of the myriad quirks of that diet regimen. Severe limitations placed on potassium (tomatoes, avocados, bananas, melons, cola, beans, mushrooms, coffee, blah blah), phosphorous (milk, cheese, colas again, etc.etc.) and fluids (nutballs again, soup, ice cream, jello, water and so on) placed a major damper on my frankly high interest in food and beverages. And oh yeah, I forgot that excessive two or three lousy beers a month I was sucking up. Sheesh! So now my goal is to adopt a food regimen that does allow me to enjoy some of my favorite things but still preserves cardiac and diabetic health, not to mention protecting my (outstanding) new kidney. My experience recently has been mixed, as I seem to be somewhat abusing carbohydrates a bit. While my insulin pump is a great tool in compensating partially for this abuse, that and the immunosuppressants have radically increased my insulin requirements to over twice what I was using pre-transplant. I will be working closely with my endocrinologist and the local Diet Police (aka Lt. Cheryl Moss) to get better results in this important area.

3. As I described in my (overly verbose) answer to your previous question I sorely missed my keen sense of humor, such as it was. My state of mind and constantly-threatening physical condition paralyzed me in that area. As you observed I was pretty much a drag, and although at times in my life I have been accused of excessive ragging (sorry Cheryl, Dan and everyone else I dragged down over the years) it had reached epic proportions before the transplant. Despite the drugs, counseling and outright cajoling by family and friends I was largely in a dull unentertaining funk. While these treatments did help to improve the situation somewhat I knew I was still largely off of my "A" game. But hey, take a lookit me now! I seem to be back a certain degree. Maybe a lot of degrees. Shoot, our Transplant Trib has been both internationally popular and stimulating for me to produce for you, my faithful fans. I feel some of my old Funnies and trademark sarcasm slowly returning. My plan now is to continue to take advantage of this new momentum and build on it day by day. This will be accomplished by (watch out) more of this malarkey you are now reading, as well as a renewed overall Koolness for which I was previously well-known. I guess. What it probably does NOT mean would be stand-up comedy shows on college campuses, publishing any type of book or magazine article, and certainly any appearances on Letterman, Leno or Oprah. I know my limits.

So Suzi I hope I was able to adequately address your queries. I still have one more to scrutinize and answer, so be patient with me. Thanks and keep 'em coming.

WHOOPS, WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME AGAIN

Sorry again for the excessive length of this post. I felt I owed Suzi a thoughtful response to her thoughtful FAQs. Again I have not allowed sufficient time or brain function to describe some of our other recent activities. But it gives all of us (I hope) something to look forward to in future episodes of the Transplant Trib! Watch this space!

Mentally exhausted, but in a humorous way,

Bob/Irv

It's Official

NEW EXCITING LINK ESTABLISHED!

The entire staff here at Transplant Trib are definitely pleased as punch to officially display our newest link located on the right-hand side of the blog for your convenience. As I mentioned earlier today (and DON'T get used to two posts in one day!) I was recently contacted by a representative of AlloSource, a non-profit organization that is a key participant in providing soft tissue for a number of important transplants known as allografts. Please take a few minutes to check out their site. It is very interesting and hopefully can lead to more transplant awareness and increasing donorship. And, oh yeah, the Transplant Trib does not and will never receive any type of compensation for these links. AND, despite the added value to you, the Transplant Trib is STILL 100% free of charge!

BRIEFLY, ABOUT TODAY

After yet another thankfully brief visit to Quest Diagnostics here in Livertown for labs (cannot figure out why they are so miserable there) we (Cherie, Diana and I) decided to do a Beautiful Downtown Livermore kinda day. It would consist of lunch at Eddie Papa's, viewing Alice in Wonderland in 3D at Livermore Cinema, followed by a wee bit o' frozen yogie at FirsTreat Yogurt. A high point was checking out (no consumption of food or drink) the newly-opened wildly-expanded First Street Alehouse. One of our favorites and certainly a major busy spot, they have moved into their former next-door neighbor's and grown at least four-fold. OK, so much for the Downtown Nooz.

Right now we are enjoying a showing of Cars with Diana, niece Jennifer, and nephew David prior to their VERY early departure from OAK back home to Florida tomorrow. All in all it has been a stellar weekend, one that I believe pleased everyone.

I know I still have a coupla FAQ's to address as well as a (possible) review of Dona Tomas. But now I need some rest.

Bob/Irv

Going Nationwide?

