Saturday, April 26, 2014

Transplant Trot

I know a few people that have been transplant recipients or donors. One of the most remarkable stories I know of is my buddy Sophia. It turns out that when she needed a kidney, her husband was an eligible donor. Imagine the odds! That was 8 years ago now. Her life has changed in so many ways I can barely enumerate them, but they start with life itself. She might not still be here without that transplant.

Today was the first run event for transplants, and since she took up running a while ago, it's no surprise she wanted to take part. So what if it was snowing? There she is in the middle of the pack.

Here is my cheering partner today. There were bells. There were matching pom-poms. To say nothing of coffee and cameras. Go here to see the matching one of me and many others, should you be so inclined. 

Here is Sophia booking it to the finish. If the camera had fired a fraction of a second sooner, she would have both feet off the ground for sure. Michelle has video, not sure where it's been posted. Maybe later.

It was a wet and soggy day out there. One girl came in with the entire back half of her pants covered in mud. Sophia just had a tasteful amount of splashing. I didn't get a photo, but many people had a cute little patch of snow on their hats or hair just at the centre of their forehead.

You can't really see how muddy her shoes are. As we were driving home we could see where some of the run path was, and I'm glad I wasn't there.

We sat and chatted after the race, having a wonderful time! At one point Michelle was talking about the various issues with cameras, and that one of them wouldn't even turn on. There they are laid out, and just as I gook the picture the one camera turned on and pushed up the lens after having sat there quite some time.

 I've signed some paperwork in my wallet about organ donation, but that doesn't seem to be good enough anymore. The Alberta government has a new website up to register. I took a quick look, and plan to go back and get properly registered. I urge you to consider it as well.

Which leads to another thought. I fail to understand why we need the registry in the first place. It ought to be the standard practice upon death to use whatever material can be salvaged. After all, they're dead and don't need it anymore. If you don't want that to happen, then you should be the one going through the hoops to prevent it. A living registry makes sense, I guess, in that it's a way to match up a willing donor to someone in need.

In other news I'm feeling much better. My cold is gone, yay! Sophia wants to run 18 K with me after the Police half tomorrow, but I don't know. My quad and knee are still feeling a bit funny after some of the furniture moving on Wednesday. I think I'll head downstairs to do some stretching.

Yes, it's a spring snowstorm out there, which is kind of typical here. Lots of people complain, but I don't really mind. It's all moisture into the ground, and Alberta tends to be a dry place. When it isn't flooding.

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for the blog post, I may copy some of these wonderful pics, either for my memories. Oh and my own flogging of them on social media and the internet. Hope you don't mind.

    I am really thankful that you and Michelle were there to cheer me on. It makes such a big difference when there are people out there cheering, to encourage and motivate me in those little moments of struggle or lowness. Thank you!!!

    I'm grateful for the organ donation plug. I feel extremely fortunate to be given a kidney from my hubby and have been able to do so much with it. Not everyone is so lucky. I really hope that others will considering signing up on the online registry or sign their health card or mention it when they renew their driver's licence, bc there are others on the waiting list who can do so much but bc of health can do nothing.

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  2. My team was the one making that online registry a reality - the information pages with it were all built by me :) (and edited and re-edited for about the past 5 months until it was ready to launch). It's such an important thing. I hope many more Albertans jump on board now. Good for you guys going out to cheer Sophia in the snow today! Her story is so inspiring - I get choked up everytime I read it.

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    1. My goodness! What nice thing to work on.

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    2. Wow, I knew you were very busy with your work but I had NO idea that was what you are working on. It feels super special knowing that my friend is working on this, means a lot to me!!

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  3. They've started discussion here in NS about changing the organ donation policy to one where you have to OPT OUT! So, in fact, when you pass you will automatically be an organ donor unless you've signed the card to say no. Most people won't sign the card - apathy, etc. I think it's brilliant - but there's lots who believe it infringes on their rights. It will be an interesting (and hotly debated) topic as the government works to create the legislation!

    Both The Husband and I have signed our driver's license and indicated on our health cards that we will be organ donors.

    On another note, my friend Brenda is running the Policeman's half today - hope the sun comes out for her and the others :)

    BTW - well done, Sophia!!

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    1. Thanks Janet, Keith made an awesome sign for Brenda, hope she saw it as she was running by.

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  4. Thanks for the entertaining convos while we cheered on Sophia! Great job Sophia!!! The camera stiffie was shockingly funny. ;)

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