patient’s newsletter · web viewkip peterson, president (2010) 952-431-8442 [email protected]...
TRANSCRIPT
July - September 2008The information provided in this newsletter is for educational purposes only, and it is not nor
implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your own physician or healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical
condition.
Renewing Spirit: A Gathering of Caregivers Report
On September 13, 2008 the first ever Caregivers Conference was held at the Oak Ridge Conference Center in Chaska.What a great day it was!About 60 people attended. We had caregivers and family members for lung, heart, pancreas and liver patients.The speakers were all wonderful, the food was even better and the camaraderie between the participants was the best.We think everyone had a great day learning, laughing and sharing experiences.Too often the caregiver gets a little “lost in the shuffle” during the journey of transplant and conferences such as this remind us all that the emotional and physical health of the caregiver is as important as the patient.If you were unable to attend this conference be sure and make time for the next one!
The Renewing Spirit Organizing Committee
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Hope Chest NewsPATIENT NEWSLETTER
Mission StatementTo support and educate University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
patients and their families as the progress through the process of lung, heart or heart / lung transplantation, and to promote public awareness of the needs
of these patients.
2008 TransplantsAs of 09/22/2008 there have been 21 Lung and 20 Heart transplants.
Lung Transplants Heart TransplantsName Typ
e# Date Name # Date
D/L 203 01/05/08 639 01/07/08Mary Paquette D/L 204 01/10/08 640 01/12/08Mary Carhill S/L 358 01/30/08 641 01/15/08Jennifer Rousseau D/L 205 01/31/08 642 01/30/08Ralph Loftus D/L 206 02/09/08 643 02/08/08Shelle Goodwin D/L 207 02/18/08 644 02/16/08
S/L 359 03/26/08 645 03/05/08S/L 360 04/02/08 646 04/08/08
Viola Poeschl S/L 361 05/02/08 647 04/15/08S/L 362 05/02/08 648 04/30/08S/L 363 06/05/08 649 05/21/08
Gloria Heideman S/L 364 06/25/08 650 05/29/08Renee Holzapfel S/L 365 06/25/08 651 06/25/08
S/L 366 06/28/08 652 07/22/08Fred Amrhein S/L 367 07/09/08 653 07/25/08
D/L 208 07/17/08 654 08/02/08S/L 368 07/26/08 655 08/05/08S/L 369 08/02/08 656 08/13/08
Jane Mathison S/L 370 08/08/08 657 08/14/08S/L 371 08/28/08 658 08/28/08S/L 372 08/28/08
Due to HIPPA rules, Marget Schmidtke needs permission from patients to release their name, transplant number and date. Contact her for your transplant information. If any of the people transplanted this year would like to have their name printed in the newsletter, please E-Mail [email protected] or you can call Ed Aubitz at 952-457-8281. If you let us know the date of your transplant and your transplant number, we can also make a button for you.
* * * * *The Eurotransplant International Foundation is responsible for the mediation and allocation of organ donation procedures in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and Slovenia. In this international collaborative framework, the participants include all transplant hospitals, tissue-typing laboratories and hospitals where organ donations take place. The organization is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. There is more information about how this unique organization operates at the following Web ‘link’:
www.eurotransplant.nl
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July367 Fred Amrhein SL 07/09/08 782 Lucille Benson SL 07/15/94 7294 Gary Broberg SL 07/28/05 7319 Sarah Buan SL 07/07/99 7 Polly Davis DL 07/28/06 7266 Lyle Derry SL 07/25/03 779 Jean Dunson SL 07/04/9488 Jo Elliott DL 07/14/99446 Ramona Foore H 07/28/02114 Shirley Freel DL 07/18/0140 Clarice Hanson HL 07/13/97136 Wanda Hinrichs DL 07/03/03109 David Knowles DL 07/04/01 7 Charles Larsen SL 07/25/03 7 Richard Ludgate SL 07/03/03 7
