Revive Hope

A few of my favorite things... Buck's lithopanes.

OK, one of my favorite things in particular…

I’ve been meaning to post about this for a while – about few little works of art made for me by someone very special to me…

I posted about the Tri-for-life team here and here and here. They lost their youngest brother, Chase, six years ago. The first time I met them, I also met their dad, Buck – he’s on the far left in the picture above… Buck is a big man – but I think he also has a heart ten times too big for his body. It’s not a medical condition… It’s filled with extra helpings of pain, but also with strength and compassion, and love… He misses his son, but he also sees the gifts that Chase gave – and through that, the gifts that others gave. He and his boys will help others understand how precious and important those gifts are and, when they have the opportunity, that giving these gifts should be the natural option…

A short while after we met, I got an email from Buck asking for a high quality digital image of my favorite picture of Kari. I told him I have two favorites – either one I love – and they were scans of wallet-size prints, but they were decent scans… I told him he could use whichever one was better for his purpose… This was one of the pictures I sent him…

I knew that Buck was into woodworking and other crafts – I didn’t know what he planned on doing, but I figured it might be something neat… A few weeks later, he sent me a link to his website and explained what he was doing. He explained that he would be turning them into “lithopanes”… And that he would make one of each photo I sent…

I saw examples on his website – and they looked beautiful… Suddenly, I was in a dilemma – I knew that if Buck made lithopanes of Kari, I would need to offer one or both of them to Kari’s Mom & Dad. Not because they would expect it – but because I couldn’t possibly hold onto a gift like this without offering it to her family… So, in my tiny mind I was already planning to send them both to Kari’s Mom & Dad and telling them to pick their favorite, and send the other back – or, if they wanted, they could keep both of them…

Buck knew how I’d operate… When I opened the package from him, there were two sets of each – with a note that one set was for Kari’s Mom & Dad… Buck included a beautiful letter to Kari’s Mom & Dad, telling them about Chase, and that he watched me breathe into Kari’s lungs and that he could tell my heart screams Kari’s name with every beat… When I saw the two sets of lithopanes, I cried… His boys told me that Buck knew what he was doing – that Buck knew that I would send them to her family if I only got one set…

Kari’s lithopanes are in a window in our living room that gets the most light, and it’s where I do all of my medical checks when I wake up every morning – I see them every morning – I see the light shining through them and I think of her and her family, and I think of Chase and Buck and their family too… The lithopane picture above is lit from the front and shows the relief etching. The picture to the left is what it looks like when lit from behind. They can be hung in a window, like mine – or framed in a light-box.

One of them played a part in my little video below. At around the 1:29 mark, you can see me holding Kari’s lithopane – then raising it to the sun:

The pictures – even the video – do not do these lithopanes justice… You need to hold them, and touch them – and hold them up to the sun… I take them with me, from time to time, when I’m out and about speaking or doing something for organ donation – I love handing my lithopane to someone and see them look at the relief image. Then I tell them to hold it up to the light… You need to see their eyes when they first see the image – it’s magical… To see the rough, relief image turn into a photographic image in sunlight, or bright light can be breathtaking. Maybe, I also see the love that went into making them…

In his retirement, Buck has taking this up as an avocation – because he loves it, and it’s meaningful to him… He has a website where he sells his woodworking plans, finished works and lithopanes at www.familytraditionwwp.com. You can link directly to his site offering lithopanes here… These are beautiful, little works of art whether created of someone you love, or in memory of someone you love. I think he prices them very reasonably – information on ordering lithopanes and contact information are available on his website… Don’t hesitate to contact him (or me) for any other information!  I know where he lives...  I can pass on any questions.

This is Buck's youngest boy, Chase.  I have to believe that Chase is up there looking down, proud of his Dad.  I mentioned above, Buck has a heart far bigger than his body needs – which is probably a good thing, because a little of that heart goes into each lithopane he creates…

Because someone out there needs something...

I got a MySpace friend request from a paramedic the other day… After I approved his friend request, I told him what I thought about paramedics…

I told him about buggy #41 – my buggy – Chicago Fire Department ambulance #41. I told him that 11 years ago, right around this time of year, was pretty much the beginning of the chain of events that lead to what I have now.

