One Year Traveling That Transplant Turnpike

PLEASE STOP FOR A MINUTE

I am incredibly glad to have reached this major milestone. But my joy is tempered by thoughts of one truly integral part of why I am at this point. And that part is my donor and his family. I still know very little about them, but I do decidedly know that this one-year anniversary is, for them, much different than it is for me and all who have followed our journey. I think of them constantly, but never more than now. I know how we feel when we reach those dates that mark losses we have had, and I know it has to be remarkably difficult for them right now. So, if you would, please give a thought for them as you help me to appreciate what I am so lucky to have. Thanks.

NORMALCY IS RATHER NICE

At the risk of jinxing a good thing, I have to say we are rather enjoying a run of, well, of nothing for a change. By this I mean nothing medical. Labs have been very good, so no medication changes in quite some time. The frequency of my lab visits is now monthly, down from weekly, and that is a real treat. My wonderful transplant team have become partial strangers since communication is only periodic, and I have not called them, they call me! And it's always positive nooz to boot.

I am still a major fan of my phlebotomists, coordinators, physicians and all of the talented people who have helped to get me here. But unlike some other recipients (who I will not mention), I do not need attention and admiration from my health care providers to sustain me. Sure, it is great when I do visit UCSF, which will continue more infrequently as time goes on. But, what the Hell, I gotta life outside of the transplant world! I continue to look forward to participation in transplant-related activities through our volunteerism, but let us all enjoy what we have hoped for all this long time. Viva Normalcy!

BEACH BLANKET BABYLON IS BANANAS!

Due to the incredible generosity of The Dinner Gang, Cheryl was presented two tickets to see this continually-amazing show ("no birthday gifts please" to the contrary notwithstanding) after our monthly meal for February. Dinner was scheduled at Capp's Corner, conveniently located about 40 feet from Club Fugazzi. After a traditional Italian meal, we made our way that 40 feet to the line awaiting admission to BBB.

The only negative note was that (once again) a health situation conspired to squash our enjoyment. That situation was an unexpected relapse of my back/leg condition that reduced me to painful hobbling with my cane, Carl. Like Mr. Foley before him, Carl the Cane is an unwelcome but necessary guest. At least he is of a much better and more comfortable disposition than Mr. F. was.

I must thank The Gang for not only the show, but for rallying to my aid as I foolishly attempted to be Mr. Machismo and make believe I was OK. Even the gracious Club person taking our tickets joined Cheryl in preventing me from stoopidly starting up the stairs to our balcony seats. Several times, Gang members ("Dinner Gangsters"?) caught my stumbles or carried my stuff. These are the folks who have showed up at many different outbreaks of the Heart Health Hijinks, and the support and affection they have illustrated to us all these years is truly overwhelming. Thanks you guys and girls, you ROCK!

CALL ME THE GROOVY GOOFY GADGET GUY OF COMPANY "G"

Well, you don't really have to call me that, you can call me "Six Gee" and that would be fine. Just don't call me "Late to Dinner", ha ha! But, why the Hell am I now "Six Gee" if I am not a rap singer? It is 'cuz I now have more gadgets hanging off of me than my nerdy friend Jerry back in high school. Jerry had a belt-mounted slide rule, a pen holster, a tissue dispenser, and one of those change-making thingies around his Pillsbury Dough Boy midsection. If there had been calculators or cell phones in 1965, he woulda had those too.

Alright, I don't have THAT many. But in addition to my original little parasitic friend, my trusty insulin pump (no name assigned), I now am the proud host organism of a Dexcom System Seven Plus Continuous Glucose Monitor. This handy apparatus takes my blood sugar from a tiny probe under my skin, converts it to an electrical signal and sends it to a receiver I wear, yes, on my belt. The receiver displays a blood sugar reading every five minutes, and an arrow indicating if my glucose level is steady, rising or declining. If it is rising or falling faster than the predetermined rates, it warns me with vibrations and beeps in increasing intensity. When I tell it I am taking care of the situation, it is happy and goes back to its normal program, which as we all know is already in progress. Amazing is the only description of this high-tech item, and it should go along way in preventing those very scary super lows I have unfortunately had.

Luckily, I can carry the receiver in a pocket instead of on my belt, but that too can be controversial ("Hey, Bob/Irv, is that a Dexcom System Seven receiver in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"). So I try to stick it in a jacket pocket to avoid unnecessarily embarrassing situations. When I do hang it belt-ways, I feel like The Lone Ranger with twin six-shooters, and guns too. If you catch my meaning, if you get my drift.

THE ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

I do plan to enjoy a couple of excellent observations of this day. Cheryl and I will pick up our Shelby GT 350 in San Jose today at the new HQ of my "old" car-share, Club Sportiva. I no longer can afford to be a member (two grand just to hang around the clubhouse!?!) but they do have a sale on daily rentals at half price for poor stiffs like us. I originally reserved a BMW M3, but just yesterday I was informed it was in the body shop following an "incident". Ouch. Some jerk is out a buncha $$$ on that one.

I was offered a choice of replacements (alas, the brand-new Ferrari 458 Italia was not one of them), and I chose a 2008 Shelby GT 350. This is a Mustang modified by a boyhood hero, Carroll Shelby, who some may remember from a previous post as a racing driver who retired due to chronic heart disease. He went on to concoct the Shelby Cobra as well as Carroll Shelby's Chili, and in fact received both a heart and a kidney transplant later in life. Moreover, in college I foolishly reveled in my ownership of a 1966 GT 350, regrettably relinquished after nine months due to no $$$ and the onset of diabetes.

We will travel to Santa Cruz and the Dream Inn, there to savor the many attractions of The Cruz. Perhaps some tasty and healthful food will be carefully consumed, and some sights seen. Always fun in that area, and a bit nostalgic owing to my short but memorable stint at The Old Santa Cruz Railway, part of the long-shuttered Big Yellow House madness.

Upon our return to Reality, CA after surrendering the Shelby, we will join several Chaw family members to mark our milestone over some skillfully-prepared marine life at the Walnut Creek Yacht Club. No yachts, of course, but some kick-ass seafood and oysters for my mochatunum, and, OK, you too LuckyMan. And that's a good thing.

A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT: LIFESTYLE Rx CARDIAC REHAB

I have been a client of the cardiac rehabilitation program at ValleyCare's LifeStyle Rx campus here in Santa Livermonica for nearly six years now. And it's a 12-week session! By all rights, I should have overstayed my welcome in 2006, but like the cat, I just come back the very next day ("they thought he was a goner"). The nurses and therapists there are intensely concerned about all their "flock", and have stuck with me through many adventures. I keep going due to their talented stewardship of my exercise regimen and their genuine concern for my well-being.

I found an envelope on my chart Monday containing a most lovely congratulatory card on my achievement of one year post-transplant. It was signed by the staff and several of the current patients in my session. Amazingly, a signer was one of my fellow rehabees (izzat a word?), Livermore resident Fred, who also received a heart and kidney at UCSF. Talk about a shared experience!

I must make a special point to express my gratitude to Laura, Tina, Kyle, Jed, Annette, Eileen, Sony, Anne and all the past and present staff at LifeStyle for their extraordinary care, concern, and support for these many years. You guys are the best!

AND, SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT.....BUT OH YEAH, ONE MORE THING

I know it is repetitive as s**t, but I just gotta give it up for Cheryl, all my family, my incredible friends, and all of the health care providers who got me through five crappy years. And again, the amazing generosity of my donor and his family, whoever and wherever they may be. My gratitude to all is bountiful and eternal.

Bob/Irv