Category: Musings

General Thought Posts not related to specific topics

A Friend In Need (updated)

“Some of you may know that I have had Diabetes for over 45 years. Although I’ve tried to do a good job in controlling my diabetes the disease has affected my Kidney function. Over the past several years the kidney disease has gotten worse. Last October I was hospitalized with End State Renal Disease (ESRD) with kidney function at 8%. To keep my kidneys functioning and maintaining my life; I am currently receiving dialysis treatment five times a week at home.” Daniel Switalski

April 8, 2020:

Dan corrected my mistake in this post from yesterday (See comments at the bottom of the page. Here’s the correct contact information to contact his specific Living Donor nurse:

“…if interested in more specific information on how to help me, the actual number to call is (414)646-0584. That is a direct line to the transplant living donor nurse coordinator.
Thanks for your consideration!“

April 7, 2020:

Yesterday I invited my good friend Daniel Switalski to visit this site and sign up for updates. He responded immediately, then sent me a copy of an open letter he’d selectively sent out in February asking for interested parties to consider being a live kidney donor for him.

With Dan’s permission, I am posting the entire letter here for you to read. If you call the phone number listed, 855.NFK.CARES (855.653.2273), and mention his name, Dan Switalski, you will be directed as to how to proceed.

Dan is one of those friends that, even when you don’t “talk” for a long time, it’s just like you talked yesterday when you finally do. We had a chance to Zoom this morning. It was great seeing him and catching up on a few things. I learned that Dan is a glass blower this morning and that he’s trying to learn to play a guitar. I already knew about his fly fishing (I’ve done that with him). I also learned that we hold different political views. But it doesn’t matter.

Here is a link to Dan’s Facebook page called My Kidney Story. Dan’s letter is shown below in its entirety.

Dan’s Story

Dear Family and Friends,

Some of you may know that I have had Diabetes for over 45 years. Although I’ve tried to do a good job in controlling my diabetes the disease has affected my Kidney function. Over the past several years the kidney disease has gotten worse. Last October I was hospitalized with End State Renal Disease (ESRD) with kidney function at 8%. To keep my kidneys functioning and maintaining my life; I am currently receiving dialysis treatment five times a week at home.

There are two treatment options for Kidney failure, Dialysis Treatment or Kidney Transplant.

Over the past two months Paula and I have been talking with the Transplant Team at St Lukes Hospital. We received confirmation from the Transplant Team that they are now accepting pre-screening calls for live donor transplant on my behalf. This call was an answer to our prayers. As Kidney transplant is the BEST option available to people like me with Kidney failure.

Receiving a Kidney transplant will provide me with a healthier longer life, allowing me to do the things I know God has in store for me.

Asking a family member or a friend to consider donating a kidney to me is very difficult. But in sharing this with you and you in turn sharing with others allows a means to get my story out and provide a chance for receiving a transplant.

Understandably some people are afraid about the surgery and what living with one kidney will mean. Here’s some basic information about kidney donation:

* You only need one kidney to live a healthy, long life

* Most donor surgery is done laparoscopically, meaning through tiny incisions

* The recuperation period is usually fairly quick, generally two weeks

* The cost of your evaluation and surgery will be covered by my insurance. The hospital will provide extensive information on this

* You will have a separate team of healthcare professionals to evaluate you as a living donor. Their job is to help you understand the risks and benefits and look out to your best interest

You can also learn more about living donation on the National Kidney Foundation (FKF) website: www.kidney.org/livingdonation or by contacting the NKF’s free, confidential helpline at 855.NFK.CARES (855.653.2273) or nkfcares2kidney.org. If you want to talk to someone who’s already donated a kidney, NFK can also help.

We may find during the process that you and I are not a match. That’s okay. A kidney paired donation can occur by using a national network of computers to find a transplant recipient that matches your organ, while they have friends or family that may be a match for me.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If donating a kidney to me is something you would like to consider, I would be happy to tell you more about my story and explore the process of determining if you are a match for me. You can also contact my transplant center (Jeffrey Klister, RN, BSN) directly at 414. 646.0584.

I know living donation may not be right for everyone – but you can still help. Consider being an organ donor after death.  Also, help me by sharing my story with everyone you know. I want to bring awareness to kidney disease and living donation. I am hopeful my efforts will help me receive a kidney in the near future and encourage others to consider helping the many people on the wait list.

Thank you again for your time in reading my story. – Dan

My Daughter’s 40th

Liz is forty years old today. She was born on April 3, 1980. If I remember correctly it was 2:14 pm. My X and I had been at the hospital since before midnight the night before.

I have not had any interaction with Liz for 19 years, give or take a few days.

