Finding My Mojo

Yo yo

Some nights are worst than others.

Last night was particularly challenging as bubba MZ's GERD flared up. Not much can be done when this happens, I just have to (groggily) sit up and hold him upright and try to soothe him as his little body wriths and arches in pain. I think we must had, at maximum, 4 hours of sleep. 

Some days are better than others.

I thought I'd be a wreck but actually I didn't do too badly. Reckon I got through the day ok and just about managed to keep my wits about me.  I'm glad that it's the weekend though as could do with some shut eye.

There are a lot of changes taking place at work. I think they may be for the better but I would not want to wager on it. Trying to keep positive and repeating to self: change is good.

Superhero

In keeping with my personal theme of 2011 of having fun whilst helping others and efforts to find my mojo, I have decided to participate in a fund raising event at work. It requires me to get up on stage in front of three thousand (or more) colleagues and act out a 'change into a superhero outfit' scene. I have some ideas but am not sure where I am going to get the nerve to carry it out. In the interim I have been focusing on getting as much pledges as I can. If I am going to do this, then I should at least aim to get as much moolah to the charitable foundation we are supporting.

 

Daaniya's story - she needs our help.

Daaniya is an adorable 2 year old who has unfortunately had to go through a lot of trauma recently i.e. lots of needles  -bloodtests, IVs; 3 sesions per week of being hooked up to a machine and endless visits to the hospital where she is prodded, tested and most times, kept in for a number of days.

She needs our help to get better and to be able to lead a 'normal' childhood.

 Daaniya was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease in May and since her kidney failure in October, have had to undergo dialysis. She needs a kidney transplant and unfortunately her family does not have any matching donors in their immediate families. They are now looking to find a donor. 

If you are O+ or O- please consider donating a kidney to Daaniya. Drop me a note or get in touch with Daaniya's parents via their Facebook page. Her parents will then arrange for you to speak to your local transplant coordinator who will take you through the process. If you are a match, Daaniya's family will pay for all expenses for your travel to Singapore and hospital stay for the operation.

 If you are not the right blood group, please can you help the family find a perfect match by spreading the word. For more information - please click here:

Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions which may help you in your deliberation:

• CAN I LIVE WITH ONE KIDNEY?

One out of 700+ people are born with one kidney. Yes, you can live just as well as one kidney as with two!  Donors tend to have normal life spans.   READ MORE

• DOES DAANIYA NEED A CHILD'S KIDNEY?

No, Daaniya can receive an adult kidney. The general protocol is that an adult kidney can be transplanted in a child who is approximately 10kg, which is Daaniya's current weight. In fact, it is illegal to take the kidney of a living child under the age of 18 due to lack of consent.

 • CAN I STILL HAVE CHILDREN AFTER DONATING A KIDNEY?

The United Kingdom Guidelines for Living Donor Kidney Transplantation, published in January 2000, reviews two research reports and draws this conclusion: "The presence of a solitary kidney does not appear to pose a significant risk during the course of a normal pregnancy." Check the Links page for a link to the UK site with the complete text of the guidelines for more information and citations of the research papers. READ MORE

 • I'D LIKE TO DONATE A KIDNEY BUT I'M NOT RELATED. IS THAT OK?

Yes. In the past, conventional wisdom was that close tissue typing was necessary for a successful donation, and close tissue typing implied blood relationships. However,  anti-rejection drugs are so powerful now that close tissue typing is less important when identifying a potential donor. Consequently, unrelated living donation has increased dramatically over the last 10 years. READ MORE

•I DON'T LIVE IN SINGAPORE. CAN I DONATE? 

Yes you can. As Singapore allows for non-related, altruistic donations we will fly you to Singapore for the operation and pay for any costs incurred.

• I'M READY TO DONATE. WHO PAYS?

If you are looking to donate to Daaniya, Daaniya's family will cover all the costs of the donor's testing, surgery, and recovery in the hospital. Please make sure, however, that you are covered in terms of sick leave and vacation pay. Alternatively, you might qualify for unpaid leave. READ MORE

• WHAT ARE THE ODDS MY DONATED KIDNEY WILL WORK...THAT IT WON'T BE REJECTED?

Excellent. In fact, living kidney donation has the best track record of all forms of donation. Statistics from the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network show that the kidney donated from living donors is still functioning in 96% cases after one year, 81% of cases after five years, and 58% of cases after 10 years. Even so, you should be prepared mentally for the possibility of rejection.

• I'D LIKE TO DONATE, BUT I'M NOT THE RIGHT BLOOD TYPE.  ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES?

An option we are willing to explore is "paired exchange." In this situation, we will try to find another pair of people--a potential donor and recipient--where the donor is compatible with your recipient and you are compatible with their recipient. You can learn about paired exchange here: paired exchange.

LEARN MORE ABOUT KIDNEY DONATIONS

NOTE: The data provided herein is a result of personal research from medical sites. This Medical data is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Please consult a medical expert for credibility. 2011 

Please help if you can.

 

 

Happy Halloween

Paradigms

 

I was not able to sleep the night I heard/read about YueYue. Even though I did not watch the video I was haunted by the imagery of a toddler being knocked down twice and left to die in the middle of the street ignored by the bystanders and subsequent passerby.  

The next day I was asked by some friends why I was more panda eyed then normal. I explained that I had spent the night person wondering how the driver/witnesses/others could have walked away without helping YueYue. One of the responses I heard shocked me.

"These things happen - I grew up being taught to drive off in the event of an accident to avoid being lynched by the mob" proferred Y. "To ensure survival, it is better not to meddle in the affair of others" she continued. And to my horrified expression - "I am not saying it's right I'm just telling you how we were raised".   It was such an alien concept but I wondered how I would have reacted had I been brought up having survival as my core paradigm.

The story so far...

No more the footloose fancy free world traveller. Before I could say bo-he-mian ar-tiste, I turned into an exhausted, multi-tasking Mum of Two who spends her days on conference calls in the office and nights sleeping upright holding on to GERD inflicted bubba M. 

Whilst I love my bubbas and being a mum, I just didnt recognise the person I had become and wondered where my sense of humour, adventure and fun had disappeared. 

Then things started to improve mid-year. My big project at work finally took off after 4 years of start-stops and my efforts were recognised. I had a frank chat with the people who commissioned the book and told them due to changes in circumstances, I was not able to deliver a second cut - we agreed to part companies amicably. Best of all, Sunflowerman and I decided to take 2 weeks off from the office to take a staycation and sort out our 'home life'. This proved to be the turning point and has resulted in a number of changes one of which is the improved health of bubba M and as a result more sleeping hours for me.

For the first time since the pregnancy days of Bubba D, I feel more like myself then I have ever been... I laugh more and worry less (I think). I have resumed gardening and reading (sort off) and am even contemplating the crosswords again. 

That old tingling feeling of gratitude and everything is possible is back.