Needing to hug my family

Four transplant recipients at three Chicago hospitals have contracted HIV and hepatitis C from a single organ donor, U.S. health officials said on Tuesday.

It's incredibly sad this could happen and I hope they'll start using the NAT test more judiciously in the future, but I understand the time constraints too. Occasionally there just is no time to wait for a few more hours. I think what bothers me most about this is the questionable informed consent of at least one of the recipients. She was doing well on dialysis and supposedly turned down a kidney a while back because of the high-risk behavior of the donor (which her current donor was known to have). Without knowing the full story, it sounds as if she may not have been given all the information she needed.

Organ transplantation obviously has inherent risk, and we try to do what we can to make it less risky. Bodies are unique and dynamic and I doubt we'll ever be able to anticipate or fix everything- though the healthcare collective will always strive to that end. We're all learning as we go. I don't think this incident should scare potential recipients away; instead, I think it should reiterate the importance of communication and informed consent... and the potential risk. My heart goes out to all four recipients and their families. Donate your organs, y'all!

Think I found my new sport. France needs nurses too, right?

It looks fake at first, but I assure you it's not. I'm wrapping my mind around the fact that you can survive a trip over a mountain cliff with only a "wingsuit" and zoom mere inches away from otherwise deadly things at over 100mph... and now I really, really want to try!

My dad sent me the link in an email saying, "Absolutely CRAZY! But once mastered it has to be the rush of all rushes. Don't try this at home...." Uh, Dad? I'm seriously considering a trip to Pujaut, France, tonight.

My only means of portable music at the present time

It's a pretty day out, though not what I would call warm, so I decided to push myself this morning and go for a run on the BG Trail. Within twenty yards, my kneecap was cracking and popping all over the place, so I settled for a cold walk hoping things would pop back into place (this is the dance I go through at random intervals if I'm running much). I felt sort of silly walking in my running clothes while obviously cold but reminded myself that nobody was really looking anyway.

Then I realized they were looking at me. Not casual glances as they biked/ran by but purposeful looks. I ran through the quick list (Something on my face? Toilet paper on my shoe? Plumber's crack perhaps?), but nothing came to mind. Just then a flash of yellow caught the corner of my eye:



Ah yes. When I was seven years old, we all got Walkmans for Christmas (I believe the same Christmas I thought batteries were an amazing present as well). Mine has survived through every conceivable test a kid could put it through and outlived numerous other tape, CD, and mp3 players. It plays perfectly, and the only signs of wear are scuffs that rubbed off my initials that had been Magic Markered on (yes, I just verbed that) and the small, red bungee cord holding the clear front part on. It's clunky, yellow, and has a bungee cord around it- is it any wonder people are looking?

Most of the people on this part of the BG Trail are associated with UW, so there are a lot of students and a number of professors. That being the case, I find it amusing that this Walkman is older than the most of the students! Conversely, most of the professors remember when Walkmans were new, and a few have actually commented on mine. It's a good conversation piece when I'm not freezing or gasping for air!

Incidentally, there's a unique market for these things! Does it make me retrohip?

Just for fun, I saw this at a park the other day on a run and it made me smile :)

Hey ya... times three

I remember back when "Hey Ya" by Outkast was popular on the radio. It grated on my nerves, though admittedly it's kind of catchy. I didn't even notice when the stations stopped playing it. Then one day I heard this guy in Arizona:


I've become a fan of his since and not just because he has an awesomely bushy beard :)

Somebody posted this Hey Ya spinoff today and I thought it was pretty cool too:


Hehe, I love Snoopy :)

Brilliant, as usual

About a year ago, Michelle took an unannounced hiatus and I fell into a deep depression when thinking she may not start writing again. Thankfully, she came back and all is well in the world again. One of the things I enjoy about her blog is how relatable she is. For example, as I lounged around by the fire today reading and enjoying the sun (or daylight, at any rate), I wondered several times if I'm using this day most appropriately. I nixed hiking because it's cold and rainy. I got groceries (surprise, surprise). I did laundry and cleaned. The rest of the time I relaxed. Part of me felt guilty, but I'm still way behind in the sleep department, so I don't feel that badly. As I just followed up on her latest posting, I see she is feeling the same way on her break,

But this puts a lot of pressure on me to really make the most out of this week of vacation I'm on now. Every second, I'm thinking to myself, "Am I relaxing enough? Am I enjoying myself enough? Am I using this time productively? Are Cal and I bonding enough?" I'm really a fun person.

So for now, I'm calling it all good :)

Trouble indeed

When I left Chicago, Katie's present to me was Ray Lamontagne's album "Trouble." She told me how he's got the most amazing and sexy voice, but I'd never heard of him before. Oh man, was she ever right! He immediately became one of my top five favorite artists ever. So imagine my pleasant surprise when I decided to look up his picture today...



*dreamy sigh* ;)

While the California redwoods may not exactly be the backcountry...