It is a delightful Monday morning (yes I know "delightful" and "Monday morning" are an oxymoron) and I am trying hard to fulfill my obligation to you, The Readers, to post just as much Transplant Trib blather as you can possibly stand. Today, I have completed my weekly labs here in town and Cheryl, Diana and I are trying to make a plan for today.

NATIONWIDE?

Recently we here at the Trib Executive Offices were contacted by a firm that represents AlloSource. This company is a non-profit organization that secures, processes and distributes materials used in various forms of soft-tissue transplants, known as allografts. I am inserting a brief description from their website of these transplants here:

"Approximately 1,500,000 allografts are transplanted each year for a variety of life-saving and life-enhancing surgeries: bone grafts for patients whose bones have degenerated from cancer, cornea transplants to help restore sight, heart valves to replace damaged heart tissue, skin grafts to save the lives of burn victims, and tendon, meniscus and soft tissue replacements to help people lead more active lives. One tissue donor can save or improve the lives of up to 60 people. Currently, there are nearly 36 million Americans with debilitating musculoskeletal conditions who might benefit from an allograft."

AlloSource have been following this blog (unreal!) and would like to add a link to their website here to make people (like you, faithful fans) aware of these very important transplants. Their goal is to make more people aware of allografts and the need for increased donor registration to assist in these and other organ transplants. Hopefully the word may be further spread by your humble Transplant Trib and more donors will officially register to give those in need these life-saving procedures. I urge you to take a look if and when the link appears and discuss these transplants with your families and friends in order to inform them and to hopefully expand the donor community.

ANSWER TO AN FAQ

I believe I am somewhat prepared to take on one of my pending inquiries. This one comes to us from Suzie S. who is a proud resident of Berkeley, CA. Her question is :

"Greg always described you as having an amazing sense of humor but by the time we were seeing you regularly, you weren’t such a funny guy. Now you are, instantly, a very very funny guy. So what’s it like to (a) have lived without that side of yourself (b) to have it return so precipitously? (Your blogs are very entertaining—thinking of publishing on paper?)"

Gee, thanks Suzy. Sorry to have been such a downer all this time. Seriously, you are 110% correct in your assessment of my demeanor. We have known Greg for many many years and as a matter of fact when we first met way back in our college days I was (to be honest) a total scream. Or so I am told. At any rate when I had to leave work, start the long long transplant process and generally adapt to decreasing health I became quite depressed and therefore depressING as well. As you can imagine one's sense of humor is indirectly proportionate to the level of depression so my funniness factor went straight into the can, so to speak. That is mostly why you observed me to be, well, sort of a silent Sam when we started regularly socializing. Besides which my hearing is sort of deteriorating so a lot of times my silence was due to just not hearing you. To directly answer your (a) question , it was miserable. I felt as if I had nothing, let alone humor, to contribute to a conversation. We found that Cherie was in fact filling in more and more of the gaps for me (once again cue The Band "I don't have to speak, she defends me. It's a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one"-Up on Cripple Creek) and I was falling more and more back into the quagmire. I was losing interest in a lot of things, including to a degree even racing (never before publicly divulged) which is a sure sign that something was horribly wrong.

Post-transplant I did undergo a significant change. Please do not pressure me into instant laffs but yes I do enjoy writing this blog. The main reason for such a profound change has simply been that the intense thought of the ultimate bad outcome was increasingly hanging over me. As the heart attacks continued and got more and more frequent, I could not help but wonder which one could be the last. While I have never in over twenty years of heart issues had one that could be described as "massive" the rising frequency became more and more worrisome. Our last mad midnight dash to the UCSF ED from Livermore was way more tense than I let on to My Driver, and it was all I could do to keep passing hospitals (Highland? No thank you. Sorry Taryn) on our swift journey to The City.

Now I have a young heart and kidney. This of course does not award me immortality. There are plenty of other diseases out there, and the long-range success rate of these transplants is excellent but not 100%. And I could get hit by a bus any old time as well. But not to sound corny but I have been granted a very special second chance and that cannot help but to loosen and increase sence of humor, interest level, general happiness and optimism. That last dash to the ED looks a lot less imminent and this can only be considered a Good Thing. So to fully address your part (b) I can safely say it feels awesome, like a whole new part of my life has started.

And you ask if I am considering "publishing on paper". I would have to say "No" but thanks for the question. For now this little outlet for my nooz and views is just fine.

Sorry gang, I have gotten rather long-winded today. You could always take a comfort stop halfway through this ordeal if necessary; I promise I will not be offended.

"How's your Monday?"

