How has my life changed?

Posted on August 17, 2019 by dfolstad58

I received a kidney transplant April 24, 2019

The terrific readers who regularly read my post already know I received a miracle this year on April 24, in the form of kidney transplant from a living donor. My living donor was only available to me because a personal friend of mine agreed to donate a kidney if someone else who was a match for me donated to me. It’s called a shared donor program and I believe half of kidney transplants in British Columbia are living donors and most are shared donor exchanges similar to mine.

Mine was actually a type called a Closed Chain.

Closed Chain
A closed chain, is similar to a paired exchange, except there are more pairs included and the donor of the last pair donates to the transplant candidate of the first pair.

There is so much to tell about why my finding a donor was a miracle, but I want to inform you what a difference that gift has made to me and my family and friends.

In the last decade my health seeped away slowly as my previous transplant waned, and eventually was rejected and stopped working. That kidney transplant was an amazing gift also in July 1987 from a deceased donor. We are so grateful to have had that transplant for 31 years !

When your health diminishes at a slow rate, you keep functioning and working harder to do your job, enjoy your off time, support your family and be normal. Like a tree in a forest, you can be too close to see the changes but others do as they are more objective.

2018 I started dialysis of my blood 3 times a week

In 2018 in the autumn, due to end stage kidney failure I accepted I could go on no longer without succumbing to dialysis (cleaning of my blood via a machine) three times a week, about 4.5 hours each visit. Afterwards I felt better than before, but I had a very restricted diet, and nearly no fluids from food or orally in between to make the process possible. No fluids hardly is because kidney failure means no urine and fluids have to pulled out in the dialysis process and only so much can be withdrawn in four hours via your blood during hemodialysis. Not a picnic, but it’s not meant to be, it’s meant to keep you alive.

Click here for youtube interview of me on dialysis.

People are dying on dialysis daily as they wait

Statistics are different due to population differences between Canada and the USA however matchingdonors.com states that daily 22 people die in the USA waiting for a kidney transplant, most waiting 7 – 9 years.

The statistic would be similar for waiting times in Canada but fewer people daily, according to kidney.ca;
There are over 4,500 people waiting for an organ donation in Canada. Sadly, about 260 of those people waiting for a transplant will die every year, that’s about five deaths per week, or one death about every 30 hours that could be saved if they had a viable donor.

My transplant gives me so much

I apologize for this longer post, suffice to say my life has changed – it has been given back.

  • I have more clarity of thought,
  • I have better health,
  • I have more time away from hospitals and doctors,
  • I have the opportunity now to travel,
  • I expect a longer life expectancy (remember people waiting on dialysis often succumb after 8 years, some even finding life too difficult and choosing to go off dialysis and basically dying in 7 to 14 days in hospice).

I have my life back, thanks to doctors, nurses, surgeons, all able to be set in motion because my friend agreed to be a living donor.

It’s a process, and many are willing but are unable to do so but if you want to learn more, go to Considering Living Kidney Donation.

Posted in FAVORITE POSTS - A Few of them ♥, health, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

If I only had a brain! or Wizard of Oz Day

Posted on August 15, 2019 by dfolstad58

Start a conversation with this opening statement; If I Only Had A Brain !

Bound to cause a pause, we have all had moments when we asked ourselves what was I thinking? Lock the keys in the car? Put the milk away in the cupboard?

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An IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN moment below of mine.

I am about 44 years past a moment when I asked myself “What were you thinking?” I went to Vancouver Technical school for part of my high school years in East Vancouver, BC.

The school was a series of buildings probably built at different times so often you walked outside in between classes to go to your next class. I remember being alone, walking to another building.

As students were apt to do, we would sometimes tap from behind in a sideways motion the back foot of the student ahead of us, to trip them. (It was juvenile, but so were we and usually it didn’t work) The dumb part is next; I decided to practice tripping on myself. (insert loud Duh here!)

