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
Robert, you have my "Bob." The cosmic thing is that I work with Linsey at The Bee!! She read a post on facebook in December when I mentioned Bob's heart transplant. She came into my office and we discovered that you were waiting as well (actually, I might be off on that date, she came in the day before you had your surgery). I sure am glad you're doing well. My Bob found a local pharmacy that would get his drugs (he take a ton of them as well) for him. It's a privately owned pharmacy ( not a chain) but since Bob had been going there for quite awhile, they were happy to work with him. His insurance wanted him to do the mail order thing but he finally made them understand that the drugs can change week by week.
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