Bob/Irv

A Brief Update

I deeply apologize to those who have expressed dissatisfaction with the infrequency lately of our humble blog. Some have shared with me that they go immediately upon rising (not necessarily in the AM truth be told) directly to the Transplant Trib for a shot of drama, humor, informative facts, FAQ's and all those other weird and wonderful things that make up this little piece of the Internet (which did I mention I invented way before Al Gore claims he did ?). At any rate at the firm yet loving insistence of My Dear Spouse ("you WILL blog before any race-watching") I am doing a Transplant Trib Weekend Update to at least bring you up to date while I continue to strain my feeble brain to adequately address my latest FAQ's. Believe it or not but I am actually delaying yet again the viewing of LAST week's motorsports events that I recorded while my DVR hums its way through TODAY'S races. That is a significant situation that those of you who know of my life-long passion for the sport will realize is a major shift in priorities. I sacrifice for you, Dear Reader(s) and I do so gladly.

FAMILY GET-TOGETHER

Yesterday was totally dedicated to enjoyment of a BBQ involving a lot of relatives coming from far (Florida) and near (Livermore) for a wide-ranging celebration of, well, EVERYTHING! The weather was perfect, I actually had a full propane tank and it could not have been much better. Thanks again to everyone who brought food and drinks, helped schlep tables and chairs around, and assisted in cleaning it all up. And to my Dear Niece and her father My Esteemed Brother for the original concept. It was a rare event and I could not help but to reflect on how much better this was then 10 Long (I love you guys up on 10 Long, but hey...) and how fortunate I am to have such a great family around to celebrate so many wonderful things.

A RETURN TO DIALYSIS?

Well no, not really, my kidney is still working quite well. But Friday we picked up a coupla dozen freshly-baked cookies and stopped off at Davita in Pleasanton where I spent many hours for three years taking dialysis treatments. The staff were pleased with the cookies and quite happy to see us for the first time since early January. My thanks go to Geraldine, Jasmine, Jamilla and of course all the great people who gave me such high-quality care despite all my bleeding, falling over, low blood pressure etc. etc. They certainly understood my delight at NOT being there day by day and it was a pleasure to see everyone.

OK, somewhat brief, and hopefully some measure of relief for any of those jonesing for frequent outpourings of our homemade, 100% satisfaction guaranteed (or your imaginary money back) brand of nonsense. So it is off to My Chair now for (to begin with) last week's Indycar race. Yesss!

Bob/ Irv

I'm Still Here

YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ME THAT EASILY

Despite rumors to the contrary I have neither lost interest in the Transplant Trib nor have I successfully found that Blogger's Anonymous meeting I inquired about earlier. No, Dear Readers, it will be much, much more difficult to get rid of me than by anything that has transpired since our inception. So apologies to the (couple of) poor souls who seem to be hopelessly addicted to daily doses of this malarkey that I put before you.

Keeping to the trend of A Return to Normalcy the last few days have been just that. Amongst the duties we have discharged like normal people are things like waiting 45 minutes for a doctor's appointment. then being told it would be another one or one and a half hours (we left at that point), pumping gas (yes more driving for ME), attending a heart-health class at cardiac rehab, visiting with sis-in-law Terremo here at home, getting (almost) caught up on recorded motorsport viewing etc. etc. We have also enjoyed Leslie's company and help on many projects despite her Take-No-Prisoners approach to various long-neglected areas. These include fridge, freezer ("Hey this stuff expired in '03! We don't even CARRY this at TJ's anymore"), cupboards, closets and so on. We know we are incredible slackers.

Today despite my newly discovered lack of punctuality (formerly Cheryl's exclusive territory) we made it to UCSF for kidney clinic only five minutes late for our 11:00 appointment. We were finally seen about noon so it was all good anyway. The kidney transplant folks were basically ecstatic with my numbers as well as the condition of my nearly-healed incision. After a quick trip to the lab and a delicious light lunch at Palio's (our fave at the Millberry Student Union) we arrived about 15 minutes late for the heart and lung transplant support group. It was quite different for us this time since for all our previous visits I was waiting, and now I am a recipient. We are now answering questions rather than asking them (Cheryl) or sitting gloomily at the table staring at my shoes (Me).

THE STATE OF THE FAQ FEATURE

We have recently received a series of intelligent, carefully crafted FAQ's that quite frankly will require a lot of study and concentration to adequately answer. This does not for a moment reflect dissatisfaction with prior FAQ's but does present a challenge to my simple pea-brain that will give me an opportunity to carefully consider my answers. So please if you don't see constant delivery of goofy (but always factual) nonsense on this blog do not become alarmed. It is probably due to me trying to think for a change.

