Kidney Stories - PKD, ESRD, Dialysis, Transplants
Miracles...
The Kidney Story - Our Family History of Dealing with PKD
A few years ago, in the midst of my personal experience with these circumstances, I sent out periodic news/motivational letters. I sent some to private e-mail contacts, some to business contacts and inevitably sent them to all my contacts!
The short version of my story is that due to a family history of Polycystic Kidney disease, my kidneys failed in August of 2005, I was on dialysis treatments three times a week, four hours per session for two years. I continued to run all my business operations during this time, averaging 40 - 50 hours per week. I began writing my book while a machine cleaned my blood.
There is always an opportunity in what we think is an obstacle or tragedy. I am thankful that I was able, with the help of family and friends, to keep moving onward.
I was blessed with a transplant in August 2007 at Duke Medical Center. I am eternally grateful to my unknown donor's family for the chance to live again. The transplant has been successful and I have a chance at another life! God is good and I am determined to follow His will through the rest of my days.
,,livingforwardI was able -living I,;livingLiving forward, I was able to live. ,, f you have not considered being a live or post-life donor, please consider the opportunity you will provide for someone else to live on. Register with the national donor group today:
My Annual "State of The Union" December 2011/January 2012
My Annual "State of The Union" December 2011/January 2012
December 24, 2011
To my family and friends around the world:
Yes, it is that time of year again! My annual "State of the Union" message is ready for distribution.
At this point, you have a choice: read on or delete it promptly! I have been a little more reclusive this year; I'm not sure if it is the age showing or just another phase I have to go through at this stage in my life! Either way, all is well; life is good, and all components are moving forward.
2011 was a year of more changes, opportunities, a few disappointments, and encounters of the weird kind! For all the wisdom that states one can never go back to a point in time, I do have a new twist on this idea. I look at life as a computer: we keep loading software, adding hardware, changing operating systems, calling tech support, listening to horrible music, getting transferred numerous times, and ending up even more frustrated. I must hand it to the software engineers who write the millions of lines of embedded code that make computers do wonderful things; in their wisdom, they chose to keep a series of restore points within the system. So when your computer acts up, going back to the last restore point when everything was working well gives you a point in time that you may return to, once again.
This was one of those years when I had to go back to a restore point, unload all the add-ons of the last two years, and reset my systems to where they used to work real well. The results were remarkable, and the reset brought back the definition and focus I needed.
The family is doing well; my wife and I are celebrating our 32nd year together this year. Our oldest daughter and our son-in-law have given us the joy of two delightful youngsters! The transition into being grandparents is wonderful! Our second and youngest daughters are doing well. Our youngest son will be a high school senior next year.
My health continues to hold up well. The most recent checkup at Duke earlier this month went well. All functions and test results are great; the only minor inconvenience is a bit of bone loss in my lower back. The notion that I am spineless has now been confirmed!!
Thankfully, there are more pills with even more side effects to hopefully resolve the issue. Now I have two great lines added to my repertoire: "Must be age or my medication!" The heart is good – one year plus since the big one! I am eternally grateful to my doctors and their staff for taking good care of me.
The recent visit to Duke inspired me with the material for this year's message. My appointment was at 8:00 am which meant I had to leave home around 6:00 am. For most of my life, I was up at dawn and rarely missed a sunrise; however, over the years I have turned into a night owl, and I rarely see a sunrise!
On this particular morning, as I cruised through Greensboro on my way to Durham, the familiar brilliance and glory of a spectacular sunrise began to unfold before my eyes.
Memories of watching the sun rise in different parts of the world crawled back through my mind.
I watched one particular sunrise from the top of Adam's Peak, a mountain considered sacred by all four major religions. In central Sri Lanka, the mountain rises 2243 meters, or 7359 feet, tall. The long climb begins a little after midnight. The path to the summit is 5200 steps, carved into the mountain's side. Thousands of pilgrims make this trek, people from all backgrounds; the rich, the poor, all socio-economic, ethnic, and religious groups are represented in this mass of moving people.
The journey is slow and tiresome. The goal is to reach the summit just before sunrise to witness a phenomenon unique to the mountain.
On the right day, when there is no mist or fog, the rising sun casts the mountain's shadow down into the valley. The shadow forms a triangle, visible for just a couple of minutes before the bright sunlight fills the valley.
To the individual or group working their way up the mountainside, there is no guarantee that the morning will be clear. They may reach the summit only to be greeted by a sea of white mist and clouds where the sunshine never breaks through. That is the faith they must exercise as they continue up the winding path.
Our family made this trip when I was around 12 years old. This was one of those auspicious mornings when there was not a cloud nor a hint of mist in sight. The dawning light soon dispelled the darkness; the sun burst forth from the edge of the horizon, and there before our eyes was the wonderment of the magical triangle.
Forty-seven years later, I am in my office on a Friday afternoon, remembering that moment. I can see the image so vividly, my mind transported back in time in a few seconds. Christmas Eve is tomorrow, so I need to get this to all of you scattered around the world. I remember the family, friends, and individuals I have been fortunate and blessed to know through all these years.