It was around 10pm and I was doing my chest physical therapy – pounding and coughing – I felt a pop, then some gurgling. Laura looked at me and asked me if I was OK – I shook my head “no”… She asked me if she should call 911 – I shook my head “yes”… That’s was about all I remember until I saw two Chicago Fire Department paramedics hovering over me holding an oxygen mask to my face…

I’d had a bad hemoptysis, a bleed in my lungs, and coughed up about a cup of blood onto the carpet. I can’t imagine what Laura felt like – she said I looked like a Smurf as she held me up in a sitting position and hollered at me to stay alive… She spoke with the 911 dispatch operator and followed her instructions until the paramedics arrived…

That was then. Now – I can see the fire station where buggy #41 is parked from my window in my office. Whenever I see it pass on the street, I stand a little taller – I almost want to salute. I guess I usually do in my heart…

The paramedic from MySpace was just another reminder to me of all the heroes in our lives… He worked as a paramedic in Maryland, then in the Chicago area. Then he took an interest in organ donation and became an organ procurement coordinator for Wisconsin Donor Network. Now he’s a paramedic again, but he’s taken it to the skies – he works as a flight paramedic in Indiana.

Everyone who knows anything about me knows that Kari is my hero – she and her family are my heroes… I think of them throughout the day, every day I breathe… And I think of her precious friends too… But I think of these people as well – our paramedics, flight crews, OPO people, procurement nurses, medical professionals – they invest their effort and their precious time – and often enough they put their lives on the line for us…

I “met” this paramedic because he was visiting Bill Serra’s MySpace tribute page. He stumbled across the picture of me holding Kari’s picture. He’s from the Chicago area and recognized the Hancock in the background of our picture.

The last case he did as a procurement coordinator in Wisconsin was on June 4, 2007. It involved procuring a heart, liver, kidneys and… lungs. The lungs were allocated to University of Michigan… by him.  He rotated off after working 24 hours, and went home and went to sleep… His wife woke him a few hours later and told him there had been a plane crash in Lake Michigan and she thought it was a medical team…

Like my buddy Scott at IamAreYou did yesterday – I’d like to take a moment to remember six people who lost their lives a year ago yesterday, while trying to save another life… I posted about them a year ago. I’d like to honor and remember them… They are Dr. David Ashburn, Richard Chenault II, Rick Lapensee, Dr. Martin Spoor, Dennis Hoyes & Bill Serra. You can see their bios on the Umich site here…

And I’d like to honor the people who show up on a phone call, no matter the time of day or night, sometimes pulling 24-hour shifts – because someone out there needs something…

The most precious gift... Nicole

So… It started last December – December 2nd to be exact. Out of the blue I got an email with a last name I thought I recognized… I did.

Dear Steve,

While I do not know you and nor you I, I am feeling compelled to write this e-mail to you. I got online again tonight because I felt the need to read your story, that I have read before and know oh so well.

First, I should probably tell you who I am. My name is Nicole. You may be familiar with my last name due to the fact that I am Ryan (Kari's boyfriend's) youngest sister. I am 16 years old, and am a sophomore at Algona High School. I was in the second grade when Kari died almost 8 years ago. I was completely devastated when I heard the news, because Kari was my role model. I wanted nothing more than to be EXACTLY like Kari when I grew up. I even cut my hair to look like hers when I was younger! And, whenever Ryan had her over, I wanted her to hang out with me, not him!! :)

Lately, I have been thinking about her more often than I had been the last few years. It is hard for me to think that I am almost the same age as her when she passed away. I can only imagine what it will be like for me when I get to go to my Junior prom.

I am so thankful that she was such a strong individual and knew what she wanted. And, am SO glad that she was able to help people like you to live! She was an amazing person.

So, now for the main reason I am e-mailing you. I am a member of the speech team at my school, and this year for individual speech one of my events is called Original Oratory. In this event you are supposed to write a maximum 8 minute speech about and inspirational topic and it can as well be persuasive. When my teacher, Miss L, was giving me ideas of what people had done in the past for the topic of their speech they were things such as cancer treatment, bullying, etc..But, I knew after her first suggestion what I wanted to do. I want to write my speech on Organ Donation, to use the inspirational story of an amazing girl and to try and persuade how important organ donation can be. (Kari is the reason that I decided to be an organ donor.)