199 Mark Nyman DL 07/25/07 711 Dan Oien, Jr HL 07/08/89 7137 Kip Peterson DL 07/21/03 7158 Scott Roth DL 07/30/05 7329 Dan Schreyer SL 07/27/06 7 Ed Schuck SL 07/03/03 798 Suzie Seever DL 07/20/00182 Candace Sprout DL 07/06/0624 Brian Stainbrook HL 07/07/9196 Pat Strohmeier DL 07/01/00146 Roy Stubbs DL 07/19/0497 Shawn Swartz DL 07/14/0076 Cindy Torgerson DL 07/26/98113 Chris Trainer DL 07/15/0189 Patty Wagner DL 07/30/99
August
115 Mary Ahern SL 08/02/96 8Ronald Aman HL 08/01/07 8
200 Lowell Amundson DL 08/08/07 8 Gary Anderson 08/31/03 8284 Joe Coletta SL 08/11/04 8
Clyde Craite 08/26/06 8 Martin Glanzer DL 08/25/05 8137 Doris Griemes SL 08/12/97 899 Ronald Hicks DL 08/28/00 8 Darlene Johnson SL 08/25/04 8330 Denise Johnson SL 08/31/06 8141 Denise Kitchen DL 08/04/03 8198 Duane Lokken SL 08/03/00 8
80 John MacLaren DL 08/18/98370 Jane Mathison SL 08/08/08167 Jim Melander SL 08/14/99 Richard Phinney SL 08/25/04200 Deva Randall SL 08/06/00213 E. Margaret Resch SL 08/16/01 Walter Rime SL 08/11/04
Paul Ruder H 08/22/92150 Sandy Sandager SL 08/03/98298 Michael Schowalter SL 08/08/05296 Charlotte Storsteen SL 08/05/05297 Karen Taylor SL 08/07/05139 Deb Werkman DL 08/05/03
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September91 Jan Ankeny DL 09/30/99 9
Kenneth Bourke SL 09/03/07 9
332 Wally Brandt SL 09/06/06 9
Susan A. Campina SL 09/20/02
593 Brenda Daml H 09/22/06
127 Trudy Davey DL 09/08/02
331 Duane Erickson SL 09/06/06 9
Susan Hackert SL 09/12/06 9
281 Charles Hagenah SL 09/14/04 9
301 Robert Haugen SL 09/20/05 9
13 Larry Larrivy HL 09/28/89 9
201 Harlan Lehto SL 09/07/00 9
169 Viki Lelm SL 09/13/99 9
269 Eldred (Al) Lorenz SL 09/07/03 9
245 Lavonne Maring SL 09/20/02 9
119 Leroy Martin SL 09/05/96 9
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41 Daniel McCullough DL 09/06/95
29 Carmen Moser DL 09/16/94
140 Terry Olson DL 09/28/03
Dale Oman SL 09/04/05
272 Melodie Purk SL 09/09/03
117 Robert Smith SL 09/03/96
63 Barbara Stuart DL 09/16/97
Kristi Van Buren DL 09/25/05
270 Carla Viseth SL 09/07/03
216 Carole L. Vondall SL 09/05/01
Important Numbers:The following chart will help if you need assistance in one of the listed areas.Purpose Who to Contact Phone
NumberE-Mail Address
Address or E-Mail Change Ed Aubitz 952-457-8281 [email protected]
In the Hospital Any Board member See list elsewhere
Financial AssistanceMarget Schmidtke, Thoracic Transplant Social Worker
612-273-5796 or1-800-478-5864
Heart\Lung Status Change Ed Aubitz 952-457-8281 [email protected]
mMentorship Program Eileen Vierow 651-483-3146 [email protected]
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Obtain your Transplant Number Marget Schmidtke
612-273-5796 or1-800-478-5864
Heart Buttons Mary Paquette 651-450-9767 [email protected]
* * * * *We don’t want to miss you…
Marget has short-term parking passes for the group meetings. So come to group and if you need one just ask Marget. We don’t want anyone to stay away from meetings because of financial concerns.
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We have lost more of our lung buddies:Trudy Ras s/l - Transplanted 06/25/04 Passed away 02/19/05Lyn Ruetten Waiting Passed away 05/16/08Steve Messner s/l - Transplanted 10/30/07 Passed away 07/25/08Elissa Owen d/l - Transplanted 09/10/07 Passed away 07/29/08Steve Blake d/l - Transplanted 01/02/06 Passed away 09/03/08Ross Bourgeois d/l - Transplanted 04/04/05 Passed away 09/12/08
Our prayers go out to their families and for any others who have passed away that we are not aware of.