Thanks

Bob/Irv

Yet Another FAQ

OK I promise to be BRIEF on this one. Seems that Mr. Jeffrey Lebowski (who asks me to refer to him as "Dude") who hails from Los Angeles, CA has submitted a fine question here to Transplant Trib Universe Headquarters. Mr. Lebowski, uh, sorry, Dude writes " I understand you consider yourself a (former) hospital dining expert of some sort. So, Mr. Smarty Pants, how was the food REALLY during your long stay at UCSF? I mean, would they get you, like, a White Russian if you asked nicely?"

Outstanding question Dude. As I may have mentioned elsewhere I considered my dining experiences to be very, very good, approaching excellent. Highlights included my well-known affection for French toast, as well as chicken curry, corn chowder, Madeleine cookies (unfortunately discontinued suddenly), chicken taco salad, Shasta diet cola and many many others. Clunkers were very few in number including most of the sandwiches and the "entree salad" which was also a new addition but a confusing choice (Is it an entree? Is it a salad?) that I tried once then abandoned.

I did experience some frustrating tray accuracy errors like missing margarine a lot, failure to send me double portions (oink oink) of high- protein items as specified by The Team, cereal with no milk, and so forth. Staff were unfailingly pleasant and efficient and I know how difficult achieving that can be. I must give Nutrition Services at UCSF two enthusiastic R.J.'s Transplant Trib thumbs up for maintaining a fine program in spite of a census of over 500 and a major re-do of the cafeteria.

Uh, Dude, concerning the White Russian I kinda doubt it but then again I never asked. They truly aim to please (and would you aim too please?) so it might be worth a try. Knock yourself out. And thanks for the fine FAQ. I hope you are enjoying my humble blog.

Bob/Irv

A Return to Normalcy AND More FAQ's

NORMALCY REVISITED

Saturday was a day filled with slices of our pre-transplant life. First was a trip to Pleasant Hill for a long- overdue haircut. After fighting my way through the throngs of aggressive paparazzi who somehow learned of my itinerary I was able to enjoy a skilled ear-lowering from Nay A. Truly transformed my shaggy look, first time since, ummm, December I think.

A brief visit to the local TJ's was followed by the drive home, executed by ME! Yes it is my first experience behind the wheel since early January and I think I did a workmanlike job. Despite a coupla words of advise from Cheryl ("I woulda gone in the other lane". "You know you can turn left from this lane?" blah blah) we made it home unscathed and none the worse for the experience.

Saturday evening was a resumption of our attendance at Dinner with the Gang. This monthly tradition dates from 1992 and features (for those unfamiliar) dinner arranged by members in order of ascending age. The responsibility of selecting, reserving, communicating and paying for the meal is that of the specified member. It must be a restaurant we have not visited before, and since I last attended, spouses/significant others have been officially included making for a potential attendance of 10. We politely lined up outside Dona Tomas in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland and were shown to our table for nine. A review will perhaps follow later, but suffice it to say it was great in keeping with the ever-reliable recommendations of Dan and Carol Henry. Amazingly for the first time in anyone's memory Member Tanya R. ate her entire meal which is a significant testimonial.

Today I intend to continue my re-entry to normalcy by resuming my viewing of several televised motorsport events. Perhaps a bit of further grocery-shopping will reinforce the process.

TWO EXCELLENT NEW FAQ'S

The first of our newest FAQ's comes to the Transplant Trib's palatial headquarters from Sandy Chaw residing in Concord. CA. She asks "R.J., could you describe NPO for those who may be new to the blog or perhaps drifted to sleep during the previous blog about this painful process?" Certainly Sandy. NPO is an abbreviation for the Latin words "nadie per orem" which according to my sharp recall of Junior High Latin means "nothing by mouth". This is a necessary prerequisite to literally (it seems like) thousands of procedures, usually ones that require or may require some form of sedation. It simply means that at some specified time, usually the midnight prior to the procedure, you must refrain from eating or drinking anything except sips of water to take medications. If the procedure is scheduled and executed early in the day you have a chance to perhaps end the fast before, say, noon. But this is a hospital and things are unlikely to go as planned. If you are delayed, bumped by a more critical patient, experience technical difficulties, or even if the staff decide it is "just because we feel like it" you are basically SOL (a terminology I will not describe here) until your fortunes change. Even if a doctor is somehow Lost in Space or decides he or she MIGHT do a procedure, you would be placed on a precautionary and unspecified NPO until final decisions are made. In many departments they have NPO-ending food and beverages ranging from maybe some fruit juice to the truly outstanding bag lunches of which I have enjoyed many, particular in my beloved Cath Lab. Nothing is as satisfactory after an angiogram as a turkey sandwich, Graham cracker, apple and milk.