The more civilized man becomes, the more he needs and craves a great background of forest wildness, to which he may return like a contrite prodigal from the husks of an artificial life.
Ellen Burns Sherman

Waiting for Jason's photos, but here are some of mine:

Elk... and lots of laughing :)

Walking to the ocean




A little smelly and still very wet from the eleven mile hike the day before!

It was really a great trip. It rained almost nonstop and we nearly hit an elk, but it was beautiful, fun, and relaxing. We had a few hours to clean up and snooze in Seattle before heading to our respective flights...

I spent less than twenty-four hours in Chicago before heading to Indiana, but I got to see a surprising amount of people. It was what I'd been hoping for- I only wish I'd had more time to see more people (ahem, Katie). Walking into the old apartment, I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. A surprising amount of my stuff is still there, so I had this feeling that I've only been on a long trip and was coming back home. Nabeel and Jill are the best roommates you could ever hope to have, and it was so great to sit on the couch catching up and then later individually. I slept so peacefully that night.

Home in Indiana was also perfect. It had been nearly ten months since I'd seen any immediate family or been home. Families are never without drama on some scale, but this visit was still good. Rudy the Rocket Dog is full grown and a funny creature; he and Chuck provide endless entertainment. Thanksgiving dinner was especially good. Mmm, food. With any luck I'll make it back for Nicholas's graduation...

Breaking news from Oakland

Bubb Rubb tells it like it is...

Decision time. Or not.

Ok, so Jason gets in tomorrow morning and then we tootle on down the highway to California. We've narrowed it down to two choices: the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park with excursions to the Smith River NRA (trout and salmon fishing!!) and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (with optional beach camping). We can have fires at both places and we're planning on rain for most of the weekend. We decided this afternoon that we'll put off the decision until closer to camp time. They're both on 199 anyway. What do you get when you send two thinkers on a no-think weekend? We'll find out.

Why am I telling you this? So that if we miss our flights on Monday morning to our respective states, you'll know where to look. Between us we have new sleeping bags, a trout rod, and an assortment of gear- we may not be back for quite a while!

I'd post some pictures from the trip Jess and I took in the aforementioned places, but I've been having trouble getting the pictures to post on Blogger. Then again, maybe it's just my computer acting up again.

Hooray! We're off!

The computer hasn't exploded yet, though funny whining sounds are coming from it

If I was the type of person who would be embarassed by the contents of my refrigerator, I wouldn't post any pictures. Thankfully, for your amusement, I'm not and I will.




Running low on batteries and bread, but I'm good on butter and Ensure. I've been told my fridge puts a bachelor's to shame. Mom, I hope you're not reading this.

A serious post for once

I'm excusing myself for not blogging the past few weeks. The computer is still down and this old relic is just limping along. I get my email (sometimes) and then turn it off (or just unplug it if it's feeling stubborn) and run away hoping it won't explode. Yeah, I have that effect on computers.

There's not been too much exciting going on anyway. The night shift is really, really starting to get to me. I didn't realize that when I posted I was feeling sad on Facebook that I'd get so many questions and responses! So there you have it- staying up all night and rarely getting outside = one sad Wendy. I haven't been sleeping well, if at all, and I'm just worn out. All I think about is sleeping and eating because I'm not getting enough of either!

Moving along, in an effort to get myself out of this slump, I hiked up Little Mount Si today with Rachel (who can make you laugh at your own mom's funeral). Despite the snow on the passes (and Whistler got 14 inches), it wasn't so much cold as it was windy- both from me sucking it and the impressive gusts that nearly blew us off the top! The pine trees swaying below looked like they were dancing at a ball. I'd totally dance with them with my mad DDR skillz. Whenever I get someplace like that, I'm overcome with this thought. It's hard to describe, but something about the fact that when we get back and go about our normal lives, those trees will still be dancing and the wind will still be howling. I find it sort of reassuring.

Speaking of trees, Jason answered my pathetic call/text to arms the other night. I need to fight this awful night beast, so off we go to the California redwoods! It's the only logical thing to do, you know? We'll be gone for a few days with the express purpose of admiring the trees, making up constellations, and eating lots of food (and many, many s'mores). You might still be asking, "No really, why the redwoods?" I'll leave you with these thoughts from John Steinbeck:

The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever sucessfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It's not only their unbelievable stature, nor the color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time. They have the mystery of ferns that disappeared a million years ago into the coal of the carboniferous era. They carry their own light and shade. The vainest, most slap-happy and irreverent of men, in the presence of redwoods, goes under a spell of wonder and respect. Respect- that's the word. One feels the need to bow to unquestioned sovereigns. I have known these great ones since my earliest childhood, have lived mong them, camped and slept against their warm monster bodies, and no amount of association has bred contempt in me.

So I guess that's why. I need sleep, food, friendship, fresh air and awe. And then I'm flying into Chicago for more friends along the way home for Thanksgiving :)

Wow!

Terry Fader won America's Got Talent... as well he should have! Who knew ventriloquism could be so cool?