The new chapter

Well if this is a new chapter in my life it sure is starting out boring. The local hospital is small and they had to send some of the blood work off to another lab as they don't have the equipment to do it with, also some of their equipment was down so it took until Wednesday to get their part done. My numbers looked good and Baylor had no changes to make. I wondered how it was on Tuesday morning @the Baylor lab, missed it too. Mike Cooper called this afternoon, I was out in the yard working, Donna talked to him and he said he didn't know anyone @ lab or clinic and most of the people were unfriendly. There was just something about the group (extended family) that clicked, the clinic was always abuzz with talk and when the nurse called a name most often she had to call it twice or someone who wasn't talking at the time would give you a nod or a nudge and say your up. I guess that happens now & then but not always. That is the reason Mike called today, he missed the family too. I think Donna is going to email everyone and say hi and see how everyone is doing. I'll post if I hear something worth posting. Tomorrow (Friday) is my birthday and my first day back to work. Wish me luck. Thanks again for the support and prayers.
Love always Mikey & Donna

Free at last , Free at last

Well the day has arrived, and I am really released and just like I said last week it is kinda sad. I am happy on the other hand that I don't have to go back and that I can go to work next week. Mike Malouff said that it's the end of one chapter in my life and the beginning of a new one. Everybody looked pretty good on Tuesday, Mike Gunter has been sick due to the chemo. Mike Malouff had a bit of a scare, his numbers were off a little so the Dr. made a change and wanted him to stay another day to do labs again. It turned out OK for Mike and he was on a plane by noon the next day. I saw Judy come out of the clinic but didn't talk to her, she had to go do a biopsy and I am not sure how that came out. I didn't see or hear from Mike Cooper or some of the others so I am hoping they are OK. Chuck Jones has CMV, I'm not sure what it is, but he looked good and seemed to be feeling OK. I don't know if I will keep up this blog much longer, I still have to do lab work weekly but I won't be going to a clinic. I will however keep up with my family and hopefully report on their release when it happens. that's about it for this week.
Love as always Mikey & Donna

Post Card from My Donor

Here ya go Marla and anyone else whom might be interested. I wish my scanner worked so I could just scan this card, oh well I need to cleanse my soul with another cry.

The front of the card says "Every sunrise is proof that God is still in the miracle business." The pic is an unfocused sun coming up over a wheat field, with only 2 heads of wheat in focus. The card reads as follows:
Hi-
Thank you for your letter. You can't know how much it means to me and Jim's family. His name was Jim. He was married and had 5 children, 10 grandchildren and last August , we had a great- grandson added to the family.
He was one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. He never knew a stranger. My sister used to say Jim was only guy that could walk into a room knowing nobody and leave having four or five best friends.At his funeral, so many people spoke of how he always helped them with a joke and a smile, that was his way.
he also loved animals. Any animal. We have 6 cats at home in the house. We also have 3 feral cats outside that call our yard their home. At our shop, we have 2 inside cats and 3 outside. So you see we really like the idea that you have cats also.
I like the idea that you are trying to quit smoking. As a birthday present to me in 1991, Jim quit smoking after 45 yrs. I do believe that it added years to his life. I hope it does the same for you.
Thanks again for your letter. Jim always said that when he was done, they could have any part of him that would help others. Treasure his liver and know that we are glad a physical part of him still lives. Were still pretty lost! We miss him! Kiss your people and cherish each day!
Jim's Family

Next to Last Tuesday

I'm running out of titles. This was a good Tuesday, my clinic went real well. Dr. Chinnakotla aka
Dr. C said the way to fix my problem with low white blood count was to use the same hormone that the kidney produces that helps produce white blood cells. That sounds plausible (seems like everything they say sounds plausible) so he had me get a shot of this hormone. The Guinea Pig Syndrome, different doctor different diagnosis, try this and see if it works if not we try something else. Dr. C also told me I will be released next Tuesday (YAHOO) and I will be released to go back to work on June 1st (YAHOO). Special note to Skeetercaster in Florida, yes I do want to go back to work and no I don't have a fever or feel sick. LOL. All the extended family were in good shape and most of us are on the count down to once a week and or release. That makes me happy and a little sad, I really have enjoyed the interactions and relationships that Donna & I have built with these people and now we won't see each other once a week anymore and if any of you are reading this " I Love you guy's and will miss you very much". I will however keep in contact and hopefully see some of you now & then. Thats about it for this week love always.
Mike & Donna

