Happy 7th Anniversary!!

(This post is for anyone who still happens to be following this blog, or for anyone who stumbles across it while searching for stories of people who have gone through a kidney transplant.)
Today is our 7-year T-Day (Transplant Day) Anniversary!  As I type this, my parents are setting sail on a river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam.  This is their second European river cruise in less than a year!  To say that my mom is doing great and living life to its fullest would be an understatement.  Her granddaughter Jade, who brought so much light to my mom's life during her year of dialysis, is now 8 years old and continues to be the center of both my parents' lives.

Other than a bad bout with shingles last year (a result of her suppressed immune system), my mom has maintained good health, and that kidney is still doing its job!  My remaining kidney also continues to function great.  It doesn't seem to be the least bit lonely in there ;)

On this anniversary day, I perused our old blog posts and was reminded of many details of the whole experience that had slipped into the recesses of my memory.  However, the over-arching theme that still resonates in our lives today is a profound gratitude for the friends and family who were (and still are!) in our lives and supported us through the weeks and months surrounding the transplant surgery.  And also, we continue to be so grateful for the good folks at Stanford Hospital!

While life hasn't always been perfect or easy these past seven years, none of us take good health for granted anymore!  I thank God, our family, our friends, medical professionals, and the scientists who make daily advances in kidney research for giving us the blessing of health that we are still enjoying today.

Look for another post a year from now!  It's safe to figure that no news is good news!

Joan

 (Pete and Addie in Budapest - 7/14/16)

(The Pedersens in the bounce house at Jade's 8th birthday party - 6/11/16)

To Life . . . with gratitude and happiness

I’ve just completed my 3 months transplant journey with all kinds of good news from my doctors. The most critical period after transplant is behind me and I only have to go to Stanford once a month for the next nine months.

Pete and I made our longest driving trip since my surgery – we went to Las Vegas for a few days. Now that I know I can sit for so many hours we’re hoping for a plane trip next.

Joan just returned from her trip to Vancouver Island to see her friend from high school and her three god children.

I am so grateful to all my doctors, nurses, and the entire kidney transplant team at Stanford for their wonderful care. I am also grateful to the local doctors, nurses, and the SLO Dialysis Center team for keeping me in good health in order to have a successful transplant and recovery. To all my family members, friends, business associates, and some people I have never met who have sustained me with prayers, cards, email, flowers, and all types of positive support I am forever grateful. Without Joan who showed me her greatest love by giving me one of her kidneys, I would not have been able to make this wonderful journey. I can once again live an active normal life and I feel blessed.

The best way for me to sum up my last three months is to express how happy I am and what happiness has been for me.

Happiness is…

• Feeling better and stronger each day after my transplant
• Supported and surrounded by wonderful, positive family, friends, and medical team
• Spending quality time with our grand daughter Jade and watching her grow (I love her smiles.)
• Blessed with two loving daughters who have been there for us throughout my recovery and all the time (We’re so fortunate to have them live close by.)
• To have the wonderful team of doctors, nurses, and staff at Stanford who have helped me from three years ago until now and many more years to come (What a dedicated group of people.)
• For the wonderful service at the Marriott Residence Inn at Los Altos (We highly recommend them.)
• To have Pete by my side 24/7 these past months from before surgery until now (bringing me food, literally carrying everything when I couldn't, taking walks with me, and staying positive throughout my ups and downs during recovery, and taking me to all my hospital appointments, and driving me to see places in our motor home.

• My office associates and Joy stepping up and “holding down the fort” in my absence, dealing with all the challenges of the business.
• My sister and cousin who stayed at our house and took over the care of our mom in the nursing home.
• Last but not least, for Joan being my donor and suffered for a month after her surgery in order to give me a functioning kidney and a new life, I’m forever grateful!

My list can go on and on, but just a glimpse of why I’ve been happy and positive throughout this journey. Happiness, according to some studies, may help us live longer and healthier and has a positive effect on our immune system. The World Health Organization considers depression the leading cause of disability for women of all ages and projects that by 2020 it will rank as the number two cause of global disability after heart disease. So, in a nutshell, “Don’t worry, be happy!”