MemorialsIn Memory of Mathew
SiemensGordon Olson
In Memory of Steve Messner
Ed and Sandy Aubitz
In Memory of Ross BourgeoisEd and Sandy Aubitz
In Memory of Ross Bourgeois
Ross and Elizabeth House
DonationsThank you to the following people and companies for their generous
donationsRoger Engstrom Jane Mathison
Thomas C. Bodmer Lonny and Ronda WalkerHome State Bank
Donation Envelope includedAn envelope addressed to Hope Chest News is being provided with this edition of the Newsletter. This is there to make it easier for recipients of the Newsletter to make a donation that would be accountable in the 2008 tax year. All checks should be made out to Hope Chest News.Donations made to Hope Chest News are used to defray the costs of producing and mailing the newsletter or to provide financial assistance to FUMC heart/lung transplant patients and waiters. Hope Chest News is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization so donations are tax deductible
In memory of loved ones and donors. Please remember
them in your prayers
Newsletter Topics The Newsletter is produced on a quarterly basis. The Newsletter is also available online at www.hopechestnews.org. Click
on the Newsletter tab on the left hand side of the page. Once there, you can view the newsletter or download a copy to your PC. We will provide E-Mail notification to you when the latest copy is available online. To request this service please send an E-Mail to [email protected]
If you would like to share a personal story about your transplant experience, if you have questions or information you would like to share with other lung or heart transplant patients, please contact Ed Aubitz by calling 952-457-8281 or via E-Mail to [email protected].
If you no longer wish to receive the Hope Chest News please initial and date the following statement and send it to the address below:
I do not wish to receive the Hope Chest News newsletter _______________Name: _________________________________________
Hope Chest NewsC\O Ed Aubitz
161 East 105th Street CircleBloomington, MN 55420
* * * * *We received the following in a note from Roger Engstrom with a donation. Thanks for your comments Roger. We wish you well as you wait for your transplant!
Enclosed is a donation to help pay for the postage for awhile. Enjoy the newsletter – appreciated the Tip about temp and humidity not over 150. That’s a good mark for us COPD people. Not going to go well for those of us with COPD to try and do something in the great Minnesota outdoors on a day where the index s over 150! I get my exercise indoors a the Detroit Lakes Community Center 3-4 times a week year around. I figure the exercise is just as good as Prolastin!
News from the HCN Board of Directors
Kip Peterson, President (2010) 952-431-8442 [email protected] Aubitz, Vice President (2009) 952-457-8281 [email protected] Vermeulen, Treasurer (2011) 952-445-2497 [email protected] Greising, Secretary (2009) 651-738-2954 [email protected] Caron, Director (2010) [email protected] Daml, Director (2011) 763-753-4169 [email protected] Foore, Director (2011) 952-431-2884 [email protected] Jackson (2011) 651 696-2962 [email protected] Litman, Director (2011) 952-935-1687 [email protected] Paquette (2009) 651-450-9767 [email protected] Vierow, Director (2009) 651-483-3146 [email protected] Wock, Director (2010) 651-439-1808 [email protected]
Election of new board members was done at the July 2008 Board Meeting. Four Directors positions needed to be filled. After nominations were closed and voting completed the votes were counted. Judy Vermeulen, Ramona Foore, and Hinda Litman were re-elected to the board. The fourth position was filled by Vern Jackson.Philip Gracia resigned from the Board in August. Mary Paquette will complete his term of office.The passing away of Ross Bourgeois has created another vacancy on the Board which will be filled at the October, 20 2008 Board Meeting
President’s ReviewThis summer we have had successes, good times and sadness.During the last couple of months we have lost five of our lung (buddies) recipients; Steve Messner, Steve Blake, Ross Bourgeois Elissa Owen and Lyn Ruetten passed away while waiting for his ‘Gift of Life’Unfortunately, when you’re a lung or heart transplant recipient, these tragedies seem to happen too often.Steve Messner had IPF and received a single lung transplant in October 2007. He was in and out of the hospital the last few months before his death. Steve Blake had a rare disease called Kartagener Syndrome. He received a double lung transplant in January 2006. He had some difficult times to start with but generally he was doing okay until the past couple of months. Steve was very involved with AIM (American Indian Movement). He was also a well known Indian artist.Ross received a double lung transplant in April 2005. He had Cystic Fibrosis. Ross had a lot of ups and downs during his recovery but also experienced some wonderful time during the last three years. Ross was a board member of Hope Chest News and when there was a new CF patient he would become their mentor. Ross was involved with our golf tournaments and did much to promote the efforts of Hope Chest News. Elissa Owen received her double lung transplant in September 2007. Elissa also had Cystic Fibrosis.