So much for statistics. My thoughts and emotions surfaced with increasing frequency and intensity as Liz’s birthday approached. Yet it is difficult to put it all into words.

It happens often. I wrote a song. It was the second song written since my musical awakening (after The Song I Never Wrote for You). It just spilled out. It, too, was intense. The song is intense. It is called Tell Elizabeth I Love Her.

I wanted to name her Beth Ann. I was concerned that someone would start calling her Liz if she was given the more formal Elizabeth. But formality got the win and we called her Beth for her first several years. That is until about 1st or 2nd grade when she decided for herself that she wanted to be called Liz. Damn! So it goes.

Piano, dance, Sunday school. I remember once taking a low-maintenance back road from work, at an unsafe speed, to get home in time to take Liz to a dance lesson. I’m surprised the car didn’t break as it bounced and swerved.

We went camping, saw Yellowstone, the Tetons, Arches, Dinosaur, and Rocky Mountain NP, among other fascinating places. We went to school events. It sure seems like we did all the normal stuff.

But during and after the divorce things never were the same. I moved out of our home on short notice having been given an ultimatum by the X. I tried to explain to the children. But I could never persuade Liz to come for every-other-weekend visits – ever. I made a point to prepare a room for her in my new place. She never saw it.

She kept in contact a few times. She brought her date to see me on her way to a school dance. Once she came to exchange Christmas presents, though I heard she kept the car running while there.

I am keenly aware that her Mother influenced her emotions and often refused to hand Liz the phone when I called. But any semblance of connection ended when Liz went away to college. I went to visit once shortly after she moved into her dorm (we went shopping for pet fish) and again around her 21st Birthday when I asked to bring her a gift. It was an ankle bracelet. I did attend her college graduation. I didn’t think Liz knew I was there, but my son told me later that she did.

“Child’s death, a parent’s nightmare
Children’s lives a parent’s dream
By her choice, her distant absence
I feel the torment in between”

So it goes.

Where do the Children Play? March 25, 2020

Yes, it’s Cat Stevens.

I was walking my southern neighborhood, 4-mile route today. Many more people, adults with kids included, playing catch, walking dogs, some even cleaning out their garages. It’s Wednesday afternoon. These are strange times!

Midway through the walk I passed two young boys around age 10 sitting on opposite sides of the driveway where the approach meets the street. I overheard one boy saying, “You know the test only costs twenty-five cents”, followed by “But they really don’t know how well they work.” Clearly, he was parroting his parents or other older person “in the know.” But the parks are empty, save the sidewalks, and we go out of our way to stay at least six feet apart. Unspoken new rules that even the children recognize as part of our new reality.

Well I think it’s fine, building jumbo planes
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train
Switch on summer from a slot machine
Yes, get what you want to if you want
Cause you can get anythingI know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?Well you roll on roads over fresh green grass
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas
And you make them long, and you make them tough
But they just go on and on, and it seems that you can’t get offOh, I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?Well you’ve cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air
But will you keep on building higher
‘Til there’s no more room up there?
Will you make us laugh, will you make us cry?
Will you tell us when to live, will you tell us when to die?I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Yusuf Islam

Where Do The Children Play lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Coronavirus Disconnect March 23, 2020

I haven’t even decided to publish this blog and I’m already questioning whether my motives are valid. At the start I wrote, “It’s my story. It’s my life. This is just an attempt to share it – and I’m not sure why it matters, but to me it does.” But as the Coronavirus pandemic is unfolding, I am reminded how insignificant a single life, with all of its ups and downs, interests and stories, really is.

Of course, as we look at our own lives, they matter to us! But how many thousands are panicked over their heath? How many of those are losing their lives as I write? So how can my silly personal musings matter? I guess they still matter to me and might have a positive effect on those struggling with the same insecurities as I, who read it.

Give A Hoot 03/20/2020

Now that the snow is melted and I’m taking longer walks again, I am dismayed with the amount of trash along my various routes. Not only do I see trash in people’s yards and along neighborhood sidewalks, but even more trash along the walking/bike paths that weave through this town.

When I was young (yep, way back when) our country and its states were vastly increasing our state and federal highway system to handle the exponential increase in auto traffic across the country. With this vast network and increased use, came the mindless tossing of garbage along our roads, in the ditches, in our parks, and along fence lines. Fast food packaging was probably the densest of items. The USDA came up with a mascot and tag line to spearhead its efforts to stop the continued mindless actions of our citizens and promote clean up of the existing eyesore.

I think it’s time to resurrect Woodsy the Hoot Owl and the Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute efforts across this beautiful land. It’s not enough to just adopt a highway. It’s a much larger problem.