Our next FAQ comes to us from our great friend Kelly D. all the way from Terragona, outside Barcelona in the Catalunya region of Spain. Kelly's question is " Irving for your next FAQ could you please describe your organ procurement process (black market, Colombian drug cartel and all that)?

Of course Kelly, I will tell you as much as I know. For a more complete and compelling audio piece on this subject everyone should go to the link on this blog for the NPR broadcast of Health Matters. As for me specifically I know very little. I am sure no black market or drug cartels were involved and I am relatively sure I did not go to China to receive organs from some poor condemned criminal. UCSF of course adheres to all the procurement regulations of the California Transplant Donor Network and the United Network for Organ Sharing. I do not know where the organs came from or when. I know that it was very soon before the surgery as it is well known how relatively short the time is that a heart is viable I do not know if they were removed elsewhere or if this was done at UCSF. And naturally there are pretty strict policies concerning virtually all information about the donor and his or her family. I was briefly informed by my kidney surgeon that the donor was young and I think somehow we were told the age was 22 years but I am not at all sure about that. I am not yet sure about what I wanna know either but in any case it is definitely not up to me so I will wait until info becomes available. Again I urge you all to listen to the NPR piece to get a much better idea of the process.

Thank you Sandy and Kelly for the great FAQ suggestions!

RETURN TO NORMALCY PART TWO

Before everyone passes out from Too Much Info on this chapter of the blog I will point out (briefly) that one thing has definitely changed and cannot be a Return to Normalcy. I got up early this morning to watch my recorded backlog of recent races but it is now almost noon and I am STILL bloggin'. Help me! Does anyone know of a Blogger's Anonymous meeting in the Tri-Valley area?

Gotta be all for now. Accept my apologies.

Bob/Irv

First Real FAQ

I am pleased to acknowledge my first real FAQ. It comes to me from a "Leslie Chaw" residing in Berkeley CA. Leslie's question is "Dad, er, I mean Mr. Moss, what did they do with your old heart and kidneys?"

Great question Sweetie, er, I mean Ms. Chaw. The heart is dissected and analyzed by pathologists for information to be used in future research. I do not know how long they keep it in "pickle juice" but Terre, you are right, Cherie was more interested than I was. Right again on the kidneys, they are left in their original nesting places to literally marinate for the rest of MY life. So now I have three in there (neener, neener, neener) but only one is doing any useful work.

Thanks for the question and Facebook commentary.

Bob /Irv

A New Feature

As I contemplate this edition of the Transplant Trib while awaiting the arrival of Roto Rooter (Hey, how did this happen if we weren't even living here? LUCY???? Were you partying in the kitchen sink while were away?) I am thinking about a suggestion Leslie made several weeks ago. I said I might have less interesting tidbits to blog about when I got home. Not to disparage being home (I am lovin' it) but it may not be the 24/7 Laff Riot that only a really big teaching hospital could provide.

So here is the deal; beginning today I will start posting Frequently Asked Questions (what they call on the 'net FAQ's) to address items of interest you may have out there in Readerland. This arrogantly implies that not only are folks reading this stuff but in fact they may have some curiosity about things I may not have dealt with up until now. Well, by my handy counter (thanks again Linzel) we know there have been over 4000 hits on this blog since November so I am assuming there are actual folks out there reading this. This doesn't necessarily mean you are loving it but unless you are having extreme side affects (which may include nausea, vomiting, boredom, shortness of pants or excessive drooling) at least we believe it is not HARMFUL.

So anyway for high-quality FAQ's we must have Questions that are Asked, and asked Frequently. So far I have not received any FAQ's so I thought I would make up a couple to kind of show you, well, how it works. To communicate your FAQ to me I have arranged (at considerable personal expense) several handy ways to reach me. I know that for some reason it is a mystery using the "Comment" feature on Blogspot (I too have not been successful commenting on Linsey and Andy's blog) so here are some alternatives:

1. Email (rjm6311@sbcglobal.net)
2. Carrier pigeon(you need your own pigeon for this one)
3. Snail Mail (1612 Broadmoor Ct. Livermore CA 94551)
4. Facebook ( Robert J. Moss)
5. Plane flying over our house dragging a sign with FAQ. Thanks Tiger for the idea.

