Kidney Donation update

Well still not sleeping, its been getting progressively worse over the last couple weeks. Stressed and worried to the max about the whole kidney donation. Everyone seems to want to visit me but ill only be in 3 nights of which ill probably be zoned out weds night anyway.
I finally got an early night to bed last night but woke at 2am and didnt get back to sleep again till about 6am for an hour.

The place the hospital rented for us is ok, but has some cheap oddities. The plug in the bathroom presses in but you have to figure out there is a button behind the tap to get the plug up, so im sitting there with the knife trying to pull the plug out to get the water out. Then i finally get that going and knocked the toothpaste lid down the drain so now we have no lid for that.

The shower this morning was also interesting. there was a bath tap and the shower and only the one lever for both. it had one of those push in things to redirect it to the shower head, only that didnt seem to work. After about 20 minutes fiddling i was about to give up when i realized that you had to push the damned thing in before you turned the tap on and the water pressure holds it in and then water comes out the shower.

Today also is my daughters birthday party, shes 13 today. So we went to the mall for breakfast.  I drank 500ml coke, then a mocha with breakfast, then more coke. Just trying to wake up more because im so darned tired.

I figured I wouldnt need as much clothes in hospital so i unpacked half my stuff and ill leave it at the hotel.  Means i have less garbage to troll through if i need things in hospital.

So 7am i go in tomorrow, and out by 10-11am, then my brother goes in. I presume ill be out of it on a morphine pump weds arvo (woot!).

This is my last post for a bit unless i do one from the iPod Touch

I’m Donating a Kidney to my brother

Those that know me, know that for the last couple of years ive been trying to donate a kidney to my older brother.

Hes been on dialysis for around 5 years now. I lost 80kg to be able to do this, and have gone through rigourous testing. I’ve had to battle a retarded genetics Dr amoung lots of other things.

So finally now 3 years later, its happening. I head up to Auckland on monday, where we will try and sort out WHO is paying for the hotel. Talk about battling govt departments. They have booked somewhere for partner and kids to stay but cant agree whos going to pay for it. So unsure if we even have a place to stay monday night.

Tuesday 19th I go into hospital. Weds 20th at 7am they take me away to surgery, 3 hours later i come back with 1 less kidney, and hopefully alive. Then they take my brother into surgery, and 3 hours later he comes back with 3 kidneys (they dont remove his other 2, just give him an extra).

Friday I should be able to checkout of hospital, and then i get to hang around for another week in Auckland being somewhat bored and healing.

Im planning on doing the Harbour Bridge walk over if Im up to it. Debating if ill take the bike, or walk it (depends on if the kids go). Walking is good for recovery from surgery so encouraged. Thats probably the option ill go for.

Anyway, I may not update my website much in the next bit of time for that reason, but im taking my ipod and cell and i’ll be on twitter at http://twitter.com/velofille

Excellent Themed Swine Flu Masks

cool-masksAmerican graphic designer Irina Blok plans to fight swine flu with the power of design designer masks.

On her website, she says: “This would make a good Mother’s Day gift, if your mother has a sense of humour about the situation.”

However, the price is nothing to sneeze at. Blok hopes to sell her masks for US$10 (NZ$17.50) plus postage and handling, but proceeds will go to the humanitarian organisation Children International.

On Amazon.com, plain old swine masks are the No4 must-have women’s accessory, ahead of bras.

Not surprisingly, fashion designers are itching to get their hands on this viral fad, with industry insiders saying at least one fashion house is creating jewel-encrusted options for its wealthy clientele.

The fashion conscious in Hong Kong are sporting knock-off surgical masks with brand names like Gucci, Versace, Hello Kitty and adidas and Nike.

The pirated masks were reportedly retailing for a quarter of the price of standard white ones, but one customer was quoted as saying: “They’re less effective but I may as well look good before I get it.”

Kiwis are slow to catch onto the trend. However, for $500 on TradeMe you can buy an artwork called John Key has Swine Flu, or swine survival kits from $10 to $50, or a T-shirt urging everyone to put a mask on your pig.

Seen at http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fashion/2381131/Viral-fad