Measuring Life in Fours

Four hours to wait between breathing treatments;
For a life well-lived by my donor-hero-to-be;
Fore-facing with faith;
Four the Family Mosher holding on
For a future of yet unknown mores.

How do you know it's time for transplant? Part 2

After two trips to the ER on Sunday, one intubation, several hours overnight on the ventilator, and waking up in a different hospital's ICU.  Yeah that is a pretty good sign.

How do you know it's time for transplant? Part 1

This was my biggest question during "Transplant Camp" in June. When I asked the mentor panel this question, one person recalled disabling panic attacks and another talked about her fatigue from menial activities like putting in contact lenses.

Earlier this summer the multiple ER/ICU trips and subsequent anxiety were unmistakable signs that the transplant option might be our best choice.

Over these waning days of summer some smaller quality of life measures have affirmed that decision.  Last weekend I was cutting up a watermelon and found myself short of breath.  Today I was going through clothes deciding what to pack, keep and donate when I realized I was taking breaks between each drawer.

I think most of us can do better about taking life and its blessings for granted - even folding laundry.
 
  

Odds & Ends

At the request of my mother, I have added a "Follow by Email" subscription option for the blog on the right-hand column (just under the YouCaring photo). Just enter your email, click "Submit" and I'll SPAM your email with every post if you so choose.  I realized that an RSS option wasn't sufficient when two of our younger, hipper, tech savvy friends admitted that they didn't really know what that was all about.  (Will either of you come forward and identify yourselves?).

In other news, so that people are aware, we've begun to add some new volunteer activities for our Cincinnati Send-off on September 21st as well as our relocation to St. Louis to our Caringbridge Calendar.  The calendar can also be found under the "Join Team Mosher" link in the right hand column.  (Just make sure that you sign up for the right activity in the right city or else you'll have a five to six hour drive to figure in one way or another).

And as for the Cincinnati Send-off, all are welcome, Saturday, September 21st at 2pm at St. Clare Church.  More details and an RSVP can be found on the post from August 11th or on the link in the right-hand column. 

We hope to see many of you there!
   

That's not how I remembered it...

I spent the better part of today sorting through 18 months and 5 inches of medical bills and paperwork. Midway through I came across this orange "Bliss" sticker on one of the provider's folders.

That's not exactly how I would classify the past couple of years nor the afternoon with those files either.

Announcing: Mosher Cincinnati Send-off (RSVP Below)

How obstructive lung disease makes me more like a teenager than an old man!

I tend to get picked on by some of my colleagues in a little brother sort of way.  Here is how one of those email conversations went  the other day:

Me: Some smart aleck comment about a project.

Colleague: I'm going to send you to your room again!

Me: But Moooommmmm. I didn't even do anything.

Colleague: Straight to bed, no TV, put on your headgear, acne medicine, and turn on the sound machine. AND GO TO SLEEP!

Me: If my nasal cannula counts as head gear, the prednisone continues to cause break outs and my oxygen compressor functions as a white noise/sound machine, I'm not too far off! (Here I thought my COPD was turning me into an old man, really I'm just becoming a teenager! Yeah for me. Do I get to go to Prom again?!)

Colleague: Only if Eileen says yes!

(Which is as good an excuse as any to post another high school dance photo.  Evidently the previous prom photo has gained its own cult following with certain readers of Born for More.  Enjoy readers).
 

Why preparing for transplant is like preparing for preschool

In preparation for St. Margaret of Scotland Preschool Adah has had her latest couple of visits to the pediatrician and emerged with three vaccinations and one blood test for lead poisoning.

 

Today I had what should be my last visit to my primary care doctor. Since I’ll be immunocompromised after transplant he saw this as a good chance to boost my immunity.  So I also left the doctor’s office with two sore shoulders, four shots (Hepatitis A, Hib, Meningococcal and Prevnar) and two Clifford the Big Red Dog band-aids to show for it.

 

 

Adah’s first words, “Ahhhhhhh! Did it hurt, Daddy?” 

 

Yes it did, and I didn’t even get a sucker or sticker like this kid did.  

And this one belongs to the Reds...

  

A beautiful night to watch a baseball game with great friends at

Great American Ball Park.

 

Even the Reds cooperated to oblige the local fans with a rousing victory

(at least tonight).

 

A little bittersweet to know this will be our last Reds-Cards game to take in

for some time at GABP.

 

I can't speak for Adah who claims to be a Reds fan in Cincinnati and a Cards fan in St. Louis, but the rest of our hearts belong to the Reds,

even if my lungs belong in St. Louis. 

 

This left-hander is rounding third and heading for home.  

Good night and so long, everybody.