Here are some tips for being positive and happy:
• Exercise or stay active
• Listen to your body and eat a healthy diet
• Be grateful for what you have, who you are and the people you enjoy
• Reach out and touch some one in a positive way no matter how small
• Work hard, play hard

Happiness is also getting back into my regular clothes again. My weight had fluctuated 30 pounds in the last three years due to diets and dialysis from my renal failure and I’ve gone through three wardrobes. What a wonderful feeling to be “normal” again.

I was listening to Barbara Streisand’s song “Here’s to Life.” This is what she said about her song:

“Here’s to life …

speaks to the idea that
no matter what you’ve
experienced in life, joy as
well as pain, it’s all a gift.
Being alive and still
wanting more…more love,
compassion, understanding,
giving…more experiences.
I think of all the roads
yet to be traveled … ‘I still
believe in chasing dreams
and placing bets.’”

I share her philosophy about life, and you might too. So . . . Here’s to life to all of you and me!

Addie

No news is good news (from Joan)

Hello everyone!

My mom has been bugging me about posting something on our blog. She says it's been a long time since I updated everyone on how I was doing. Well, I'm glad to say that I'm doing very well. We both had a check-up at Stanford last Monday and passed with flying colors. My mom has another appointment in two weeks and then we both don't go back until January! I think she is busy planning a long-awaited trip during that time that she's free from appointments.

I'm pretty much back to life-as-usual. Still working back into the stamina of my gym workouts, but day-to-day life is back on track. The only kidney-related bad news is that my 17 year old cat, Bart, died last month of kidney failure. He was a great cat and a wonderful companion and is very greatly missed. (Apparently, according to my vet, they actually do feline kidney transplants, but I think that was a bit extreme for such an old cat!)

I'm making my first post-transplant trip this month. I'll be visiting my friend Holley and her family on Vancouver Island in Canada. I'm looking forward to some chilly fall weather!

Happy fall to everyone! Hope you are all enjoying this season of abundance and thankfulness.

God Bless!

Joan

A Week of Celebrations

Pete is back from a trip to Colorado Springs to celebrate his sister's 60th birthday. The rest of us stayed home to celebrate my mother's 89th birthday. I'm celebrating my going back to work a few hours a day and getting back to the "swing of things." It's good to see everyone.

It was nice to have a two-month vacation even under the circumstance. Pete and I have never spent so much time together day in and out. It's good to know that we enjoy each other's company even under the situation - "in sickness or in health." Guess we will survive our retirement years when I decide to "hang up my hat."

I mentioned in my last blog that I was catching up on paying bills. I am thankful that most of those bills had nothing to do with my medical expenses. Thank goodness for our good health insurance. Based on my personal experience starting over three years ago when I was diagnosed with renal failure, my medical bills had increased drastically. I would have had to pay about $500/day for over a year for my home dialysis supplies and equipment if I didn't have good insurance coverage. Some of my meds cost up to $600 per month but because of my co-pay through my insurance I was able to take them as prescribed, sometimes having to change meds due to side effects. One of the anti-viral pills I am taking (thank goodness I won't need it after October 15!) would have cost me $60 a pill without insurance. How can we afford such high medical expenses and prescription drug costs if it hadn't been for the health insurance we have? I haven't seen the bills from Stanford Hospital and can't imagine the figures on those bills. All I've heard is if it hasn't been for my insurance coverage my immuno-supressant meds which most likely I will have to take for life could run into thousands of dollars per year. The question remains "how much health care reform do we need in this country?" I can only speak for myself as to where I'd be if it hadn't been for my insurance coverage. So far, I have the peace of mind knowing that as long as I pay my premium, the insurance company can not cancel me. One never knows when your health can take a turn in your life. If and when it happens, it affects you and your family emotionally, physically and financially. I've been fortunate that I have a wonderful family and many friends who have been there for me and continue to do so. We have been blessed with very few illnesses in our family and never had to face what some people go through in their lives. I have greater compassion for those who try to overcome their health issues, some long term, some terminal, some with pain and suffering, some with complications from meds, some with major depression, etc. etc. As much as I have great support and could continue to work, the last three years were a challenge in different ways. I've learned to become a more positive, compassionate, tolerant, disciplined, and hopefully patient person. I've grown in ways I never knew I could. I've learned to appreciate people and things I sometimes took for granted. I've learned to look at the bigger picture in life and value the special moments of each day.

