Update on Dave

My brother heard back from Cedars Sinai and he is the front runner in the transplant race. While we are happy there is a front runner, we were surprised a blood relative (Dave's cousin) wasn't more compatible. Ric has said all along that he will be there for us, God bless him. But he wants to be last resort. Understandable, since he has his life over in Atlanta and is thinking of getting married next year. So, after contacting Cedars again, they are going to let me test for cross matching to Dave. I will be sent all the testing stuff hopefully next week. Ric tested well in 3 out of 6 cross matches, which for a non-sibling is really good! If I test as good or better than him, then I will be Dave's donor. A sibling has a 50% chance of testing well for 5 out of 6 cross matches, and only a twin can be expected to test 6 out of 6. But, since none of Dave's siblings have come forward, we will work with what we have. He still has a high rejection factor that will have to also be worked with prior to the transplant. Please continue the prayers. I am considered a high risk because of some medical history, compounded by the fact I had kidney stones when I was pregnant.

Ahhh...summer

Summer! I am so jazzed that it is finally here. This school year has been so busy for all of us. Both kids need a break, and so does mom! I just love summer…the warm weather, the mornings at the beach, the afternoons in the pool and the endless barbecuing, which has become my favorite way of cooking.

I love being outside, able to enjoy my morning cup of coffee in the crisp morning air; the smell of grass and jasmine still lingering in the air. I enjoy the mocking birds and the occasional blue birds that fly by, singing their morning songs. The wind chimes that so softly make their music in the background with each gentle breeze. The world is clean and new and fresh and pretty. I enjoy all of this before anyone else in the family gets up. It’s my summer-morning ritual. It’s a great way to begin the day. Ahhhh…..summer!

Sugery went well.... AND Had a bad scare!

Dave had his minor surgery yesterday, and everything went well. We were able to talk the anesthesiologist into using twilight sleep instead of general, so the recovery was pretty quick.

OK, now for the big scare! It doesn't involve Dave...no, this time it involves my son Joe. Joe's philosophy in life, at the tender age of almost-6, is that it's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

Yesterday while he was playing outside in the back, he climbed up on the slide /platform that we have against the back wall. (note: this location was bad, and I knew it....). We have a nice, elderly lady who is our next door neighbor, who Joey has taken to calling "grandma". Everyday she tends to her roses, and most days Joe sits on the platform and talks to her....non-stop, until she goes back inside. (Picture Denis the Menace and Mr. Wilson). Well, yesterday while I was in the kitchen and watching Joe and making dinner (multi-tasking like most moms), I look out and he's gone. Gone! Within seconds of my last glancing at him, I couldn't find him outside.

I then heard a whimpering coming from...yes, you guessed it..."grandma's" yard. He scaled our 10 foot fence and fell or jumped into her yard. I couldn't climb the slide quickly enough before my mind imagined him with two broken legs or a bleeding head wound! Thank God she doesn't have a dog! I got up to the platform and looked over to find him standing up, no blood, with a little tear in his eye, saying, "Mom, can I come home?"

The way our yards are situated, her yard is about two feet lower than ours, and ALL concrete: hence the fear of a gaping head wound! But there he stood, totally (Thank you God ) unscathed, and bare foot!! I couldn't reach him, so I told him to go to the back door and knock. He did, and scared poor "grandma" almost to death! "What are you doing there!?!" was all she could say!

Joey did get home. He is fine. This has renewed my belief in guardian angles! I'm sure Joe has a few, who work around the clock! All I know is that I am going to need to start talking to my hairstylist about color, very soon!!

No News

We have received so many emails this week from people asking for updates. Thanks for the concern! Sadly, there is nothing new this week. I talked to the people heading up the organ donation department at Cedars, and they are still waiting to hear back from the immunology department. I guess there was some mild rejection noted between Dave and his cousin, so they have passed the results onto Immunology to see if the anti-rejection therapy could solve the rejection factor. Still waiting....

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll update as soon as we have a direction.