I managed to wrap one ankle behind the other and fall quite hard, dropping all my books. The worst part I lay there looking around and was worried some one had seen me trip Myself! – how DUMB must have that looked! Fortunately I was alone, but the potential embarrassment still makes me grin.

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wiz-of-oz_scarecrow

Speaking of needing a brain – Today is the anniversary of the movie Wizard of Oz premiering in Hollywood, August 15, 1939.

World War II for Europe began September 1, 1939 when Germany invaded Poland in an unprovoked attack; the United States joined the fight after Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941.

Just to put a mood on the release of this movie, the world everywhere was thinking deeper thoughts not long after release, and along came a funny movie with a message of hope.

The song, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, was a huge hit at the time but really took on new meaning to the Jewish people, and others during the Holocaust in Europe.

The quote below is from the link in BLUE above –

The song was first published in 1939, at a time when the Jews in Europe were coming under increased hostility.

Their freedoms were being taken away, their identity being dragged through the dirt, and many of them were feeling isolated. They were trapped, unable to “fly”.

The song is about hope, that the bad times will one day be over. It is this feeling of hope within the song that we can all relate to and it is hope that helped the Jewish people through the Holocaust.

The movie Wizard of Oz was expected to be a big success, and MGM spent about three million on the budget, about 55 million in 2019 dollars.

An unusual movie in many respects including dwarfs as actors, but it’s huge success surprised everyone as it was embraced during the war years. More than a billion people have seen this classic movie starring Judy Garland.

Movie Quotes – that may make you nod.
If you like movie quotes, and great lines in songs, this movie has it all 🙂

Dorothy: How can you talk, if you haven’t got a brain?
The Scarecrow: I don’t know. But, some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t they?

Wisdom from a scarecrow?

If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard.
Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right? – Dorothy

Definitely deeper, but I think it means that happiness is a choice.

I have observed travelling some very happy content people, whose material wealth was limited but it did not constrain their ability to be happy.

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If I Only Had A Brain – (the lyrics if you care to sing 🙂 )

I could while away the hours
Conferring’ with the flowers,
Consulting with the rain;
And my head I’d be a scratchin’
While my thoughts are busy hatchin’
If I only had a brain.
I’d unravel ev’ry riddle
for every individual
In trouble or in pain
With the thoughts that you’ll be thinkin’
You could be another Lincoln
If you only had a brain.
Oh, I, could tell you why
The oceans near the shore
I could think of things I’d never
Thunk before,
And then I’d sit,
And think some more!

This is a cute little song, easy to memorize, and will bring a smile to you inside and out, as it always does to me when I sing it.
Wishing you today, the brains of a scarecrow, the courage of a lion, the heart of a tin man and the insights of youth. Thanks for visiting.

Posted in Just being creative, music related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Messages without Sound

Posted on August 14, 2019 by dfolstad58

I was thinking about how easy  we can communicate the wrong meaning in a situation and cause miscommunication without meaning to.

Even non-verbally we communicate differently  all over the world. Indians bow and say Namaste as Greetings. In the middle East – greetings is Salaam and the person touches their heart, forehead, and up & outward.  In Canada, we nod to acknowledge strangers and shake hands or share a hug with close friends and relatives. Tibetan tribesman say hello by sticking their tongues out and some East African tribes spit at each other.

In North America whistling is a sign of approval, such as at a performance or sporting event. But in Europe, whistling means the opposite. Whistling means disapproval and derision such as when the fans dislike a referee call.

In the situation of entering a crowded aisle of seated people such as a theatre, in North America we usually slide along facing forward and our backsides face the people who are letting us into the aisle. In the Soviet Union and in some European countries this would be rude, you should enter the aisle and slide along facing the people.

When travelling, if we want to know the local practice, we should watch others. Waving our hands back and forth, Beckoning palm up with the index finger, the “ok” sign with thumb and finger, even V for victory if done wrong mean drastically different things around the world and the wrong gesture can result in an insult!

