WE MOVE BACK TO THE POSITIVE SIDE
I am sure all of you Dear Readers were hungering for a more cheerful post after the last one. And so, allow me to share a few happy experiences that should be a positive counterpoint for all of us. This is not to dismiss the sad aspects of the month, but to describe incidents that reflect real life, which can be happy or sad.
NEW YEAR'S DAY STARTS RIGHT
We excitedly arose to catch the Rose Parade in hopes of seeing the Donate Life float early without having to endure too many high school bands, equestrian units, and insurance company-sponsored floats. Unfortunately, we did see the beginning featuring this year's Grand Marshall, Paula Deen. She waved to the crowd while flinging sticks of butter and five-pound bags of sugar to the adoring masses. Before too long, the float we were waiting for "floated" by. It was awesome, carrying transplant recipients and donor families. Many carried pictures of donors, and the float also displayed donor faces crafted of flowers. Very impressive, and winner of the Theme Award for best interpretation of this year's theme, Building Dreams, Friendships & Memories.
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One of the riders on the float was a 13 year-old named Michael Carraway. Three years ago he received a liver from a young motorcycle crash victim in L.A. After his transplant Mikey wanted to repay his gift by feeding the homeless in East Oakland, a project he has continued ever since. He met his donor family in Pasadena. We were able to meet him and his grandmother at a CTDN gathering at the Oakland office. He is quite remarkable, having experienced a lot of media attention (including autograph hunters!) at the Rose Parade.
We also met Pastor Shaq who is a CTDN Ambassador in East Oakland. He makes himself available to appear at the hospital when a potential donor situation exists. He meets with the family, prays with them, and gently encourages them to approve donation. There is a very small percentage of donor registration in the African-American community, and a rather strong resistance to the idea as well. Additionally, Pastor Shaq provides transplant information sessions in classrooms at McClymonds High, where it sounds like kids who are not texting or sleeping are loading their handguns. Pretty inspiring couple of guys.
WE'RE NOT HUNG OVER, BUT EVERYONE LOVES A HANGOVER PARTY
This year I was physically and mentally prepared to attend the Annual Hangover Party on NY's Day at the Leslie and Chris Chaw residence in Berzerkely. I have been an inconsistent attendee due to either inability to climb stairs or being a guest on 10 Long. So it was fearlessly and without trepidation that we made our way to Mathews St. to celebrate the arrival of 2011. And it was MOST enjoyable. We had barely dropped our stuff in the kitchen when Leslie's pal Elspeth thrust a warm piece of her incredible focaccia at me. It was particularly delightful to see several of Leslie's "old" gang, like Sooz,
Barbara M.(with BF Mitch), and "My Other Sweetie" Erica (and husband Mark). All in all, great food, a rousing game of Apples to Apples and a fine array of folks attending. Oh, yeah, nice to see my son-in-law too, I guess.
ANOTHER VIEWPOINT
I neglected to make our reservations to see the collection of paintings from the Musee d'Orsay, Van Gogh, Gaugin,and Cezanne, appearing at the DeYoung Museum in GG Park. I did finally secure our spots for the afternoon of the last day of the exhibit. Before we entered, we took a ride up to the top of the nine-story tower. This tall black structure is plainly visible from the 10th floor solarium of UCSF, and, if you're lucky, from several patient rooms as well. Many were the times Cheryl and I looked out at that tower as a symbol of where we would rather be instead of where we were.
While I ran around checking the views, Cheryl was looking up at the hospital. I noticed she was,uh,um, getting a bit verklempt as we say in Yiddish. She was somewhat overcome with the fact that we had made it through everything to be able to enjoy the sights from a new, better, healthier angle. It was quite a moment. After seeing the artwork, we sat in front of the DeYoung and enjoyed some twilight and a huge full moon. We had an enjoyable outdoor dinner at Belden Place, winding up a remarkable trip to the City. For a rare moment, we were close to UCSF but not needing any sort of visit. Great feeling.
