Friday, May 21, 2010

It Happens When It Happens

Maybe Yogi Berra said this or maybe not. Whatever. But I am saying it as I report that today's rescheduled kidney biopsy has now been tentatively re-rescheduled for next Wednesday (maybe). Seems the kidney docs are still concerned with bleeding even though I stopped my blood thinners yesterday. So we will journey home to Livertown sometime or other today and do the specified labs there on Monday. Unless a miraculous reversal of fortunes on my creatinine occurs over the weekend, I will return here to Puzzle Palace for the biopsy. I will have an overnight stay and hopefully back home Thursday. Cherie is currently en route as we speak to gather me, my stuff and Mr. Foley for the homeward trip.

TRANSPLANT SUPPORT GROUP AN EYE-OPENER

I schlepped down the hall yesterday (with Monsieur Foley) and Cheryl joined me for the Heart/Lung Transplant Support Group meeting. The room was jammed with folks interested in the speakers; two donor family coordinators from California Transplant Donor Network. They are responsible for communication between recipients and donor families who choose to learn about who their loved one's organs have helped. We were told it is extremely rare when the family does NOT want more information. So we now have a procedure and guidelines for writing that crucial first letter, and CTDN organizes all the subsequent steps.

One of the attendees was a heart recipient whose guest was the mother of his donor. They had started communication some time ago and have developed quite a friendship. The mom actually moved to CA from OH to look up all of the five people who had the gifts of organs from this young man. Her views on transplantation from the donor perspective were interesting and quite moving indeed. We will be starting the process soon as of course we are curious and hope my donor family may be as well.

AND YET ANOTHER FOND FAREWELL

So I now will pack, get dressed and wait for both doctor orders and my ride home. As always I know it is not "Good Bye" but "Catch ya Later".

Bob/Irv
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RJ/Bob/Irv is a 61-year-old beloved husband, father, uncle, brother, motor racing fanatic, and Livermore resident who received a heart and kidney transplant in February of 2010. Bob's recent years have been defined by his health, which forced him into early retirement. Unfortunately, many of his days were spent in a dialysis center or at various medical appointments, primarily due to his living with diabetes for over 40 years. Numerous were panic visits to various Emergency Rooms all over California for treatment of chest pain. But now no more dialysis and no more late-night dashes to UCSF! The main focus of Bob's family, friends, and doctors has been a prompt transplant, so that he can get back to traveling with his Sweetie, driving fast cars, enjoying great music and laughing with his friends. This blog will function as a way to communicate with all interested parties and to keep everyone informed. And hopefully it can serve a great purpose also, in making people more aware of the importance of organ donation and how each life saved has a positive effect on dozens of related friends and relatives.