Nicole asked me for some websites and sources of information about organ donation, and any information I might be able to provide to help her in building her persuasive speech… The next day, she told me that she was probably jumping the gun – that her contest for Individual Speech isn’t until March, but she was just so excited. She said she wanted it to be so good, for Kari, and for me. She told me her main goal was to reach All-State – the highest honor she can get. Her teacher told her that was very possible if she had a very good speech.

In subsequent emails, Nicole told me more about her relationship with Kari… She let me know a little more about the beautiful girl I think about every day. Nicole also helped me understand how precious the friends who surrounded her truly are…

On February 11th, Nicole sent me the first draft of her speech. On Saturday, February 23, Nicole participated in districts at Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona – the town where Kari was born and raised. She performed in front of one judge and received a “Division 1” (the highest rating) and advanced to the State contest on March 8th.

I got a beautiful little email from Nicole on Kari’s birthday – Friday, March 7th. She let me know that she went to “see” Kari, and leave her a little gift. She saw the flowers and note I left. And, she left her speech in a Ziploc baggie anchored down by a cute little Easter angel figurine.

Here is Nicole's speech... (Adobe Acrobat Required)

Her email to me on the evening of the 8th started:

So, to put it bluntly...I kicked butt. I came out of that performance feeling the best ever!! I nailed it. And that was before I even got my rating.

On Saturday, March 8th at 3:18pm, Nicole participated in State at Manson NW Webster High School. She performed before three judges and received a “Division 1” from each of the three judges and was nominated to perform at the All-State Festival at University of Northern Iowa on March 31st. One of the judges commented on her ballot that she hoped Nicole can share her speech more widely. And her friend CJ told her that after he performed, he was checking his license to make sure he's a registered organ donor.

On December 3rd, Nicole told me her goal was to reach All-State. She made her goal. I know Kari is upstairs looking down on her precious young friend with a beaming smile – I know Kari is very proud of Nicole. I am too.

Setting your sights on 1,600 steps… John Allen

On February 22nd, 2004, Kari and I shared the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times. In a story written by Jim Ritter titled “Climbing High with Kari’s Gift”… The story made the cover of the paper that Sunday – and there was a beautiful article inside that took up two full pages with pictures and excerpts from the first anonymous letters I exchanged with Kari’s family. Mr. Ritter even interviewed Kari’s family for the story…

John Allen was waiting for lungs. Waiting for lungs is often a tedious, depressing and scary pastime… And the fact that you aren’t breathing too well doesn’t help matters…

For some reason that none of us will ever know, on Sunday, February 22nd, 2004, the Chicago Sun-Times was delivered to John’s doorstep… He didn’t get the newspaper delivered – and he doesn’t know how or why it was delivered – but he looked down and saw the front page story about a guy who received lungs like he was waiting for… A guy who received lungs from a beautiful girl – and now he leaps tall buildings with her lungs…

John pored through the story and he made a little decision. He decided that one day he was going to climb the Hancock with that guy…

A month or so later – at a lung transplant support group meeting at Loyola University Medical Center – I was sitting at the table with everyone else and John walked in toting his oxygen. He lit up like a Christmas tree and said, “I know you!!! I saw you in the paper!!!” I always kinda love the celebrity feeling – Laura always says I’m a legend in my own mind – John told me about getting the Sun-Times mysteriously delivered and that he was going to climb with me someday…

Here is a picture of John at a Loyola candle-lighting ceremony, lighting a candle to honor the his anonymous donor. John was transplanted in early autumn of 2004.

Months later, on Sunday, February 27, 2005 – John climbed with me. On Sunday, February 24, 2008 – he will climb with me for the fourth time… I just think it’s cool that someone struggling like John was struggling, could set his sights on trudging up 1,600 steps – and then do it with me less than a year later… This will be John’s fourth climb with me. I’m proud of him and honored that he climbs with me…

Someone very special to me already pledged John to honor him, and in remembrance of another recipient special to both of us – You can link to John’s Hustle page here…

You can read about why we climb at www.ClimbingForKari.org

Small World Part II - Harvey Mysel

This is Part II of a series of hopefully-millions! (But I'm not great with Roman numerals when they get that high...)

Last May, I had the honor of speaking at a “Celebration of Life” sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. It was the first of what is intended to be an annual event honoring living organ donors and their recipients.