LUNCH WITH THE GUYS
Due to some intense and relentless feats of scheduling, I was very happy to scoot out to Pleasant Hill to join my old Muir buddies, Ken and Mike, for a bite of lunch at Jack's. While the meal was "just OK", the company was outstanding. We talked about sports (including a small bit of F1), football, kids, cars and transplantation. It has been a while since we last socialized, and it was most enjoyable. Driving there in the S2000 was icing on the proverbial cake.
OH, AND SPEAKING OF CAKE....
To properly mark my dear Cheryl's 60th BD, the kids and I arranged a celebratory buffet luncheon at one of our favorites, Taheri's Restaurant in Walnut Creek. Due to the craziness at her actual birthday, December 23, we had the gathering in January to insure easier attendance. Sean Taheri did his normal exceptional job, in large part due to his well-trained and gracious staff. Great food and beverages were enjoyed by all, we lucked into lovely weather, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves despite my commentary. No birthday party is complete without the cake (see above), and in this case it was particularly special. Once again, Leslie's friend Elspeth offered her considerable baking talents and provided a lemon-filled cake that was quite delicious. Leslie herself amazed the crowd with her flower arrangements, and Andy's assistance on the Momma posters was much appreciated. And thanks to Allen Chaw for the photography!
AND SOME MOVIE VIEWING, TOO
We enjoy our little village of Liverless, and never more than last evening. Starting with a casual dinner outside at the First Street Alehouse (Pyramid Apricot Ale!!), we headed to the Vine to catch Burlesque. There was a line at the snack bar, as the Vine serves beer, wine and rather fine food from the Zephyr right next door. There are small tables in the lobby and in the theaters, making for a very unusual and pleasant movie experience.
As for the film, it too was pleasant. Totally incredible dancing and singing, great-looking young folks dressed scantily, and a totally predictable and shopworn plot. Not a problem; how can you go wrong with Christina Aguilara and the surgically ageless Cher. It seemed to me like a movie version of Glee, with illogical but outstanding music and dance performances separated by a story of sorts. Which I adore. Fun for us.
So, as I have indicated earlier, life does in fact go on despite the occasional and sometimes disturbing potholes in that ol' Turnpike. We never cease to be amazed and thankful for what we have. Which is how it should be.
Bob/Irv
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Rough Ride on the Transplant Turnpike
IT'S NOT ALL SWEETNESS AND LIGHT
Remembering my youth once again, it was always a treat to roll through the toll booth and enter the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It meant we were going someplace fun and different for a vacation, and it was unlike the usual roads we travelled in and around Pittsburgh. And boy, it was smooth, gently curving through pretty wooded PA countryside with no billboards, fast food outlets, or ugly roadside buildings. And the best thing were the occasional travel plazas with gas and Howard Johnson's. HoJo's were the sole provider of food an the Turnpike, and being Mosses, it was all about the food wherever we went.
But on the SuperSlab known as the Transplant Turnpike, between the gentle curves and Howard Johnson's there are potholes, bumps, loose gravel and lots of construction delays. No such thing out there as a "Survey Party" either. Of course even when it says that on my favorite freeway, I have yet to see a party in progress, only a guy in an orange vest looking through a telescope at some other guy in an orange vest holding a stick. What the Hell kinda party is that, anyway?
But I digress. Recent miles rolled up on the TT have been anything but pleasant. So let the lament commence.
NICE BUT SAD LUNCH DATE
After my exhilarating Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) session at UCSF/Mission Bay, we had arranged to join our friend Ena for lunch before exiting The City. We met Ena and her husband Om about two years ago at the UCSF Heart and Lung Transplant Support Group. Some of you may recall that when the speaker recognized Om, she exclaimed "Oh, you're the guy with the Ferrari!" We immediately gravitated to them and discovered Om was a recent heart/kidney recipient, and did in fact own a very low-mileage 1989 Ferrari Testarossa. We were invited to their block party that summer, where we met some very nice neighbors. I was also allowed to sit at the wheel of the TR after Om fired it up, and the noise and exhaust blast were intoxicating.
When I was admitted for better or worse to 10 Long last January, I called Om and got his voicemail. I did not hear anything for quite a while, until Ena called. She had been picking up messages on Om's cell phone, and called to tell me Om had died just after Christmas, 2009. He had started to feel badly, with a very sore stomach, nausea, and labored breathing. Ena, who was very convincing in her encouragement of us, was unable to convince him to go to Emergency. After three days of this, she went in to check on him first thing in the morning and found he had expired during the night.
