A friend of mine posted an interesting blog entry today. So often we focus on the bad news. It’s what they talk about on the news, it’s what so many people think about and dwell on. Connie made some good points in her post as she often does. I posted a comment, but I wanted to share it here because it really got me thinking, it’s about my sister.

I’ve mentioned a number of times on here that she’s donating her kidney to my dad. (It seems, however, that I forget to mention it to some people close to me, though, sorry to them.) She and I were talking about some of the comments she hears when she tells people she’s donating her kidney to our dad. “I don’t know if I could do it” being a very common one. That baffles me. How could you NOT do it? If someone you love greatly needed an organ that you could give them why wouldn’t you do it?

Did you know that one out of 750 people live normal productive lives with only one kidney? Did you know that recipients of a living donor kidney have a longer life expectancy than recipients of a non-living donor kidney? Did you know that the average waiting time for a kidney is 1,121 days? Don’t get me wrong, I know there are many reasons why someone might not be able to be a living donor. For medical reasons I couldn’t donate one of my kidneys to my dad. But, you can donate when you don’t need your organs any more.

To find out what you legally have to do to make the commitment to donate your organs take a look at the Donate Life America commitment page.

Do I feel strongly about this? Yes! My dad is alive today because some family donated life 13 years ago. My dad has three beautiful grandchildren that he gets to see each day because a family decided to not let their loved ones death be in vain.

And, you want to hear some good news? My sister is giving our father one of her kidneys so that he can watch his grandson grow up. My sister didn’t say “I don’t know if I can do that” but is willing to miss a few weeks of being able to hold her three year old son so his grandpa can hold him for years to come. My sister has decided that these statistics aren’t acceptable and is making a difference.

• Almost 100,000 men, women and children currently need life-saving organ transplants.
• An average of 18 people die each day from the lack of available organs for transplant.
• In 2005, there were 7,593 deceased organ donors and 6,895 living organ donors resulting in 28,108 organ transplants.

My best friend’s mom never got to meet her granddaughter because the waiting list for a lung was too long. (The average waiting time for a lung is 1,068 days.) When my dad was in the hospital once after his transplant I watched his roommate die because he couldn’t get a liver. (The average waiting time for a liver is 796 days.) Is this sad? Is this scary? Yes. But, it’s also very real.

Friend’s, find out what you have to do to be an organ and tissue donor.

That’s my dad and my sister, and as she put it “from here on out, a part of me will always be with him “

Till later…I have to go fill out my Idaho Donor Registration.

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So, you might have forgotten that I told you I’d share the funny thing that happened last Friday when I was at my parents. But, I didn’t and you’ll love this story. It’s HILARIOUS! LOL

First, just a quick update on the surgery. It was scheduled for 9/25 but they had to change it to 9/27. My sister is only an 8 point match (0ut of 10) so my dad has to have some infusions prior to the surgery. Because of that they had to postpone the surgery for two days. Two days isn’t bad. Luckily, they postponed the benefit concert until later in the year so I’ll probably fly to CA the Saturday before surgery.

OK, so here’s the funny story…

Friday my mom and I took the three kids (3 1/2, 3, and 8 months) to McDonalds for lunch. We didn’t have enough car seats at the house so we walked over and my dad drove to join us. It’s not that far but on the way home I realized it was a little too far for the two older kids who were really dragging. I walked with them and my mom pushed the stroller with the little guy. We split up and the kids and I took a slightly longer route that was off the street so they could ramble at their own pace without fear of cars.

At 1:20 (I remember because I had to get home and get my dad to drive him to dialysis to be there at 1:30) we were almost in front of my parents neighbors house when I heard a motorcycle rev in his driveway. I stood at the end of his driveway and watched as “he” got on the motorcycle and watched the kids to make sure they weren’t in his way. I knew the neighbor would be careful about watching them but it’s habit.

As I was watching him get the motorcycle ready to leave I thought it strange that he was home at 1:20 and it even crossed my mind that it was weird that his truck wasn’t in the drive. But, whatever. (My parents live in a mobile home park and there’s no parking on the street and parking is very limited.) So, he drove off and he seemed a little smaller than normal. And, yes, I did think about all this as I was watching him leave.

I got my dad to dialysis and went back to my parents. My brother and mom ran an errand and I had the three kids. The little guy was sleeping so I put the older two in their swim suits and took them outside to play in the sprinklers. They wanted to go to the pool (and man were they begging for all they were worth LOL) but I can’t take three non-swimmers (one who was asleep) to the pool by myself.

We were out front when the neighbor and his fiancee came over to ask if I’d been outside much that day. “Yes.” Then they asked if I saw two guys ride off on his motorcycle. “Uh, no, just one”. Can I just tell you what a complete and total moron/loser/idiot I felt like at that precise moment in time? Yeah, the big “L” was on my forehead. Just then the police arrived so they left. Minutes later my mom and brother showed up and I told them what an idiot I felt like. In which my mom replies “I saw that kid who always comes over get on his motorcycle and take off. I didn’t think anything of it because he’s over there all the time.” So, my mom went down to talk to the police.