We will miss all of these people each and every day. Times like this always remind me of how fragile life is for each of us.Both of our golf tournaments were held this past summer.The Daml Tournament did not have the turnout that was expected, but still raised about $4,000 for Hope Chest News. The Marie Anderson Golf Tournament had more golfers this year than last. It was a great day with about $19,000 being raised. Our thanks to all that were involved in this effort and especially to Mike Tuttle for his donation of food etc. at Elsie’s.Once again we are very appreciative of Ed Aubitz taking the reins and overseeing both golf tournaments. As in all the projects Ed is involved in with HCN his professional approach is outstanding. We are already looking forward to 2009. We will begin soon to look at what can be improved upon for next year.Although we did raise significant funds at the golf tournaments we continue to look for additional fund raising opportunities. So far this year we have given out funds that equal all of last year. We anticipate that this trend will continue for the rest of this year and into 2009. It is important that we be able to have enough funds to fill all the requests sent to us through Marget. Finally, we want to keep our database current. Please remember to let us know about any changes in your status, change of address, E-Mail and health.Consider getting involved!Take Care,Kip
Treasurer’s ReportThis summer has been a very busy one for us. It started out by going on a trip to St. Francis to the Daml Golf Tournament, some of you may not know it but Larry’s wife Brenda is a heart transplant patient and is on the HCN Board of Directors. Larry has worked hard to raise funds for HCN. I think I may pack a bag next time, a long way from Shakopee. Then in July we had the 2nd. Annual Marie Anderson Memorial Golf tournament. We did very well and surpassed our expectations. We continue to help both Heart and Lung patients with distributions for housing, medical and transportation needs. If you have any questions about HCN finances please send a note to [email protected] as I am in California for the fall/winter helping my daughter with 3 lovely grandchildren while Dad is in Iraq.
SincerelyJudy VermeulenTreasurer
HCN database updatesIf your residence, home phone, cell phone or E-Mail address has changed since you registered as a Hope Chest News member, please provide your new information below:
Name: _________________________________________________________Address: _________________________________________________________City: ____________________________________ State: _______ ZIP: ________Home Phone: _______________________ Cell Phone: ____________________E-Mail Address: ______________________________________________________
We try to keep our patient information up-to-date. Please let us know if any of the following have changed. Due to HIPPA rules, Marget Schmidtke needs permission from patients to release their name, transplant number and date. She cannot release this information to Hope Chest News. Contact her (1-800-478-5864) for your info.Transplant Date: _______________ Transplant Number: _____________Transplant Type: _______________ (Single or Double Lung, Heart or Heart\Lung)We would also like to hear of any patients who have passed away. If a caregiver or family member could drop us a note it would be appreciated.Fill in the information needing updating and send this page to:
Hope Chest NewsC\O Ed Aubitz
161 East 105th Street CircleBloomington, MN 55420
Or you can E-Mail the information to [email protected] Raising Items For Sale
Item Price Contact Phone # Email
Cookbooks $15.00 Judy Vermeulen 952-445-2497 [email protected] Tote Bag
$15.00 Eileen Vierow 651-483-3146 [email protected]
Logo Jackets $35.00 Eileen Vierow 651-483-3146 [email protected]
Invalid E-Mail AddressesHope Chest News has started sending out Monthly meeting notifications and other information via E-Mail to those people with an address on file. We have had many E-Mail rejections due to old, invalid addresses. The following is an alphabetical list of the addresses that have been rejected. We ask that you scan the list to see if one of your previous E-Mail address is in there and, if so, to please let us know your current E-Mail address by sending an E-Mail to [email protected]. We have remove all of these invalid addresses from the database so we don’t get the error [email protected] [email protected]@hoff.org [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]@charter.net [email protected]@earthlink.net [email protected]@hotmail.com [email protected]@midstate.tds.net [email protected]@smig.net [email protected]@mn.rr.com [email protected]@webtv.net [email protected]@newulm.kiz.mn.us [email protected]@peoplepc.com [email protected]@ecnet.com [email protected]@worldnet.att.net [email protected]@charter.net [email protected]@towndelivery.com [email protected]@sbglobal.net [email protected]@cox.net [email protected]@hotmail.com [email protected]@alliancecom.net [email protected]@netconx.net [email protected]@yahoo.com [email protected]@yahoo.com [email protected]@acegroup.com [email protected]@msn.com [email protected]@yahoo.com [email protected]@hotmail.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]@yahoo.com [email protected]@netzero.com [email protected]@yahoo.com [email protected]@msn.com [email protected]@yahoo.com [email protected]@yahoo.com [email protected]@mn.rr.com [email protected][email protected] [email protected]@itsa.ucsf.edu [email protected]@comcast.net [email protected]@ncis.net [email protected]