And don't forget despite rising costs, increased content, and other stuff I can't think of at the moment the Transplant Trib is still at the low, low everyday price of ABSOLUTELY FREE!

OK then sorry, for the excess verbiage. Hopefully you have not fallen asleep while reading this monstrosity. Anyhow here are the first two phony FAQ's Leslie and I made up to sort of Prime the Pump so to speak.

FAQ: Hey Bob/Irv what is the deal with two first names? Are you so great you need two names to make you feel important?
Possible Answer: Well no, as many of you know my Birth Certificate sez "Robert J. Moss". My first few weeks at college I got into an issue with another guy around trading rooms with him. He was resentful and began calling me "Irving" as that name was often used in Mad Magazine referring to, well, kind of a dork. Humble apologies to all the genuine Irvings out there. I put a sign up on my door saying "DO NOT CALL ME IRVING". Naturally my fate was sealed with that stupid move. I started to be called Irving by everyone and introduced to people as Irving or Irv. At my campus job I was Irv, to Cheryl and her entire family I was Irv, to my friends I was Irv, but officially to The University I was Robert or Bob. In later business life I was Bob. To my cousins Mel and Larry Moss who knew me when I was just a toddler I was and still am "Bobby". Needless to say my dear Mother never, ever forgave me.

FAQ: Does it feel different with a new heart and kidney?
Actual Answer: Well, not as dramatically as you might imagine, but yes it is different and better. I feel my heart beating more often and faster than before. My pulse and blood pressure readings confirm this. I do not have Superman-type bursts of energy but I would say I am still in the recuperation period for a while. No I am not swimming to Alcatraz and back or entering the Bay to Breakers, but I wasn't doing any of that before and I am still kinda the same person albeit New and Improved. OK not exactly New but you get my drift. A couple of the better new feelings are those of driving right by the dialysis center without dropping in, and being able to hold my head up high as I answer Nature's Call as I used to three-odd years ago before treatments started. That is kinda neat in a certain strange way. The best new feeling is not physical but mental. I do not have the thought of Yet Another Heart Attack along with a mad late-night dash to the ED. Better yet the possible final outcome of one of those events is no longer hanging over me. No guarantees (you would think for all that dough they charge at least they would give you six months parts and labor on the new stuff) and yes I could get hit by a bus tomorrow but you what I mean, eh?

So there are some sample FAQ's to inspire you to make up some of your own. Or not. Once again I am doggone sorry to ramble on so much but one of the side effects of the transplant or maybe the drugs is a renewal of enthusiasm for many many things one of which obviously must be BLOGGING!

I think I may have used up enough of your valuable time by now. But I am now a Blogger; it's how I roll.

Bob/Irv

Three Days Later

My apologies to all of you who hunger for daily nooz appearing on this blog. I could lie a little bit but in fact we had a great big fat lazy day on Tuesday, so I coulda taken the time to blog a bit. But instead we went to Walnut Creek where Cheryl scored an overdue haircut, and her hairdresser Sabrina offered me a pity trim job that was obviously long over due. Thanks again Sabrina...I am also pleased to report I will be getting my ears lowered Saturday by my long-time stylist, Nay. I know everyone was on the edge of their seats asking themselves "I wonder when Bob/Irv will be getting a haircut." Well the suspense is over so let's move on, shall we?

We had rather uncertain plans to join our friends Dan and Carol Henry for lunch or dinner, but gracious as they always are we wound up enjoying a lovely lunch outside in the sun on their deck. Attention UCSF Transplant Team: I had a hat on and sat in the shade so I think I took proper steps to avoid problems.

Wednesday we awoke at Oh Dark Thirty to make our way to UCSF for my heart biopsy. We weren't bumped or otherwise delayed and were through there by noon. Good nooz is that today I was happy to learn the results were once again Zero Rejection! Kool! I spent the rest of the day and evening messing with my new CPAP anti-apnea machine and managed about three hours of operation before the mask made my upper lip numb. I hate when that happens. I will continue increasing the time I wear it per instructions of the Respiratory Therapist.