We have kept in touch with her, and offered to take her to lunch at an Indian restaurant, Chaat Cafe, across the street from Moscone, after the MRI. Excellent food, by the way; Ena's in-laws are from India and they love this place. Anyhow, she is still having a hard time even now, and had a rough go of it straightening everything out after Om's death. Great to see her, very good food, but it was hard to come away feeling too happy as we hit the bridge.
BUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK, THE NEWS DID NOT IMPROVE
Several months ago I was asked by our pre-transplant coordinator to visit a patient, David, waiting for a heart and kidney on 10 CCU. We of course did so, and found him hesitant and scared about the procedure. Additionally, he had come into UCSF in fairly bad condition, and all of this was a bit hard for him to handle. We spoke with him, gave him some encouragement, and subsequently visited several more times. He seemed to get better, being removed from oxygen and his feeding tube. I dropped over when I was admitted in October, and he had just been told organs were available for transplantation that very day!
Unfortunately, he had an infection and had to be taken off the list for a while. He seemed to decline a bit, and certainly his chances took a steep dive when the one and only heart transplant surgeon, our very own Dr. Hoopes, left for Kentucky with no replacement named. I called at Thanksgiving from Capitola, and not much had changed. He sounded decidedly despondent.
I called again two weeks ago and was told he had been transferred to California Pacific. When I phoned him there, the best the nurse could do was put the receiver up to his ear. I could not hear anything on the line, so I just said my thing, wished him the best, and said we would come by CPMC for a visit. I asked a good friend works there to check in on him for us. She reported she could not locate him. I did not feel very optimistic.
Last Friday, I was able to ascertain from anonymous sources that in fact, David did die the day after I tried to have a conversation with him. Needless to say this was not what we wanted to hear. Cheryl and I both saw David in CCU at UCSF, and I was able to meet his daughter who was to be his caregiver after the transplant. I gave her all our contact info, and said were ready to assist in any way we could. It just wasn't meant to happen for David, however.
AND THE HITS JUST KEEP COMIN'
Though they pale compared to the news noted above, I had a bit of bother that week as well. Friday, I got the results of both my bone density study and the MRI. The verdicts are osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, and some level of spinal stenosis. These are the causes of my chronic back and leg pain. Of course, suddenly two weeks ago, I stopped limping, felt virtually pain-free, and happily abandoned my cane. So the truth, in this case, hurt more than the ailments.
Initially, the treatment plan is more calcium citrate and weight-bearing exercise for the osteoporosis part. An appointment with a spinal neurologist at UCSF will be arranged to address the back bothers. Once again, compared to other, more frightening possibilities, this is just a mild swerve on the ol' Turnpike.
You may assume that all is pain and fear here at Transplant Tribune World Headquarters, but you would be wrong (again!). In fact we have had a pretty good January. To learn the final outcome of what looks to have been a s****y week, though, you will just have to keep an eye out for our next issue. So for now, I remain simply....
Bob/Irv
Remembering my youth once again, it was always a treat to roll through the toll booth and enter the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It meant we were going someplace fun and different for a vacation, and it was unlike the usual roads we travelled in and around Pittsburgh. And boy, it was smooth, gently curving through pretty wooded PA countryside with no billboards, fast food outlets, or ugly roadside buildings. And the best thing were the occasional travel plazas with gas and Howard Johnson's. HoJo's were the sole provider of food an the Turnpike, and being Mosses, it was all about the food wherever we went.
But on the SuperSlab known as the Transplant Turnpike, between the gentle curves and Howard Johnson's there are potholes, bumps, loose gravel and lots of construction delays. No such thing out there as a "Survey Party" either. Of course even when it says that on my favorite freeway, I have yet to see a party in progress, only a guy in an orange vest looking through a telescope at some other guy in an orange vest holding a stick. What the Hell kinda party is that, anyway?
But I digress. Recent miles rolled up on the TT have been anything but pleasant. So let the lament commence.