4th Annual Daml Golf Tournament ResultsA decision was made to postpone the 4th Annual Daml Golf Tournament from the original June 14th date to June 23rd because of conflicts with other tournaments. These conflicts seemed to be affecting registrations so the new date was able to be accommodated by the golf course. Even with the change in date for the tournament registrations were not as many as expected. However, the players enjoyed the day and income from the event exceeded $4,000. Thanks to Larry Daml for his efforts. Complete results of the Daml Golf Tournament can be found on the Hope Chest News Web site:
www.hopechestnews.org* * * * *
2nd Annual Marie Anderson Memorial Golf Scramble ResultsThe 2nd Annual Marie Anderson Memorial Golf Scramble is in the history books! We had more golfers than last year, warm weather and a challenging course. Hope Chest News would like to thank all sponsors, golfers and those who donated items to the Silent Auction for your participation and generous support. Total revenue from the event was over $19,000. These funds are used to help heart/lung transplant patients with expenses that exceed their ability to pay; e.g. medications, rent, utilities, ect. In the last three years requests for financial help have increased 240%. Proceeds from the tournament, Raffle and Silent Auction allow us to meet these rising needs.Complete results of the Scramble can be found on the Hope Chest News Web site:
www.hopechestnews.orgPictures from the event are posted online at the following Web address:
snipurl.com/3ieqjThanks to the members of the Golf CommitteeWayne Anderson, Ed Aubitz, Gary Broberg, Ross Bourgeois, Larry Daml, Kathleen Hallinan, Vern Jackson, Barb Peterson, Kip Peterson, Eileen Vierow, Judy Vermeulen, Hal Wenaas and the many volunteers who helped on the day of the event.
* * * * *Recognition
Larry Daml has been involved with Hope Chest News for slightly over 1 year. He has put on a fund raising golf event for 4 years, the last two benefitting Hope Chest News. Larry and his wife, Brenda, who had a heart transplant, live in the suburbs north of the Twin Cities. Because of the distance involved, Larry has done all the work in putting on the Tournament. Considering it has taken 10 others on the Committee to conduct the second golf event, Larry’s commitment and efforts are very much appreciated. The Golf Committee voted him as the Outstanding member of the Committee for 2008
New service from CaringBridgeA new service from CaringBridge is called CaringBook. The following is from the announcement of the new service which was delivered via E-Mail to people who currently have active CaringBridge Web sites.CaringBridge authors can now purchase their entire CaringBridge website as a professionally-produced, full-color hardcopy book. Each CaringBook contains your entire CaringBridge experience — My Story, Journal entries, Guestbook comments, Tributes and Photos. Best of all, you can create your CaringBook today with just a few clicks of your mouse.Learn more about CaringBook and how to create yours today. Visit your CaringBridge web page and Sign In. Then click on the 'Site Settings' and then click on the 'Create a Caringbook'
* * * * *Portable oxygen concentrators to be allowed on
airlinesOn May 8th the Department of Transportation (DOT) released the long awaited amendment to the Air Carrier Access Act that establishes mandatory rights for passenger owned portable medical oxygen concentrations that meet applicable DOT safety, security and hazardous materials requirements for safe use aboard aircraft. The DOT rule will also apply to foreign carriers that begin or end their flights in the United States. The Air Carrier Access Act enacted by Congress in 1986, prohibits airlines from discriminating against disabled passengers and now will include a provision long requested by oxygen advocates.For now we will have to rely on the carriers that have voluntarily implemented carry-on for portable concentrators as the new rule takes effect on May 13,
2009 to give airlines time to implement the regulation. You can read the final rule at www.regulations.gov, docket number DOT-OST-2004-19482. Beware, it is long at 75 pages!Although this is a significant change in policy remember that this does not remove the need for advance notification and the proper medical documentation for the airlines.The following concentrators have been approved by the DOT for patients to carry-on aircraft.AirSep FreeStyle - AirSep LifeStyle - Inogen One - Respironics EverGo - Sequal Eclipse
* * * * *Alpha-1 Association News
The mission of the Alpha-1 Association is to identify individuals affected by Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) and to improve the quality of their lives through support, education, advocacy and to encourage participation in research.