Bad Tuesday

Well Donna got the rest of the pics posted and emailed. I went back to Dallas for lab, clinic & chemo and I went by myself, that sounds like a receipt for trouble don't it. Donna was working and I flew down Monday evening and stayed with Dick Grantham no problem. I did the lab then went to breakfast with Mike & Patti then to support group. I only saw a few people in the group but everyone was doing good, the pastor informed us he was leaving Baylor and going to Duke University Medical Center as a pastor supervisor. Duke is in South Carolina but he said the college was a plus with his children and there was probably more money involved, Oh well we all thanked him for his prayers & support and his 10 years at Baylor, I'm sure he will be missed. Dr. Sanchez was in clinic and he informed me I was anemic & dehydrated, and he wanted me to go get a blood transfusion (2 units). I had Donna on speaker phone on my cell so she wouldn't miss my report, I am obviously not inquisitive enough to ask enough questions. I had to check into the hospital and it took a while then I was sent the 6 Roberts ( oncology) which really didn't mean anything to me and by the time I got paperwork done ( Donna not being there I had to fill out paper work all by myself,and I got it done before the nurse got her work done) and the nurse got some blood it was 4:00 pm and it took 3 hrs to infuse it, then the next one came at shift change time, more delays. The 2nd unit got started at 8:00 and took 3 hrs. They decided it would be cruel to kick me out at shush an hour so they admitted me. The next morning (today) I started to panic when no one came to get blood and was told there was no orders to do so, I couldn't leave because there was no discharge orders, if I walk out the insurance company may or may not be liable for my stay, now it's about 8:00 and I'm getting mad and the staff seems to not be understanding me. I had verbal orders to be at lab by 7:00 and when he got results he would call me and tell me if I could come home or not. The Dr. didn't know I was in the hospital and he took his sweet time about returning the phone calls from the nurses that I was yelling at, I had gotten dressed and was walking out....... it finally got resolved they drew some blood and I apologized to everyone that I yelled at and maybe left in good standings. The transfusion did exactly what he wanted it to do and he called me and said go home. Here is the really cool thing that happened in clinic, one of the nurses came into the exam room with my copies of the lab work then another one came in and said here is something special and handed me an envelope with a sheet of paper folded over it. The paper was type written letter saying here is a card from the Donner family, I got a chill up my spine and said something to Donna on the cell about it then the coordinator came in and we dropped that to see what my blood work looked like. I decided to wait till I got home to open the card so Donna could be there and we could share, aw how sweet, ya ya I know. She called me about 8:00 ish or so and said "What did that card say"? she talked me into reading it over the phone and we both cried, I am undecided as to whether or not I will post it here. The family only told me his first name and a little about him. Let me think about it before I decide, it might be more personal than my prostate exam. LOL
Love always Mike & Donna

Kidney Specialist

Well Wednesday Donna & I were in Amarillo looking for bedding plants when we got a call from Baylor Medical Center asking if we could be at the Nephrologists (kidney specialists) in the morning @8:00, well we decided to do it now and maybe get something done by the 15th of May which will be my last clinic. He did a urine test and then looked @ all the other labs from Tuesday and will confer with Dr. Randall about changing meds, but he didn't seem in a real big hurry about it. I guess I'll see what is said in clinic next Tuesday. I am getting sick of the Drive to Dallas and back already, shesh. Next week I get to fly, that will be much better and much quicker. This was a fast trip I went to bed @8:00pm and got up @1:00am and drove all the way, got to Dallas @6:45 or so and had breakfast and was @ the Dr. office @8:00. We were back home @4:45pm and we stoped and bought a load of bedding plants on the way home. Well that's it till Tuesday.
Love Mikey & Donna