Today was a very ambitious day that started with a visit to Heart Transplant Clinic. Next was a 3-hour cytogam infusion session during which Leslie came over and accompanied her Mama to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. This delightful afternoon distraction was followed by a 2 1/2 (!) hour trip SF/Livermore that was particularly aggravating to be sure. We got ourselves behind and wound up late in arriving at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View for the monthly gathering of TRIO (Transplant Recipient International Organization). This is our first visit with the group since I have officially become a recipient and it was a warm and happy greeting that we received. Prior to my transplant I had been attending meetings for about 7 years originally at the urging of our dear mom and mom-in-law the late Joan Cook. She and Grandpa Bill Cook were heavily involved with TRIO ever since their epic struggle for his liver transplant in 1987.

So here we are spacing out in front of the Eleven O'clock Nooz and blogging for all I am worth. At Cheryl's insistence we decided to cancel my dermatology appointment for tomorrow and attempt another mental health day outside of San Francisco. We look forward to a nice but productive day beginning with a serious breakfast treat. Yes, you guessed it! French toast, courtesy of the frozen food section of our local Trader Joe's. If you think I would avoid any food that reminds me of my multitudinous stays at UCSF then you would be WRONG!

All for now,

Bob/Irv

And Now for Something Completely Different

Soon after thoroughly enjoying a mellow, unhurried and solitary Easter things took an ugly turn for the worse. At 3 ayem I was awakened by some moderate chest pain. Now I KNOW this was not a heart attack so I took a coupla pain pills and managed to fall asleep. We were due for labs here in Livermore about 9 and on that little junket the pain became progressively worse. I was unable to take a deep breath, and a lot of simple movements accentuated the pain. Even sitting still was a problem.



Naturally we were in touch with the Transplant Coordinator who advised me to take 2 more pain pills and call her in an hour. I did so and reported even more misery. She had already discussed the matter with the doc and the order was "get in here to the ED now!" What ensued was Mr. Toad's Wild Ride all the way to Parnassus. Of course Cherie was worried and her driving and verbalization to other drivers (in the car so not heard by them) made me somewhat nervous. Even more so when Andy called and mentioned the symptoms of the dangerous blot clot in his leg last summer. It was then that we both became, shall we say, worried. I was hurtin' and even bumps and potholes put me further in agony. I feel it was the MOST pain I have experienced all this time, exceeding even my wars with Mr. Foley and the miserable removal of countless yards of tape from my minimally hairy body.



I got instant attention at the ED and several tests and labs were quickly done. After an ultrasound, a Nuclear Med. study and another EKG where they drug you and make you swallow this LONG tube with a tiny camera at the end it was determined it was neither a moving blood clot or aortic damage (like what killed John Ritter). So luckily I was discharged from the ED and sent home knowing what it ISN"T but also not what it IS.



So we just finished a peaceful dinner (oh did I mention I was NPO all day?) and will do my nighttime drug regimen before heading gratefully to (our own) bed. So no French toast tomorrow but I think I can handle it.
I guess nothing can taken 100% for granted.

Bob/Irv

Home Again, Home Again Jiggety Jig

After a somewhat hyper morning of packing Cheryl, Leslie and I set out in two cars for the return to Livermore. We arrived to find Andrew had already arrived from Sacto. We unpacked and hurried off to do what a Moss does best, have lunch! After yet another delicious and transplant-friendly meal and a wee bit of nonfat Frozen Yogie Andy dashed off to his house to join Linsey and her family for their Easter celebration.

After Leslie returned to Berkeley we continued unpacking and then took a well-deserved afternoon nap. We very much enjoyed the presence and affection we were receiving from Lucy. She definitely seemed happy to have us back around the house and despite the occasional bite or innocent swipe of a clawed paw it was delightful.

Thanks to our wonderful Kiddoes for all the help and a most pleasant afternoon. We have now had over 24 consecutive hours of relative sanity and I for one am very interested in continuing this welcome state of affairs.

Two Different Days...And It's Still Friday

THE "FIRST" FRIDAY...MORNING

We got added in to the ultrasound schedule first thing in the morning. It was to be scans of my left arm and both legs on a hunch there might be a clue as to the cause of this enormous amount of water I am carrying around. My lower legs are GROSS and I can hardly bend them to walk properly. So the guy does the legs and says "no problems". Then he does the arm and says "problems". Seems I have several blood clots in the upper arm from placement of the PICC line. This was (unsuccessfully) placed to enable me to take IV antibiotics at home, but due to scar tissue from my old pacemaker they could only go halfway to where it needed to be. I wound up using all my IV drugs during my extended hospital stay so the docs decided to remove the line anyway. Evidently the PICC somehow irritated the blood vessel and caused the clotting, aka Deep Vein Thrombosis. Some may recall that last year our Andrew had this in his leg, a much more serious situation since there is a great danger the clot can move to the lungs and cause potentially fatal results. My case is way less critical.

