dagblog - Comments for "ORGAN TRANSPLANTS"

NCD:Perhaps, tonight , I will

chucktrotter — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 03:50:37 +0000

NCD:

Perhaps, tonight , I will go to sleep and not awaken.Although I'm not religious...I tried to live by the "Golden Rule." Do I choose to give advice...I'm far to ignorant to offer wisdom or hope to my fellow beings. I lived my life and got "lucky!"

http://www.ilike.com/artist/Louis+Armstrong/track/What+a+Wonderful+World

Dick:I had to think long and

chucktrotter — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 03:21:10 +0000

In reply to Our friend from Cafe,

Dick:

I had to think long and hard prior to responding to you. First (and most important,) I grieve for whatever struggle that you are confronted with. With luck, both of us will continue to post for years. Each day, I fear death, but my love for the environment that surrounds me masks my insecurities. I have watched loved-ones die, slowly, from various diseases and each event stole a portion of my heart. But, I keep-on keeping on. I smoke and drink...Have no intent to quit. I feel that one's fear of mortality is more damaging than one's acceptance of what they are and the life they choose to live. Now I lay me down to sleep...

God I know, I am so taken by

Richard Day — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 02:02:12 +0000

In reply to Chuck, your heart disease

God I know, I am so taken by Chuck's determination. Anything I say would simply be a cliche. ha

Good points, yes, yes, yes...

Chuck, your heart disease

NCD — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:57:50 +0000

In reply to Ami...What it boiled down to

Chuck, your heart disease made me recall an interview I heard him on NPR over 20 years ago with a man named Norman Cousins. I thought maybe you might benefit from reading the book he wrote linked below, or hearing about his life.

The particular thing about him that stuck in my memory was that, on an examination of his heart in the 1950's, Cousins said he was told death was likely imminent, his life expectancy outlook was very poor, and yet, here he was being interviewed, about 25 years later.

At the initial 'bad news' diagnosis, he had not actually had a heart attack. He did have one in 1980, and died of heart failure in 1990. He also had a long term collagen disease/arthritis dating to the 50's. He worked at the School of Medicine, U of California, so he was not a neophyte to the halls of medicine.

He wrote a book called The Healing Heart. He also worked for the test ban treaty in the 50's and early 60's, received thanks from JFK and Pope Pius XXIII, and among other awards received the UN Medal of Peace in 1971. Wiki Link. Best of luck with your health care, it sounds like you are doing the right things.

From Wiki: ...he did research on the biochemistry of human emotions, which he long believed were the key to human beings’ success in fighting illness......Cousins developed a recovery program incorporating megadoses of Vitamin C, along with a positive attitude, love, faith, hope, and laughter....

Our friend from Cafe,

Richard Day — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 23:17:51 +0000

In reply to Ami...What it boiled down to

Our friend from Cafe, Pseudoants, he was faced with a cancer. So many issues involved. He was a vet but refused vet preference.

He would attempt every damn day to walk. He showed us his course by satelite pictures.

I loved that man, and never met him.

He had such hope, and things would get better for him....

He died in this struggle.

Your comments here bring me back to this struggle.

I have to make a choice myself. I must get up and move every day. Then twice a day. Then three times.

I am uplifted by your statements really. I have been thinking about this. If you are not busy being born you are busy dying.

Long history here with me actually. I have done this before. I despair and then I realize how we must struggle and enjoy the struggle.

Thank you for this, really.

No problem, Chuck. ;-)

quinn esq — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:17:57 +0000

In reply to Ami...Re:Q --Although I hold

No problem, Chuck. ;-)

Ami...Re:Q --Although I hold

chucktrotter — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 04:22:02 +0000

In reply to I probably should respond to

Ami...Re:Q --

Although I hold DD in high esteem, his evaluations of Q's posts leave me in dismay. Is this Q a demented troller? Perhaps DD is more intellectual than I, but I find no humor in Q's posts and consider it a waste of valuable time to peruse them. If you are a good person, Q...don't clutter my posts with your ignorant banter...I promise to not violate your posts.

Thnx

Chuck

Ami...What it boiled down to

chucktrotter — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:52:02 +0000

In reply to How brave of you to ask for

Ami...

What it boiled down to :

Will we get our money

Hearts are rare for transplanting purposes. That means all kinds of testing before you qualify for a transplant.

What are your chances of survivibility? Smoker, drinker, overeater,etc.

I would have ultimately received the testing that I demanded, but that testing was days away. While I was waiting to enroll in the Mayo program, I started trying to go for walks -- each day further and further. The first few times, I actually fell to the ground, exhausted. As time passed I was climbing the bluffs along the Mississippi. It took time, but by the time I arrived at Mayo, I knew that something good had happened. My son, in Naval Medical, initially told me to get out of bed and start exercising. It worked. Had I had the transplant I would have been required to live within a short distance of Mayo and paid for 24-7 nursing care for, at least, 6 months. I could never have afforded that. And 20% of a million bucks is pretty hefty. The transplant would have ruined me. Many people die because they can't afford not to.

I probably should respond to

AmiBlue — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:27:05 +0000

In reply to I have two points here.Yeah,

I probably should respond to Q directly, so I'll let the subject of Q drop for now.

I always enjoy your posts, dday.

I have two points here.Yeah,

Richard Day — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:11:39 +0000

In reply to How brave of you to ask for

I have two points here.

Yeah, all you have to do is watch shows like House and learn from people like Chuck to understand that the doctor on Simpsons is closer to the truth than we would wish.

Oh everything will be okay.

I scanned thousands upon thousands of pages of medical records and protocol (read insurance monies etc..) takes over.

If you are diagnosed with some disease process, for chrissakes get on the internet and learn something about that process as well as the symptoms. Good point.

On the other hand, Q is the single funniest writer I have found on the net. And one of the reasons I come to the net at all is to read his jive. hahahahaha

I told him over two years ago he brings right back to the old Harvard Lampoon.