Month: June 2005

Felix, the site looks great now. Thank you for your time and encouragement. Yes, it’s on to 5.10a’s these days. I climbed with Amanda and Cindy yesterday and even tried some steep overhangs. Much to my surprise, I accomplished the routes with just a few rests. Life on other fronts is not going so well. I had a rough morning, throwing up once at 5:15 a.m. and again at 8:30 a.m. So I was too tired to drive down to the hospital for a blood draw this morning. I also found out that I do not qualify for food stamps, even though I receive only a little over the $1000/month income limit from the government. Luckily, I am not hungry due to extra support/loans from friends and family, but I fear for the poor in the Bay Area. $12,000 year is an incredibly low income and I do not see how anyone could live here on that, a place where one room in an apartment costs $650/month. Everyone must cram into apartments and combine their incomes to make it work. The government food stamp program has steep requirements. Stacey, from Belmont

Amelia, thank you for visiting my site! I would be honored to be featured on your site, and will contact you today by e-mail. It was a wonderful morning. I met my new friend, Gillian, at the gym today. We had a great time climbing and making plans for future trips. I was especially encouraged because I am climbing harder these days, getting back my strength. Today I even on-sighted (climbed without falling the first try) a route rated 5.10a, which is my record for after the transplant! I have improved from 5.6 to 5.10a in about three weeks! It gives me great hope for the future, in that I will become physically strong enough to climb outdoors, go on trips, and have my old lifestyle back, instead of having to find a new life without climbing. Stacey, from Belmont

Last Sunday, I went to the Stanford stadium with Dave and got a full workout in…10 trips up and down. I was so pleased because that is what I used to do before the setback, so things are getting better. Today, after my “gastric emptying test” at the hospital, I visited my friends David and Gwen, who are both admitted right now. David is waiting for a transplant, and Gwen had hers 5 months ago and is undergoing gastric complications, a lot of nausea. When I see them, it only makes me more grateful to have what level of health I do. All my problems seem smaller now. Stacey, from Belmont

I’ve been able to get out on some nice hikes lately. On Friday, I went with Julie, Ian and Lucy Humphreys (as well as their dog, Hugo) to Arastradero Preserve. I wasn’t feeling so well, so we only went on a short walk. We walked to the lake and relaxed a little while. Yesterday, Carrie and I went to another wonderful place called Crystal Springs. We walked along the Sawyer Camp trail for two miles, and turned back. The water and mountains were so beautiful. The walking is getting easier, yet I’m still very tired during the day. I think my muscles are getting stronger, but I still have a long way to go with energy level. I go to bed early, and wake up late. I hope it improves. Stacey, from Belmont

Denise, thanks for your note. I hope everyone gets a chance to check out the new Wind Song home page! Also, I received the cookbooks and videos you ordered. Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to using them! Yesterday I met Rhona and her girls for climbing at Belmont. Zoe and Maya haven’t been climbing in a long time, but they scampered up the walls like spiders. After their lesson, I climbed two 5.8’s (with great effort.) After climbing, I drove to Stanford Stadium to meet Ana and Isa for climbing the bleachers. We all had our own programs. Ana runs up the bleachers, while Isa and I walked but went for respective record distances. I was impressed that Isa can do 13 trips! I think she got stronger while I was going backwards in the hospital this spring. Stacey, from Belmont

Mom, thank you for adopting me 36 years ago! I am so grateful to you and my late father, Glenn Collver, for giving me a loving family, a happy childhood and the opportunities for a better life in the U.S. (I am sure I would not have survived LAM in Taiwan, among other things.) Today also marked the fifth anniversary of my friend Ana Stenzel’s transplant. We celebrated with a lunch of homemade sushi at the Rainbow Garden at the hospital during her lunch hour. Ana is one of the most inspirational people I know. Before the transplant, I heard she had hiked Half Dome, and that really gave me hope. Last year, she and Isa trained at the stadium for the Transplant Games (and we all still climb the bleachers there for exercise.) When I had my transplant, Ana came to visit during the hardest time and held my hand and I was so grateful for her understanding. Stacey, from Belmont