I am a neglectful so and so these days, aren't I? My only excuse of late is that our beloved Sarah was on vacation with her family in Alaska for 10 days and consequently boys 2 + me had loads and loads of alone time. We spent good portions of our days at the park and it seems as if the rest of our time was spent up on the hill at appointments for Maximus, though I think that is a gross exaggeration.
The truth is, I've been cooking dinner a great deal, trying to keep my house in order (only mildly successfully, I might add) and generally just messing around.
Sunday Moose, boys2 and I took a much needed and way overdue trip to costco, followed by traipsing around the neighborhood all afternoon. The intent of the traipsing was to visit an "urban farmer's market" I heard about that was set up at 43rd and Hawthorne. I had high hopes for this market, founded on the premise of selling produce from "urban farmers", meaning those of us who grow food inside the city. However, it was tiny and I do mean TINY, as in 2 booths total. I think this is a new idea and hopefully it will expand over time. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything for sale that I don't already grow myself, so we did a quick 'fly-by' that lasted all of about 30 seconds.
The most important thing that occurred on Sunday was our trip past Joe-Bike on Hawthorne, where I saw a bike I have been coveting for what seems like forever. It is the coolest thing I have ever seen and I've been wondering where in the hell people get them from for ages now. The one I want is located here: The Joe-Bike: Cargo-Bike. It's outrageously expensive, but is marketed towards people who really want to get rid of their car and utilize a bike as their only means of transportation.
It appeals to me because I do all of our grocery shopping on foot with our stroller. I've really been wanting a bike that would allow me to haul boys2 + groceries and this is it. I was thinking it was way outside my price range until Moose suggested the idea of selling my beloved Vespa and using the proceeds to purchase the bike.
Ahhh my vespa... I did so adore you. However, I haven't ridden you since the early days of my pregnancy with Prince Rowan and with boys2, I just don't have the opportunity to do so any more. You will forgive me, won't you... if I put you up on the auction block in favor of a 'family vehicle'? I can't see spending money to insure you when I haven't ridden you in two years, and in truth... I let the insurance lapse when Max was getting his transplant. Shh... don't tell anyone.
The other big excitement brewing in our lives right now is that I got confirmation that we are going to kidney camp July 24th - 26th. I've been hearing about this damn camp since chronic kidney disease became the focus of our lives with Max's birth. However, kids are not eligible to go until they are either on dialysis or have been transplanted. This would have been our first summer to go even if we hadn't been transplanted.
It's an opportunity to get to know and hang out with other kids and families dealing with the same things we are, as well as our doctors and healthcare team. It was iffy on whether or not Max would be cleared to go because he is so newly transplanted, but they have ok'd it and if you knew how many times we've been asked if we were going by everyone since June 8th, you would be astounded.
We'll be staying in a cabin for the weekend and this will be our only opportunity to do any kind of camping until maybe late August. The only reason why Max can go now is because all of our healthcare team will be there, as well. You couldn't ask for a safer environment to be out in the woods.
So .. in a week and a half, we'll be surrounded by tranplant and dialysis kids. I'm so excited I could pee my pants... honestly.
I've been asked a number of times recently about Max's donor and what we know about them, so I thought I would post a little about what happens when you receive a deceased donor kidney. The truth is that right now, we know next to nothing about the donor. The only thing we were able to ascertain from his doctor was that the donor was young (early 20's). We don't know gender, location or the circumstances of their passing.
Recpients are allowed and encouraged to write the donor's family to thank them and to let them know about the recipient's life, circumstances, how receiving the organ has changed their lives, etc. We will do this and I already have the letter simmering around in my mind. Once we have written the letter, which can only contain first names and no location or any other type of identifying information, we give it to our transplant coordinator.
The coordinator gives it to UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing), who oversees and coordinates all organ donations in the US. UNOS contacts the donor's family and asks if they would like to receive our letter. It is entirely in their court, though our coordinator tells us that familes usually really want to receive these letters. They can decide to respond and let us know about their loved one, if they so desire and again, our coordinator tells us they are more apt to do this with recipients as young as Max because it makes them feel really good that a baby was helped by their loved one's passing.
I have no idea if we will ever learn any information about Max's donor, though I sincerely hope we will. I think of that person and their family daily and thank god for their amazing gift.
They've truly donated, not just an organ, but life to our Emperor... and to us.