The best gesture is internationally understood, and is good for us because it releases endorphins.

Feel free to use it freely, driving, walking, and use it often and this is of course, the smile.  How easy, and as a bonus it exercises all those facial muscles!  Exercise them now!

 

 

 

 

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People are amazing

Posted on August 11, 2019 by dfolstad58

I succumbed early last light to sleep when it beckoned so when 5:30 arrived, I was rested and I knew blessed rain had visited while I  slept as I saw rain gushing along the curbs to the storm sewers during the night when I woke up.

I love the air after it rains, and needed no more prompting to leave early and forgo my email in favour of the smell of the atmosphere freshly scrubbed. Plus it was a lovely 16 degrees, perfect for riding.

2014-09-11 17.21.06

It rained almost exclusively at night the first year I moved here that I thought that Penticton had invented a weather machine, rain for the plants at night, and hot beach weather and sunshine all day. Paradise!

Today I approached Skaha Lake expecting to find it nearly deserted at 6 a.m. instead I found it curiously busy with cars everywhere and people toting kayaks. As I was on bike, I sidled up to the beachwalk easily and the answer was obvious from the sign.

On the beach was a starting line and a sign Skahalakeultraswim.com.

These athletes are amazing!

The swimmers swim the length of Skaha lake (11 kilometres) with a swim escort in a kayak or a stand up paddleboard and it takes hours!

at 6 still setting up
more kayaks arriving at 6
from race website
from race website

I remember I  had a buddy who trained with me for a couple years at the pool until we could each swim the 50 lengths of the pool for a kilometre. I thought it would never happen, but he pushed me to be disciplined, and swim regularly. Then one day it happened and I swam 60 lengths in 20 minutes. I was slow but steady, the real athletes would tap me on the feet and then pass like dolphins.

I can’t imagine how much training it takes to swim a lake, it’s more difficult than in a pool by leaps because of waves and having to lift your head to check direction.

I admire people who are disciplined and push themselves to achieve. It can be fun or educational: tennis, yoga, wood-working, running,  cycling, skiing (water and snow), snowboarding, learning new skills, and even new languages.

  It takes discipline, and sometimes a buddy to achieve what you never knew you could, and tenacity.  They inspire me when I stop at something, to start again.

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Blue skies, observations and inspiration

Posted on August 8, 2019 by dfolstad58

I will eventually head out for a bike ride, but this morning I decided to enjoy my backyard peace and quiet first, and of course my email. (it was quiet too until my neighbor fired up his lawnmower, oy vey, he’ll eventually finish)

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Skaha Lake, early before the rush

Skies are blue, and it will be in mid 30’s again today, which is an encouragement to take a dip in Skaha lake.

Yesterday my son was sitting back here and he observed a visitor we rarely catch sight of – racoons! A Momma and four young’uns had climbed our plum tree and he got video! The Momma rose up on her hind legs probably to warn him not to get close, and he wisely stayed back. Fairly quickly she decided it was time to go (they’ll be back) and she called the kids down. They zipped down and they exited with style, single file along the top of the backyard fence, Momma and three little ones, and one tardy one finally sidling along to follow his Momma.

I have observed now several days in a row, a deer slurping through my neighbor’s apricots, she took the low ones she could get by standing on her hind legs and now she is eating the ground falls. The juice squirts out her mouth but I am sure she enjoys the extra fluids in the heat. (sorry no pics as I have observed her on my bike rides)

This morning’s inspiration came from another blogger, the homeplaceweb.com click here. She had on her blog – a song of the day by Nat King Cole- Roll Out Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer.

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Red Velvet Sunflowers in front of my garage

I suppose as I listened,I was inspired to enjoy the waning days of summer, sure it is hot now but we get all seasons here so I best enjoy this one while I still can.

