If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way - Buddha (563 BC - 483 BC)
Last post before I go to my parents and wait for the call that my bed is ready.
Lone Star Circle of Life Bike Tour
Local Events: Houston
Day 1:
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Houston Kick Off Event
The Lone Star Circle of Life team will kick off the 2009 tour in Houston on Saturday, October 3. The local event will be held at the new LifeGift facility at 2510 Westridge, Houston, 77054. The team will arrive at LifeGift at 8:30 a.m. to meet their honorees and tell about why they are riding in the 2009 Lone Star Circle of Life Bike Tour, then the riders will introduce the person they are honoring. Following the reception, the team will leave for College Station, officially kicking off the 2009 tour.
Information about blood, tissue and organ donation will be available on-site and a drive for the National Marrow Donor Program Registry will be held. More information about the event will be posted as it becomes available.
Event Coordinator
For more information, contact:
Anne Marie Cervenka
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center
1400 La Concha Lane
Houston, TX 77054
Phone: 713-791-6697
Day Riders
Denise Van Kuiken – “I am fortunate to work for LifeGift. Every day in my work I see incredible people, who, in their time of grief can still think of others and say “YES” to organ and tissue donation. I ride in honor of them and the people they have saved!”
Kimberly Davis – “As a Managing Director at LifeGift, I've worked to further organ and tissue donation in southeast Texas for the past 20 years. I so enjoyed the two times I've ridden before and I'd be very proud to do so again.”
Beatrice Hodgson – “I want to ride to raise awareness on organ and tissue donation.”
Steve Marucci – “I’m involved with Organ and Tissue donation on a daily basis. I lead teams in the recovery of organs and tissues for transplantation in addition to educating the public on the uses and needs for donation.”
Jessica Leibold - Jessica rides because she believes in organ and tissue donation as a gift.
Ken Cole - Ken rides to support donation.
Basil Housewright – The tour title honoree, Brian Brasseaux, was a friend and his family continue to be my family’s friends. His widow Christine is a running coach of our local marathon training group. Her strength to persevere inspire us all. I am a cancer survivor, diagnosed with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1999. I run marathons and have completed four MS-150 rides. I love riding and am honored to be a day rider with the team.
Roger Contreras – Blood and Marrow Recipient
At age 40, Roger Contreras couldn’t have felt in better condition. He was working as a plumbing superintendent taking on projects left and right. One day as he took a “break” from work to finish up tasks around the yard, he felt something that would forever change his life. He was taking out the trash, when his knees buckled, he began breathing hard and feeling dizzy.
After several tests, doctors informed Roger that everything he was experiencing was being caused by a disease known as Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a disease in which the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells. The diagnosis devastated Roger and his family as they knew the journey to finding a cure that would require a bone marrow transplant, would be a long one.
As Roger underwent numerous chemotherapy treatments and received more than 200 units of blood, he began journaling his experience and using social media networks in hopes that someone would listen. His blog, www.ihavemds.com, has received attention from several potential donors and even other patients hoping to find their life-saving match.
While he finally won his battle and received his bone marrow transplant in March of 2009, he continues spreading the word to be able to save others battles in the future.
This should be pretty interesting and all are invited to come out.
Making plans for a return admission to MD Anderson
My doctor is concerned about my liver and has scheduled a biopsy. Sugar levels have increased to diabetic levels and that will be checked as well. Chances are the steroids are raising those levels. The unspoken scare is the threat of graft versus host disease, this is worse case scenario. Just when you think you are out "they pull you back in."
It has now been six months since my transplant so if there are going to be complications this is when they appear. Hopefully it is all the work of an overactive imagination and lack of a good nights sleep, but I have to wonder. Ponder really, what have I done with those 180 days, half of which were spent in the hospital or daily outpatient visits.
It seems as though I have just been existing. I can not work and take daily naps, I have given up hope on a social life because my personal life is in such disarray. The drugs have played some effect mentally, but now I have noticed physical signs. The color of my skin has darkened without being in the sun. I have a mild case of acne that I have not seen since I wore parachute pants with a Members Only jacket.
There are days when I am driving and wearing boots that I feel I should be on a jobsite, producing. This cancer, this nightmare has turned me into a medication nightmare. New ones are added while some are put on hold, but I keep following orders to the disagreement of my insides. My family continues to support me even though I keep them at a distance.