I met a pretty neat guy and his wife on the way in – Harvey and Amy Mysel. Harvey was in kidney failure and six months ago, Amy gave him one of hers. After my little talk (download draft of presentation ) Harvey approached me and told me about an organization he was forming: the Living Kidney Donors Network.

Harvey’s intent is for this organization to provide free services to individuals who are in need of a kidney transplant – the primary goal being to educate and train individuals so they can successfully find a living kidney donor. It will not be a “matching service” – rather, they will educate people in need (and provide information for people interested in being a donor) so they can overcome the myths and misconceptions when they speak to a potential living donor. And, train people so they can effectively communicate their message – providing them with networking skills so they can convey their message to a larger number of people…

At the time of this posting, there are 72,448 people in the United States waiting for a kidney. For every living donation Harvey can influence, he’s helping save at least two lives! The recipient of the living donation, naturally – but also, the kidney that may have been destined to that recipient can now be directed to someone else on the list.

I “bumped into” Harvey again through a newspaper article. Harvey is training with his two sons to take Amy’s kidney on a triathlon! His sons, Daniel and David, coaxed Harvey (center) into doing the triathlon – and they are doing it to help create awareness about kidney donation and Harvey’s foundation.

Ted’s inspiration for creating the My Angel Foundation and this Revive Hope blog is to honor his Mom, who gave him her kidney 11 months ago. Similarly, Harvey’s inspiration for creating the Living Kidney Donors Network is his wife, Amy. Isn’t it neat when a gift from one special person gives on to so many others?!?!

Harvey and Ted have received very special gifts from very special people – and they’re using those gifts to help others.

The Living Kidney Donors Network website will be at www.livingkidneydonorsnetwork.org However, it’s not quite ready yet… Harvey can be reached at hmysel@livingkidneydonorsnetwork.org

And I’d like to tip my hat to Pioneer Press, a member of the Sun-Times News Group. In my experience, they provide good coverage of organ donation and the surrounding issues. (Including one about me and Kari!)

Small World Part I - Jack Hurley

This is “Part I” because I have a feeling me or Ted or Jenn will have plenty of reason to use this heading.  I read a lot of stories about cystic fibrosis, lung transplant and organ donation. Often enough I say “HEY!!! I know that guy!” (or gal…)  Sometimes when I notice that – I’m going to put them here…  And I invite Ted or Jen to do the same… (Just change it to the next sequential “part”!!!)

Last week on “Illinois Donor Diaries” there was a post about Jack Hurley.  Actually, it was a letter from Jack Hurley about his journey.  Jack got to spend father’s day with his family because of a beautiful donor who saved his life.  She and her family gave him a lung he desperately needed.

The last paragraph in his letter read:

I will spend Father’s Day with Eileen, Jackie, Melissa, and John. We will have a great time. The kids will start to tell Dad and Mom stories, always the same stories, always just as funny. It will be a very good day. They are all good days.

I’ve met Jack Hurley and spent time with him on a number of occasions. He’s an awesome guy… He attends our lung transplant support group now and then. I saw him sucking O2 before transplant and walking tall after his transplant.

I know there were a few bumps in his road post transplant – yet he still has an incredibly positive influence on the people waiting around him, and the people who have been through it. Regardless of any troubles he may have had, he leaves not doubt that he would do it all again in a heartbeat.

You know I’m all about leaping tall buildings – Jack’s beautiful daughter did the Hustle up the Hancock for the American Lung Association last year in his honor – she wore a very funny shirt that said, “My dad had a hair transplant and a lung transplant, guess which one worked?” with a picture of smiling Jack with his shiny head on her shoulder…

Jack makes it so very clear how much he appreciates the gift he has been given. You just have to see this big, burly, former Chicago Police Detective’s eyes welling, and lips quivering a bit, when he speaks of the generous person who saved his life. I think his donor would be proud of the life she’s saved…

It’s an amazing thing to be able to give someone their life back – to give them back to their spouse and their children. It’s an amazing thing to get your life back too. Jack makes it so obvious that he appreciates the gift he’s been given. I do too. They really are all good days, aren’t they Jack?

"Illinois Donor Diaries" is part of the Donate Life Illinois campaign.  A link is available at www.IamAreYou.org  Stories and posts are available on Blogspot and MySpace.

Chapter 6 of Illinois Donor Diaries is "HEY!!! I know that gal!" It's about a lady tho is very special to me - I'll post about her at a later date.