NICE BUT SAD LUNCH DATE
After my exhilarating Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) session at UCSF/Mission Bay, we had arranged to join our friend Ena for lunch before exiting The City. We met Ena and her husband Om about two years ago at the UCSF Heart and Lung Transplant Support Group. Some of you may recall that when the speaker recognized Om, she exclaimed "Oh, you're the guy with the Ferrari!" We immediately gravitated to them and discovered Om was a recent heart/kidney recipient, and did in fact own a very low-mileage 1989 Ferrari Testarossa. We were invited to their block party that summer, where we met some very nice neighbors. I was also allowed to sit at the wheel of the TR after Om fired it up, and the noise and exhaust blast were intoxicating.
When I was admitted for better or worse to 10 Long last January, I called Om and got his voicemail. I did not hear anything for quite a while, until Ena called. She had been picking up messages on Om's cell phone, and called to tell me Om had died just after Christmas, 2009. He had started to feel badly, with a very sore stomach, nausea, and labored breathing. Ena, who was very convincing in her encouragement of us, was unable to convince him to go to Emergency. After three days of this, she went in to check on him first thing in the morning and found he had expired during the night.
We have kept in touch with her, and offered to take her to lunch at an Indian restaurant, Chaat Cafe, across the street from Moscone, after the MRI. Excellent food, by the way; Ena's in-laws are from India and they love this place. Anyhow, she is still having a hard time even now, and had a rough go of it straightening everything out after Om's death. Great to see her, very good food, but it was hard to come away feeling too happy as we hit the bridge.
BUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK, THE NEWS DID NOT IMPROVE
Several months ago I was asked by our pre-transplant coordinator to visit a patient, David, waiting for a heart and kidney on 10 CCU. We of course did so, and found him hesitant and scared about the procedure. Additionally, he had come into UCSF in fairly bad condition, and all of this was a bit hard for him to handle. We spoke with him, gave him some encouragement, and subsequently visited several more times. He seemed to get better, being removed from oxygen and his feeding tube. I dropped over when I was admitted in October, and he had just been told organs were available for transplantation that very day!
Unfortunately, he had an infection and had to be taken off the list for a while. He seemed to decline a bit, and certainly his chances took a steep dive when the one and only heart transplant surgeon, our very own Dr. Hoopes, left for Kentucky with no replacement named. I called at Thanksgiving from Capitola, and not much had changed. He sounded decidedly despondent.
I called again two weeks ago and was told he had been transferred to California Pacific. When I phoned him there, the best the nurse could do was put the receiver up to his ear. I could not hear anything on the line, so I just said my thing, wished him the best, and said we would come by CPMC for a visit. I asked a good friend works there to check in on him for us. She reported she could not locate him. I did not feel very optimistic.
Last Friday, I was able to ascertain from anonymous sources that in fact, David did die the day after I tried to have a conversation with him. Needless to say this was not what we wanted to hear. Cheryl and I both saw David in CCU at UCSF, and I was able to meet his daughter who was to be his caregiver after the transplant. I gave her all our contact info, and said were ready to assist in any way we could. It just wasn't meant to happen for David, however.
AND THE HITS JUST KEEP COMIN'
Though they pale compared to the news noted above, I had a bit of bother that week as well. Friday, I got the results of both my bone density study and the MRI. The verdicts are osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, and some level of spinal stenosis. These are the causes of my chronic back and leg pain. Of course, suddenly two weeks ago, I stopped limping, felt virtually pain-free, and happily abandoned my cane. So the truth, in this case, hurt more than the ailments.
Initially, the treatment plan is more calcium citrate and weight-bearing exercise for the osteoporosis part. An appointment with a spinal neurologist at UCSF will be arranged to address the back bothers. Once again, compared to other, more frightening possibilities, this is just a mild swerve on the ol' Turnpike.
You may assume that all is pain and fear here at Transplant Tribune World Headquarters, but you would be wrong (again!). In fact we have had a pretty good January. To learn the final outcome of what looks to have been a s****y week, though, you will just have to keep an eye out for our next issue. So for now, I remain simply....
Bob/Irv
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