Of course I had to get the rest of the story. So, I went down too. The neighbor drove his motorcycle to work a few days earlier and new there were 40 miles on it. Earlier that week he noticed 300 miles on it and I guess his riding jackets were hanging different on their hooks. Then, he got some cash and put it in a drawer. A day or so later went in the drawer and it wasn’t there. Couldn’t remember where he’d spent it. The next day his fiancee asked where something from their fridge went and neither of them knew. The next day his fiancee couldn’t find her camera. So, Thursday night the wrote down the mileage on the bike and sure enough when he got home there were more miles on it. When he went in the house the laptop was open to a myspace page (not either of theirs), his cologne was missing, and an open can of pop was on the counter. (And you thought I was a loser for not saying something when someone rode off on the bike. LOL)

A while later the police came to our door asking if my mom would identify the kid. His parents had brought him over to the neighbors to find out what was going on. My mom and I took the kids for a walk and she confirmed it was him. As we were getting back to our house we heard the explosion “That’s my *&%$&$# watch, he has my *&%$&$# watch!”. Can you believe the audacity of that kid? He goes with mom and dad to confront the guy who’s house he’s been breaking into, the man who has been trying to be a positive influence on him, the guy who’s befriended him wearing the watch he STOLE from him.

Needless to say the kid (I say kid, he’s 15) went to jail. I’m interested in hearing more of this story. My brother thinks it’s the most hilarious (in a sad, crazy way) thing he’s ever heard of. (Don’t worry — we don’t think it’s funny that our neighbors and friends got their house broken into, this kids stupidity is hilarious.)

Oh, wait I almost forgot. The kid put so many miles on the bike that he had to put gas in it. Yeah, he “stole” the bike but gassed it up for him. And, he was sure to return it each evening before they got home from work and put it exactly where they found it. But, I can say he was safe…he borrowed the helmet and riding jacket too so he’d be safe.

Please tell me you can see some humor in this.

Till later…

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So, Thursday saw me up at 5AM (ugh) getting ready to leave for the airport. My brother and I flew to California with his two kids. The kids really were good on the plane — the baby cried a bit but it really wasn’t bad. After landing, getting our luggage (which took FOREVER), and getting the rental car we drove to my parents. My sister, mom, and nephew met us on the road and we drove to my dad’s work. The two oldest grandkids walked around the building and surprised him. It took him a couple minutes for it to sink in, but he was really happy to see us.

We went to lunch where we informed him that my friend from Southern California was coming up Friday night and that on Saturday we were going to the beach to have lunch with my sister and some of her friends. He was excited. We had a great time just hanging out Thursday and Friday.

Friday we got the call from the transplant coordinator that the date was for sure (it was a penciled in thing before). Friday afternoon we had something funny happen — but I’ll post that separately because it deserves it’s own post. LOL

Saturday we got up and got ready for the beach. We packed into two cars and headed over. We couldn’t believe he still had NO clue. When we pulled in we saw a family from church (they were there for the party). They tried to hide from my dad but weren’t successful. He thought it a funny coincidence that they were there. We got everything unloaded — even with 200 hot dog buns and the mounds of food we unloaded he still had no clue. LOL

My dad asked why our friends weren’t joining us for our BBQ. (Didn’t bother him to just invite another family to join our family picnic.) At 2:00 (when the party was supposed to start) they joined us and their daughter gave my dad a birthday card. That confused him, this family are friends but not so close that they’d naturally bring him a birthday card and show up at the beach with us. After reading it he asked my sister “how many people are coming?” My sister smiled and said “about a hundred”. He was very surprised and emotional. The timing for telling him was perfect. He had time for it to sink in before people started arriving and he was able to greet them all and enjoy the party.

The party was awesome. In all we had 120 people there (including the family). My dad was very humbled by the amount of people that drove that far (it’s an hour drive from their house over a windy road) to celebrate his birthday with him. He had some people drive as far as 400 miles to be there with him.

We were all exhausted by the time we got home. Unfortunately I had to be up 6AM the next morning to head back to the airport to fly home. Needless to say, when I got home I fell asleep on the couch at 3. Feeling very rested today. Just having trouble getting caught up on e-mails and getting real work started.

Till later…

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Seriously, you can’t tell a soul. LOL I’m so excited, though, I have to share. I haven’t been able to share until today because certain people who need to remain in the dark read this. But, I’ve confirmed they won’t read anything between now and when the secret will be revealed so I can share it now.

Tomorrow at 5:30AM (don’t laugh) I’m leaving for the airport with my brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew. My sister-in-law is heading off to a bachelorette party with her friends in southern California. About the same time my brother, the kids and I are getting on a plane to go surprise my dad. Everyone else knows we’re coming but he doesn’t.

He’s going to be so surprised and so excited. I swear he’s been calling me once, sometimes twice or more a day lately asking when I’m coming to visit. I keep telling him not until the surgery.

There’s also another secret…it’s even bigger, though. (I can share this one because I know he won’t be reading my blog when all his grandkids are at the house LOL.) Saturday, we’re going to the beach where about 100 of my dad’s friends are joining us to surprise him with a birthday/celebration party. His birthday is Monday but we just want to celebrate him and the excitement of his surgery with those that are closest to him. It’s not a big thing — just hot dogs and s’mores over a bonfire. But, I know it will be a great day for him.

My dad’s a pretty awesome guy. I know, you think I’m biased, but he really is a great guy. He deserves this surprise. It’s going to be a fun weekend.

Till later…

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We have a tentative surgery date of Tuesday, September 24. The transplant team will review everything Friday and approved that date but it looks like surgery will take place then.

I’ll know more later, and will definitely share.

Till later….

P.S. I feel a little guilty — I’m sharing this with you and my dad doesn’t even know yet!! He’s in dialysis right now and my sister doesn’t want someone else giving him the news.

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This song was just on the radio, I think it’s hilarious so I had to find the video. OMG, the video will make you laugh out loud (at least if you have a weird sense of humor like I do).

Till later…

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