Joan and I will have our last follow-up appointments at Stanford Hospital next week. We both hope to get "flying colors" reports from our doctors. Joan has been working full time for the last month taking care of the office. Not only did she give me her kidney, she came home to take care of many things for my business and at home while I was in Palo Alto. How lucky I am!

I'm glad Joan and Joy live so close by and we get to see little Jade several times a week. With the Cal Poly students back on campus this week, Joy is keeping busy at work. SLO is "alive" again.

So life goes on and my 3rd phase of recovery will soon be behind me. Pete has helped me so much with his 24/7 care-giving, driving, cooking, and his amazing patience during my recovery. Yes, I am blessed and that calls for the biggest celebration!

What are you celebrating this week?

Addie

My Bosom Buddy

We've just returned from Stanford (3 appointments in two hours, including the removal of the stent from my ureter which was placed during the transplant). We managed to get some walking in by visiting IKEA and even had open-faced sandwich and Swedish meatballs for lunch there.

I'm glad to be home again and will be going in to my office for the first time in two months starting with a few hours each day and eventually full time by October.

On Friday after work Joan had the office associates over in her home for a TGIF. Pete made pizza and baked cookies and Joan gave a nice buffet as usual. It was good to see everyone and to do a little catching up and visiting. That's when I decided I'm ready to go back and face my work.

I was pleasantly surprised by a visit from my cousin from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, whom I haven't seen for over 40 years and his son from Sydney, Australia whom I've never met. My brother Baru drove them and they stayed with us for two days (our first house guests since our coming home). We enjoyed their visit and hope to visit them when we're ready to travel again.

I've had a bosom buddy for the last two months since I was discharged from the hospital. Like the heart patients who get a red heart-shaped pillow, I received a baby blue one instead. My initial reaction was what would I do with it? Little did I know that this pillow would become my bosom buddy and I've carried it day and night from the car to the couch and to my bed. It serves as a cushion between the seat belt and my abdominal area when traveling in the car or motor home. I use it to rest my arms and as a prop wherever needed. It's like having a teddy bear all over again. It's amazing how something so insignificant has become my constant companion all these weeks.

Pete and I have enjoyed cooking at home and going on walks a couple times a day. I am allowed to carry over 10 lbs. now so I can pick up and hold little Jade again. It's also nice to be able to drive. It's great just to feel good and not have to do my dialysis every day and nine hours every night. Just imagine how much more time I have now to just do as I wish.

I'm slowly getting around to "thank you" notes, returning phone calls, paying bills, and seeing a few people as opportunity presents itself. I hope to catch up with more of you as time dictates. It's still wonderful to hear from those of you who have kept in touch. Your thoughts and friendship are always appreciated.

Stay healthy and live each day to the fullest!

Until my next blog,

Addie

Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home. We came home on Tuesday and have been busy unpacking and getting back to the routines of "normal living." It was nice to come home to a clean house (thanks to my friend and faithful cleaning lady, Frauke, who also did double duty in our absence visiting Mom at the nursing home every day). Everyone did a fabulous job keeping the house, plants, and garden in good shape. We've been harvesting our vegetables, and have been enjoying our organic produce. I felt so much better the very day I came home - all my pain is gone and its nice to be able to bend down, take two walks a day, cook, sleep on my sides instead of just on my back, and finally drove myself to get a hair cut.

It was so exciting to see little Jade and she was so happy to see us. What a precious moment when she reached out her arms to me and wouldn't stop hugging me, putting her head on my shoulder and looking at my face now and then to make sure I'm really here. What pure joy! She was happy just to sit next to Grandma and to find all her toys and books she hasn't seen for a while. That smile of hers always warms our hearts.

With the exception of the meds schedule (my meds have been lessened to 2/3 of what they were) and having to rest now and then throughout the day I feel like I might be able to work at the office on a limited basis soon. We'll see! I do have two more triips to Stanford this month for follow-ups.