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
Just fill your basket full of sandwiches and weenies
Then lock the house up, now you’re set
And on the beach you’ll see the girls in their bikinis
As cute as ever but they never get ’em wet
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
You’ll wish that summer could always be here

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Lastly, for anyone interested, here is the blog post about my first date, now 40 years ago! – Love at First Bite or Falling off a Dock in the bay.

Thank you everyone for all the comments recently, I am really feeling the joy. I am feeling better now than I have for more than ten years, thanks to my amazing donor and my kidney transplant four months ago on April 24. Big change from being on dialysis – see my hospital video about dialysis here.

Wishes of lemonade and ice cream to you! – David

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Just Standing There – Part 5

Posted on August 7, 2019 by dfolstad58

Mary and Alan both had a wonderful time at their first “date“, meeting at the old Sicamous, which is a cargo stern wheeler that used to ply the lakes before roads were built.

Successful, a little clumsy at first, each trying to be casual and relaxed but each excited and nervous as Neil Armstrong before exiting the capsule.

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S.S. Sicamous

Alan wasn’t aware his nervousness was only being outdone, and outfelt by Mary’s. Each of them unaware of the other’s tense breathing.

Alan didn’t know how to greet Mary at the outset, they were just standing there so he settled on a big smile, and then they were off strolling the boardwalk along the lake, talking music, sharing little stories and tidbits (they couldn’t remember what they talked about later) and it all blurred to Alan when Mary slid her arm into the crook of Alan’s as they glided along.

That little change, changed everything. Soon their breathing and steps synchronized, talking lapses became comfortable and a linked contentedness fell over them like a blanket. Relaxed smiles on their faces in the diminishing daylight.

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Hours later, after walking, chatting on a bench, soaking up the last of the sunset, they separated. But now they had somehow crossed over a barrier and although they hadn’t kissed yet, Alan was too nervous, it was now an eventuality to each.

Mary walked away, and Alan was left standing there – Mary turned after a few steps, threw him a huge smile and a wiggly finger wave and each wandered away with their own happy thoughts.

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Walking along the next day looking at the classic cars that were assembled for admiration, Alan was lost in thought. He was thinking about Mary, and he was remembering how his parents just celebrated 40 years from their first date on August 6th.

The story was infamous, of course, along with the many stories his parents shared.

Alan’s favorite was how his Dad chased a Greyhound bus down a highway one week before the wedding in his gutless Honda, eventually passing the bus on a corner to pull the bus over, astonishing the driver, just so he could steal his soon to be wife from the passengers, .

But the first date story was cute too, the first “date” being a planned non-date on a dock as both were going water skiing on the river with the skiing club. Awaiting her turn and always a thinker, his Mom wandered away constantly on the dock to see if his Dad was going to look for her or talk to the other girls on the dock.

Alan’s Dad didn’t fail the test, he sought her out relentlessly, but had his own test for her, and he cornered her on the edge of the dock and leaned her out over the water. She pleaded for reprieve, so in an instant he pulled her in to see her relax and then pushed her out – watching her splash in!

2014-03-08 09.00.19

After just six months

Alan’s Mom passed the test when she came up laughing, and had to chase her floating clogs. After he helped her out of the water and onto the dock, Alan’s parents became inseparable, marrying only six months later, to them it seemed no gamble.

Alan wanted what they had, and thought of Mary, as he mentally saluted his parents.

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Mary, meanwhile, was sitting in the summer shade, nursing lime and ice water and thinking of you know who, daydreaming a little.

Something in her heart had changed, but she was afraid to label it, afraid she could jinx it.

The song “I Will” by The Beatles was playing – the lyrics were pronounced to her and added more remembrances of her date with Alan.

Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we’re together
Love you when we’re apart
And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
Oh, you know I will
I will

Thanks for reading, I added this next chapter at the prompting of a special amazing friend. Comments and suggestions are welcome as I explore the story of Alan and Mary.

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