I was sent directly to the transplant coordinator and told the Dr. had prescribed Lovenox, a blood thinner that is administered via syringe much like I used to do in the old pre-pump insulin injection days. To be sure I knew the drill, we hustled back across the street to the pharmacy office on 10 Long for a quick training session. No big deal. We asked Leslie to pick it up at CVS in the Castro . She was told there was an insurance hang-up and they needed pre-authorization or it would cost like four grand or something. While she was in the pharmacy she saw a parking "meter maid" (actually a dude) who was busily writing not only a parking ticket but a citation for not curbing her wheels. It's barely a hill on this block of Castro! She sobbed out her sad story and when she got to "Dad" and "transplant" the guy's heart literally melted. He said "no tickets for YOU!" and put his ticket book away. My daughter is GOOD! It occurred to me that I too could use this for preferential treatment not only with law enforcement officers but also for VIP perks at restaurants, hotels, gas stations and sporting events. Worth a try, eh? So the insurance sort of worked out and we got a starter supply for the weekend, and they will ship the rest to Livermore.

THE "SECOND" FRIDAY...AFTERNOON AND EVENING

After a tense and tiring morning we arrived back at 2000 Post for a hurried lunch, before the home health nurse arrived, then started throwing stuff into boxes in preparation for moving day Saturday. I then managed to start up my CPAP and in fact used it without suffocation while we both took a well-deserved nap. We decided we would enjoy a dinner out for our last SF night. For the protection of my relationship with my revered Transplant Team this time I am not revealing details of the meal nor posting pictures as I unfortunately did after Barney's Gourmet Burgers. Seems everyone except the valet parking dudes knew everything I consumed there. Suffice it to say tonight's dinner was outstanding and healthy, in a truly fascinating SF atmosphere featuring a gaggle of stroller-bound rug rats and the required herd (do they come in herds?) of cute-as-a-button City Pooches all tied up outside. . And they even have a parking lot which we have realized is a truly attractive feature for those in our age group.

Tomorrow will feature our grand return to 1612 Broadmoor Ct. and an impromptu Easter celebration which will include both our kids and perhaps some traditional Easter hijinks. Should be a hoot!

Happy Easter (and Passover) to us and all of you in Readerland.

Bob/Irv

Special Offer-Today Only

ONE HECKUVA SPECIAL OFFER

We are pleased as punch to be able to bring you a Very Special Offer here at the ol' Transplant Trib. For today and today only (yeah I know today is mostly over with by now but Excuse Me once again, I just thought this up) you can enjoy TWO views of this blog for the price of ONE!! Enjoy an extra view of today's post or wander back through the archives and experience a coupla your favorites from the past AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE!! If you prefer, mix and match....today plus one historical view or choose two past lookies for the same low price. Your choice; knock yourselves out!!

APRIL FOOLS!! Ha, gotcha, didn't I? Experienced readers know The Trib is ALWAYS at LEAST 100% free of charge...shame on you inattentive rookies who have already sent me your money thinking you were getting some sort of BIG FREAKING DEAL by taking advantage of a poor two-organ transplant recipient who is struggling to make ends meet over here. You're probably also out there looking for smokin' deals on a Toyota Prius thinking " if I get a few bucks out of it I am HAPPY to kick sad little Toyota while they are down".

OK I think I got my point across rather convincingly on that, eh?

AND NOW....WHAT WE DID TODAY

Early visit to the lab at 400 Parnassus then a quick dash to my very own endocrinologist in Concord for a blessing on re-starting my long-lost insulin pump. Off into the haze in another dash back to SF for a visit to the heart transplant clinic where the good folks again changed some meds to address my blood pressure and fluid weight gain issues. Then an unscheduled appearance at the kidney clinic where they checked on my portable wound pump and deemed it unnecessary. So no more dragging this little dood around in its stylish Man Purse. Good news indeed.

AND BOB/IRV WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?

Glad you asked. We will be getting an ultrasound on my left arm due to the suspicion that there might be a blockage from the now-removed PIIC line that may be causing some of these fluid problems. Leslie will be coming over with boxes to continue the overwhelming task of packing up in preparation of our return to Liverburg, or more accurately a return to the gentle (biting and scratching) attentions of our kitty Lucy, aka Lucille Victoria Moss, Queen of All She Sees and almost everything else to boot.

That may in fact be just about all for now.


Bob/Irv