We've been enjoying the garden, home cooking and even got to see "The Producers" yesterday at Clark Center. Frauke made a ratatouille from our eggplants from the garden plus a fresh peach pie and came by Friday evening to have pizza that Pete made. Life is pretty good as long as we don't have any more heat waves. Pete is out on his bike, enjoying his gardening, has done some planting, and will resume at the gym and volunteering at the botanical garden.

The Central Coast is definitely the best place to live. We enjoyed the Los Altos/ Palo Alto area but as soon as we saw the Pacific Ocean and no traffic we know we've come back to "Paradise."

It's the little things in life that sometimes make such a difference. I'm counting my blessings and grateful to be back to home, sweet home.

Cheers!

Addie

We had been looking forward to meeting Joan, Joy, and Jade in Monterey last Sunday, but little Jade came down with hand, foot and mouth illness which she picked up at the day care center. This is a viral infection mainly affecting children under 10 but very contagious. Pete and I ended up visiting the Hakone Gardens and estate in Saratoga, originally built in 1915 by San Francisco philanthropists Oliver and Isabel Stine as a mountainside family retreat on 18 acres. In 1966, the city of Saratoga purchased Hakone and it's currently operated by the Hakone Foundation. Hakone is the oldest Japanese estate garden and Asian Retreat Center in the Western Hemisphere. This hill and pond style garden emphasizes the harmonious placement of plants, stones, and water, with steps and terraces ending with a moon viewing house on top overlooking the garden and koi pond in the middle. Hakone was one of the major film sites for the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha." We ended our visit with a picnic on the lower terrace. Such a serene and tranquil way to spend part of our Sunday.

We had an enjoyable visit to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco on Tuesday. It was impressive and state of the art, and beautiful. All the exhibits and shows were featured in such a way you can take your time and enjoy them leisurely. We especially enjoyed the planetarium show and going up to the the living roof where the entire roof tops are covered with plants and solar panels, not mentioning the view. Needless to say, Pete had to wheelchair me around most of the time. What an experience!

My sister, cousin, and brother and his family came to visit us on Wednesday on their way to San Fransisco. My niece took all of us old folks to a Chinese dinner and treated us to Peking duck, crispy crabs, whole fish in sweet and sour sauce, etc. We then walked over to the used books store and we all ended up with all kinds of books. My sister-in-law, Doreen, got the best deal - 10 books for $5. Then my cousin Sophia treated us to Cold Stone ice cream on our walk home. My sister bought us all kinds of vegetables from our home garden - tomatoes, corn, green beans, and strawberries. It was a fun time for all!

Thursday, Pete and I took the motor home to Thousand Trails at Yosemite Lake and planned to spend some time at Yosemite area for a couple of days. It was perfect the day we arrived - excellent weather, beautiful campground with all the conveniences, and a stream running on one side of the campground. Unfortunately, there was a fire that was actually a controlled burn that got out of hand and we woke up the next morning to ashes and smoke and they closed down most of Yosemite, so we ended up driving back down to the Thousand Trails campground in Morgan Hill for the weekend. Pete and I managed to dance a few slow and slow-paced swing steps to the music entertainment at the campground on Saturday night.

Today is Sunday. Joan is arriving in San Jose by Greyhound bus this afternoon. She will drive my car home tomorrow since I can't drive yet. I will see my doctor on Monday, my last weekly visit, and hope to head for home on Tuesday. I've had a low grade fever up to 100.5 temperature for three days and nights off and on, along with fatigue and achiness, but now, I'm feeling pretty good again.

We're looking forward to going home even though we have enjoyed ourselves in spite of the ups and downs of post op.

As we wind down phase two of my recovery and prepare for the 3rd phase, we hope to continue our conversations with you through the blog and email. I'm trying to minimize my activities since I'm still in my critical stage of my recovery. I hope to go back to work by the middle of October. Meanwhile, I will continue my visits to Stanford at least two times during my 3rd month. I'm sure Pete and I will be having some catching up to do upon our return to Morro Bay and will ease back into the routines of normal living. We can't wait to see little Jade!

Muchas Gracias for all your support and prayers. We hope all of you have had a wonderful and enjoyable summer. Live well physically, emotionally and spiritually! Be good to yourself and take care!

Adios and sayonara!

Love, Addie