As I look back at all the good, the not-so-good, and the obviously bad encounters, events, and incidents I have been part of and/or witnessed over the years, the takeaway is clear. All the little things that seem overwhelming or insurmountable are like the proverbial bump in the road. As time goes by, the once highly relevant matters fade away into obscurity. As the trek up the mountain taught me, it will not matter in the morning.
Throughout our lives, we accumulate negative baggage, whether real or perceived. It seems to be of no consequence that our lives are also blessed with joy and happiness; the bad seems to outweigh the good. As we look at the year behind us, we will remember the joys and sorrows we have shared, the gains and losses we have borne, the wondrous additions of new life, and the sorrowful farewells we have bid to those with whom we have lived and loved.
As we celebrate the variety of holidays based on our individual and collective beliefs, let us take time to remember that the past reinforces our faith in the future.
As we look forward to celebrating the dawn of another year, let us resolve to be more thankful and focus on the good things this life offers each of us. It is equally important to remember that the day-to-day experiences we will endure will not matter in the morning.
There is no guarantee you will see the brilliance of the rising sun; clouds may obscure the majesty below, but above the clouds, the sun is always shining, and there always is a morning.
And when our lives are complete, we will remember the words of the Psalmist: "For his anger endures but for a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
I wish each one of you and your families Peace, love, and Joy in the coming year. May you find the joy in your life as you bring joy to those around you.
…for there will be joy in the morning…
Thank you for being my family and friends,
George Pingho
Make a miracle! Be an Organ Donor! www.donatelifenc.org.
A Letter to My Donor's Family
A Letter to My Donor's Family
A Letter to My Donor's Family
August 27, 2011
Hello to the Family of my donor,
I haven't had the opportunity to meet you, and I thank you personally for your gift of life to me. I make it a point to read this letter at every event I attend, sharing the story of organ donation and what it means to me. I hope you will hear of this letter or read it someday.
My name is George. I live in North Carolina. I have been self-employed most of my life, running a couple of companies; one is a consulting company, and the other is in the mortgage industry.
My wife and I have been married for 32 years; we have 4 children – the oldest three are girls, 28, 24, 22. Our youngest son is 17. We have two grandsons; the oldest will be 5 on Thanksgiving Day, and the youngest is 6 weeks old.
My hobbies and interests run a wide range; my education was in religion – I was going to be a minister, following in my father's and grandfather's footsteps. Somewhere along the way, I got lost in traffic and many years later found a simple way to accomplish the same objective. I spend most of my work week consulting individuals and business owners. I like to read, write, and plan; I also enjoy gadgets, photography, 3D graphics, and animation.
Above all, I love to see the next generation take over and take charge.
My Family has a history of polycystic kidney disease. My sister had a kidney transplant in 2005; her son was her donor. My younger brother received his kidney transplant from a friend in October 2010.
A little over 6 years ago, I had to go on dialysis treatments; this was a life-changing event. I faced it with courage, determined to survive this part of my journey. I went to dialysis three days a week, worked the other three days, averaged 40 hours per week, walked 10 miles every week to stay in shape, and handed everything over to God.
I believe my family took it the hardest, even though they tried hard not to show it. I always tried my best to be positive; there were many times I received phone calls regarding potential transplants, usually as the second and third back-up. Then I would be advised that someone else had received the kidney. I would quietly say, Maybe next time." I came to realize that if I really meant "Thy Will Be Done," I really had to believe it and get on with living my life.
I had been on the list for less than two years; sometimes it seemed like an eternity. But with every trial there comes opportunity. My eyes were opened to the suffering of kidney patients, and I was able to do some good things while at the clinic. We are starting programs to help kidney patients who need it. I even figured out a way to type with one hand and started my book, completing 26 chapters in one year.
On August 29, 2007, I received the phone call from Duke Medical Center; this was the call that would change my life forever.
No words can describe my gratitude for the gift your Family gave my Family. It is a bittersweet moment in my life. Because of someone's unselfish gift, I have a new chance at life. Even though 4 years have gone by, I cannot imagine the pain of your loss; I can only pray that God Himself will wipe the tears from your eyes, give you hope, and hold you close to His heart.
I am convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my donor had a giving heart, that there were unfulfilled wishes in her life. I want to assure you that her gift will not be in vain. I will strive to fulfill those wishes as they are sent to me. I will not let you down.
The road ahead is no different than the one I have traveled over the past 59 years. There will be trials, struggles, sorrow, pain, success, happiness, and all of life's other variables.
Just like my first life, the gift of my second life is not a promise of success, ease, or comfort.
It is only an opportunity to try to fulfill our parents' dreams, attempt to achieve our individual potential, and then to reach beyond the stars for God's vision for each of us.
Thank you, once again, for your gift of a second life to me."
Sincerely,
George H. Pingho