For more information on Alpha-1 Association programs or services visit: www.alpha1.org or call the Patient Information Hotline : (800) 245-6809
CF oriented ‘blogs’The following two Web sites were contributed by one of our lung transplant patients. They give insights into the lives and family members of people who have CF and have received the ‘Gift of Life’. We hope you receive inspiration reading their transplant journey stories.
cfhusband.blogspot.comlivinglifebreathlessly.blogspot.com
* * * * *Ideopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2001 to accelerate research efforts leading to a cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), while educating, supporting, and advocating for the community of patients, families, and medical professionals fighting this disease. The CPF funds promising research into new approaches to treat and cure Increase public awareness of IPFFor more information please call (888) 222-8541or visit:
www.coalitionforpf.orgor E-Mail them at [email protected]
Recent IPF study info can be found at the following address:peek.snipurl.com/3aw9p
* * * * *
Trip PlanningMany of us enjoy travelling before and after transplant. Since our conditions can be affected by air quality knowing the general quality at the destination of your trip could help in planning. The following ‘link’ is to a trip planner for predicting/averaging air quality in the United States. Not all cities\counties are tracked but all major cities are:
www.epa.gov/aircompare/compare-trip.htm* * * * *
Sunscreen EvaluationBecause of the medications transplant patients take, we have are more susceptible to skin cancer. The following ‘link’ is to an evaluation of several sunscreen products
cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/sunscreens/summary.php
A donor storyThe following two stories were received from Ron and Ruth (Lovegren) Laumer. They are active LifeSource volunteers. They both lost their spouses but found each other. Lifesource is sponsoring Curt and Ann’s floralgraph on the 'Stars of Life' Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade on January 1, 2009. Watch for it.First, Ruth Laumer’s storyCurt Lovegren and I were married on January 23, 1971. Curt was a master-level electrician with his own electrical company. A smart businessman, Curt was a creative problem solver and a gifted story teller. Curt was active in our church. We raised two boys, Kevin and Keith. Curt was looking forward to having grandchildren, he never got the chance to enjoy them! On January 23, 2001 Curt and I celebrated a milestone wedding anniversary – 30 years!We had just arrived home from a long weekend on Sunday, February 25, 2001. On Monday morning we resumed our regular schedules, except Curt had a mid-day dentist appointment. Sitting in the dentist’s chair Curt complained of a very bad headache. Minutes later he had a seizure that rendered him unconscious. He was immediately transported to the hospital where the emergency room doctor determined that he had a ruptured brain aneurism. Curt was immediately taken in for surgery, the doctors hoping to make room for the swelling in his brain.Our family gathered around Curt’s bed praying and coaxing him to pull through. Many members of our church family and friends were gathered outside the ICU, praying for Curt and our family. On February 28, 2001, Curt was declared brain dead. He was only 51 years old! Curt was not a registered donor. In the group of friends was a nurse who was very helpful when it came time to decide what to do about donating Curt’s organs and eyes.A donor coordinator from LifeSource was also at the hospital, and with their help they helped us make the very difficult decision to donate Curt’s organs. Through LifeSource, Curt’s organs have helped six people to live better lives! A 47-year old man received the gift of the heart. A 71-year old man from California received the gift of the kidney. A 46 year-old man from New Mexico received the gift of the pancreas. A 53-year old man from Minnesota received the gift of the liver. A 54 year-old man from Iowa and 60 year-old man from Minnesota received the
gift of the lungs. A 38 year-old woman from Texas received the gift of sight from two corneas. In 2005 I met Ron Laumer on the Internet. We discovered that we both have grandsons close to the same age. Our birthdays are only a week apart in November and both of our spouses died suddenly in the same calendar month and because of brain aneurisms. Ron and I married on September 30, 2006. We are committed to spreading the word about organ, tissue and eye donation and we both spend many hours a month volunteering on behalf of donation.