1/2 Way Through 3rd month

Today was half way through the 3rd month and the clinic went pretty good, Dr. Randall was my Dr. and he wanted me to see a kidney specialist because my creatin level is still too high. I will have to wait on an appointment. I did a glofil test, drink iodine then get a shot of something I can't remember what he called it then drink 48 oz of liquid of choice within an hour. That was just the start of the test. I alternated from drinking 2 cups of liquid (tea) and having blood drawn then emptying my bladder, we did this 3 times. The purpose is to get an accurate account of what the kidney's are doing. This set us back several hrs so we canceled the chemo. Dr. Randall had said he thought my breathing problem was altitude related, we found out the altitude in Pampa is 3600 ft and Dallas is 500 ft. that is quite a difference and could just take getting reaclimated to. Sounds plausible to me. Donna & I had dinner with Patti & Mike as soon as we got to Dallas Monday evening then got lost going back to our motel, LOL, we did find our way so it wasn't that bad of an experience. We didn't see that many "family" members but the ones we saw were doing fine, Brother Bill had a huge smile on his face so I knew he felt good inside and out. Word was that Mike Cooper wasn't looking too good but that's all we got and we don't have a phone # to call them or an address at Twice Blessed House to go see him & DeAnn. I will try to contact him next week. That's it for another week. Donna didn't sleep well last nite and is exhausted, so she went right to bed after putting my meds together and believe me that's a chore. Thanks for your prayers & support. Love always Mike & Donna

Going Home

Yesterday was the first once a week Tuesday and the clinic was good. Dr Randall was there and decided to take me off of rapamune and put me on cell cept. We are hoping that this helps my shortness of breath problem. We had breakfast with Mike & Patty after labs, it was good to see Patty again, they were both a little apprehensive about the clinic because every clinic Mike has gone to they have found something wrong and sent him to the hospital. Mike got a good report today and no hospital, YAHOO. Mike Cooper wasn't feeling good and we aren't sure what came of his Dr. visit, will have to e mail them and see. Norman is still in the hospital, "14 Roberts" for some reason he can't get his O2 level up, the pneumonia is almost gone but still low O2, will say a prayer fro him & Mike Cooper. We got back home to Pampa @7:30 and had a party with the family & some close friends, lots of hugs & kisses. The cats all remembered us and were all as glad to see us as we were to see them. I still didn't sleep even in my own bed,and my shortness of breath is worse here than in Dallas, will see if the removal of the rapamune will fix that or not. That's about it till next week. Thanks again to all for support & prayers.
Love Mike & Donna

Here They Are

Well I have talked about several of these people and have referred to them as our extended family, here they are. I feel like without them this experience would have been much harder on Donna & I. They made me want to get up on Tuesday's & Friday's and gave those day's more meaning than just going to see the doctor and see if I was healthy or not. I also had someone else to worry about also when one of them got sick or had some complication, that gave Donna & I a purpose for the day to check on that person and give them some love & support and to me it is as important to give those things as it is to receive them. Donna & I will always remember and love you guy's and hopefully you will have fond memories of us too. Oh by the way all the transplant patients were men except Lea & Judy, there was also a lady named Janet but I don't have her pic. There are a couple of others and due to circumstances I don't have access to their pics yet, Donna was going to wait till we got home to add them, I post them then, sorry.Well I guess that's about enough mush, till tomorrow and our first once a week clinic.
Love always Mike & Donna

20th Annual Reunion

Well yesterday was a nice luncheon sponsored by Lively Livers. There were lots of people there, those of us who are weeks post transplant to those that are years post transplant. We were all liver transplants and so we all had that common thread. The 20th Annual Reunion was Heart & Lung, Kidney & Pancreas, Livers, Blood & Marrow, Children's Medical Center & Baylor All Saints Liver, Kidney & Pancreas all together and it was really great. Good food about 40% of our extended family and just a beautiful day & location. Donna & I stayed about 3 hrs and ate twice took pics chatted and just had fun, also got lots of free stuff regarding transplants & organ donation. Mike Malouff showed up and ate and socialized then had to go watch his horse run, probably with his buddy Tony. Well that's' about it, just another special day with special people.
Love always Mike & Donna