Next month I have a birthday. The day before I will be hosting a blood drive at the Gabby's on Telephone Road. I am asking for donors to take time out to come and donate, it will give me the opportunity to see some old friends and family that I have missed over the months. Please take the time to sign up.
My daugher is developing into a young woman with a life of her own. The struggle to help her while my hands are tied tug at my heart. She should not have to worry about me. I should be able to support her, neither of which are happening as planned. The roller coaster ride that has become my life is no longer filled with peaks, it is as if each valley is followed by one that plunges me even deeper. With no end in site, it continues to taunt me with good days. Making me believe I am normal. On days my outward appearance is such, but it may be due to the pain killers and anxiety meds.
As I sit here and look towards my future the season premiere of "Greys Anatomy" is airing. I would change the channel or better yet, throw the remote at the screen. I don't have the fight to do either. There has been enough medical drama in my life to last several lifetimes and I do not need to see more on television. They are broaching the subject of organ donorship, this has been asked of me but I do not know if there will be anything of value when this ride ends.
Rick Perry & Rudy Guilliani on television together?
I am out of bed and in in a recliner at 10:00 am. I had a few hours sleep but night mares kept me restless through the night. I have had these before but this is the first time I can feel myself dreaming and force myself to wake up to make it stop. This will be my first full day on the new meds, my hope is that I can get through a book "Roadside Crosses" by Jefferey Deaver without too much excitement to my insides.
This book is fairly new I met the author when he was in Houston at Murder by the Book. Its protagonist is driven by remarks he has read on a local blog. He was the driver in a fatal car accident where two female passengers did not survive and he did. Some believe has has gotten away with murder because he survived but he was not under the influence and it was a dangerous California road. His community keeps the story alive on a blog that drives him over the edge. I am a few chapters in and am already hooked.
It feels good to open this laptop and see that I have new comments and feedback. The sun is still too strong for me to stay out too long so I spend many hours inside and on this laptop. Your prayers and well wishes are much appreciated.
Two four letter words a transplant patient does not want to hear
Next week will make it six months to the day since I received the stem cells of my sister. The first five months and three weeks went according to plan. Somewhere along the way something went wrong and it was detected today. My sleep only comes with sedatives, the pains of my body can only be eased by a plethora of medications. But I still felt I was well, I was out of the woods. I was no longer a cancer patient. I believed myself a survivor. Today I was sucker punched in the gut. Literally, now to see what is going wrong. I am fortunate enough to still be under the care of my doctor at MD Anderson. I am still again a patient.
I stopped writing and worse, reading about this disease because I thought I beat it. The fight is not over we are only entering into the next round.
Me and my little one
My sleep patterns have ceased to exist. I took 6 Ambien CR to get me through the night so that I might wake up at 10 a.m. so that I may begin to get my days and nights together. I need to get back out there, earn a living. Empty pockets are no ones friends. My goal for today is to make it until nightfall without the need for a nap. Maybe two jogs around the neighborhood.
Baby Steps
a black knhight
So, all I can do now is keep my nose clean and hopr ai can help my daughter. I have evn bee called anti-social. If I ever needed help, it is now when i am am mental lowesest
Today is Tuesday
That lawn mower is what started this whole thing. One day I was done with work early and came to help my cousin around the house and I felt so weak. I was being punched in the stomach
It has been a while since I have updated my blog
My condition had greatly improved, hair on my head is beginning to come in, this time next week willl be time for a fade cut. I think I have the sleeping pattern down, I just take all my meds at night with a sleeping pill and hope the good Lord wakes me should I have to go to the facilities. So far there have been minimal accidents.
I do not want to nap during the day, I would rather try & read. I had a bite to eat and a drink with my daughter whom is now happily back at work.
This is all to have to say right now, just wanted to keep you posted
New York Times censors a letter to President Obama
You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.
You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.
You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America, and culturally you are not an American.
You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.
You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.
You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.
You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail.
You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America' crowd and deliver this message abroad.
You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.
You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.
You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.
You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.
You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.
You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals.
You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.
You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.
You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.
You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.
You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.
Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.
Lou Pritchett
No phone
I have lost my phone since Wednesday, so I have not purposely been avoiding anyone. I do not plan on replacing it, no good came of it. You can always reach me by email at txplumber@gmail.com
Saturday night at 9:40 p.m. think I will take my night medicenes and call it a day.