Take time now to have your driver’s license updated to reflect your desire to be an organ, tissue and eye donor! Don’t leave your loved ones wondering during an already difficult time!!
Ron Laumer’s StoryOctober is filled with special memories. In October 1967, as a member of the U.S. Air Force, I was assigned to a base in England where I met Anne – a wonderful girl who married me in October 1969. Together we raised four kids. When our second oldest married, Anne began preparing for grandparenthood. Both of Anne’s parents died before her 16th birthday, Anne felt she would also die young, her main concern was that she would not get to see her grandchildren.In October 2003, Anne and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary. Two months later, on New Year’s Eve, our first grandchild was born. While cuddling the newborn, Anne pronounced, “I have met my grandchild, now I can die.” I was stunned and we chalked it up to a “dumb” statement that meant something else altogether but came out wrong. Eight weeks later Anne collapsed at work. The doctor told us she’d had a brain aneurism.On Saturday, February 22, 2004 my family waited anxiously, dreading the doctor’s official pronouncement that Anne had passed. As we waited, we overheard a family whose young child had died say they were donating his organs to something called LifeSource. Anne and I never talked about donation. My family decided donation could bring about some good.Through LifeSource, Anne helped four people live better lives and helped countless others through research. Her donation to the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank gave four people better sight. A 50 year-old man from Florida and a 37 year-old man with diabetes received
Anne’s kidneys. A 43 year-old man from Minnesota received Anne’s liver. A 19 year-old boy from Wisconsin received Anne’s heart. A 51 year-old man from Ohio and a 46 year-old man from North Carolina received
Anne’s corneas. A 17-year old boy and 48 year-old man from Minnesota received part of her
sclera, the white part of the eye, for sight-restoring surgery. Anne’s lungs, pancreas and intestine were devoted to research.After Anne’s funeral, LifeSource began sending me letters and invitations to events, but I didn’t attend. I was lonely. In 2005 I began seeing a woman who had an undeniable sparkle; soon something special drew us together. As we got to know each other, I learned that Ruth lost her husband suddenly in February of 2001 – to a brain aneurism. Ruth, too, had donated her spouse’s organs and eyes to the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank. I began attending some of the LifeSource events with Ruth. To my surprise, the more I learned, the more I wanted others to learn about organ, tissue and eye donation. Donation has indelibly changed my life. Ambivalent about donation before Anne’s death, I now encourage everyone to become an organ, tissue and eye donor.Ruth and I were married in September 2006. We now volunteer regularly together on behalf of donation.Take time now to have your driver’s license updated to reflect your desire to be an organ, tissue and eye donor! Don’t leave your loved ones wondering during an already difficult time!!
U of M Support Group Meetings: Evening meeting at 7:00 P.M. on the 1st Monday of each month. Weekly on Mondays at 11:00 A.M. (no meeting the 1st Monday of the
month).These meetings are held in the Lillehei Conference Room which can be found by:
o Entering the main entrance of the Fairview University Hospitalo Take the elevator down to level 1 (you are level 2 at the lobby)o Turn and walk in the direction of the glass windows of the Pediatric
MRI and Sedation Centero Turn right and proceed down the corridoro You will pass a shipping and receiving area, press on!o The Lillehei Conference Room will be on the left side just after the
shipping areaCaregivers Support Group: First Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. prior to the regular Support Group.Sioux Falls Support Group: Contact June Schnieder at 605-339-3067Hope Chest News Board MeetingsThe Hope Chest News board of Directors holds its monthly meeting on the 3rd Monday of each month in the 8th floor hospital conference room in the luncheon area from 12:30PM to 2:00PM. This is the “Bridges” Conference room. We encourage participation from all our members.
Marie AndersonMemorial Golf Scramble
Benefiting:
Hope Chest NewsProceeds from this event will be used to provide financial
assistance to University of Minnesota Lung Transplant recipients, waiters, and Care
Givers
HOPE CHEST NEWSPATIENT NEWSLETTEREd Aubitz161 East 105th Street CircleBloomington, MN 55420