The journal of Stacey Li Collver, a double lung transplant recipient
Thanks for the message, Mom! It was such a nice visit last month.
Today I am running around in a Spiderwoman suit teaching soccer. I am getting some amused looks as I walk around town.
What costumes are the kids in the family wearing? E-mail me at [email protected]!
More later…back to work! Stacey
Hi Stacey, Thanks to Alyssa and Felix for the wonderful photos of your birthday party. I enjoyed our birthday visit too. The cooking was fun and the flavor a pleasure. I have been practising my badmitton serve since you again annihilated me on the court. I do take some solace in the fact I am improving and did not literally fall down on the court like our adult male relatives did when you beat them all without even breaking a sweat or your stride at the summer games. And the sauna night was so fun and funny when someone was stranded towelbound with her glasses locked in the locker trying to braile the lock open as you giggled to my, I mean her, rescue. One of the best memories is the delightful scene of you teaching the children. How cute, adorable and precious when one by one took pride in saying “bye coach”. Love, Mom
A week before my birthday, I was lucky enough to have a visit from my mother, Laura, who organized my house and cooked and cleaned the whole time she was here! I was busy coaching soccer every day, and she spent her time going to Mollie Stone’s grocery store, and preparing delicious lunches and dinners. In the mornings, I woke up to the smell of big breakfasts already prepared. I will say, she has a lot of motherly energy! I really appreciated her work.
Another big favor she did was she bought a new pair of glasses for me, which is something I hadn’t thought about in a long time. It had been 7 years since I had my eyes checked, and the prescription was very outdated. It turns out that I have been going around with only 80% vision, so I got a new prescription and happily wore my new specs on my birthday.
?On the Monday after my birthday, my aunt, Lorraine and cousin Brenda took me out for a sushi lunch at Miyaki’s. It was a mouth-watering treat and wonderful time.
Not long after my mother visited, Felix popped over for an overnight stay. He is in the Bay Area and has been getting around?by train and bike, crashing at different people’s houses every night. He carries a 30 lb. backpack while riding his bike and sometimes bikes over 20 miles a day getting around! “You look like a hobo!” I teased. We had a delicious salmon dinner and breakfast burritos in the morning, and then climbed at Planet Granite with Alyssa. Felix, our athletic wonder, not only runs ultra-marathons, but also bikes double-century rides (200 miles in a day!) and climbs like a pro. That morning, Felix and I both made it to the top of a 5.12a with just a few falls.
Alyssa also attended the birthday party on October 8th, and has provided some interesting pictures! Just click below.
http://flickr.com/photos/vacationtime/tags/20061007staceysbday/
Hi everyone!
I had a wonderful time at the birthday Mountain of Youth party. Thanks to all who came, and a special thanks to Rene, whose idea it was to have a party!
I have posted the trip report by Felix here:
“Congratulations on making it to your 39th birthday!” read a postcard addressed to Stacey Li Collver. “That’s a good way to look at it,” remarked Stacey with a laugh.
Not taking another birthday for granted is especially relevant in Stacey’s case. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with an extremely rare, dangerous lung disease called lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). The condition is quickly fatal with the only known “cure” being a new pair of lungs. Thankfully, Stacey was able to get a lung transplant in 2004. A couple of years later, she is doing well enough to be able to work, rock climb, and do most of the things she loved to do before LAM aside from, say, biking 100 kilometers on a 35-lb mountain bike replete with U-lock and a gallon of water (something she did in 1999!) Continue reading “Felix’s trip report”
Hi Stacey! I had a lot of fun at the Climbing the Mountain of Youth party. I posted a write-up and some photos here. Happy b-day!
Thanks again for picking me up at the CalTrain station on that day to go to Cragmont. I will be going back to Colorado on Tuesday but maybe I can stop by Belmont Sunday. Still trying to figure out my schedule for the weekend. In the meantime, take care and talk to you soon! -Felix
Denise, thank for your birthday greetings and phone call this morning! It is amazing that little Mia can say “Happy Birthday” now!
Aunt Marion, great to hear from you. Yes, I have many fun memories of the Transplant Games, and the family gathering.
My new e-mail is [email protected], if anyone needs to contact me through e-mail. I am not using the climbyourdreams account anymore.
Today is the start of a new year for me; I am now officially 39. What a strange?feeling. It is hard to believe I have been on earth for that long, and at the same time survived almost two years past the transplant, rebuilding my life with new lungs and a new start. In some ways, I have held on to my old identity, almost back to my normal life…but coaching soccer instead of rock-climbing. But I live with more of sense of urgency, more searching for meaning than before, wanting to keep what I have learned throughout the transplant experience while adjusting to normal life again.
It is a busy day, I have four soccer classes to teach, a dinner with the Levin family, and a rock-climbing party to plan for in Berkeley tomorrow. I’ll write more later and tell everyone about a wonderful birthday visit from my mother last week.
Hi Stacey,
Have a great birthday. Hope it is perfect all day long.
Wasn’t the Kentucky trip wonderful? You were so busy with your events. It would have been great to have had a few extra days so you could have had time to hike some of those beautiful trails with us. They were awesome. We saw a lot of wildlife. I guess the hike I remember most is when Sherry and I, and Princess, got completely lost in the pouring rain. Our trail map even got soaked and fell apart. The Princess was never so dirty! It didn’t bother her a bit. In fact I think she enjoyed it. Her family was rather alarmed when they saw her.
I tried to send you a great big email, but it came back. Give me your new email address and I will re-send the letter.
Love and Kisses, Auntie Marion
Hi Sis!
Happy Birthday! I woke up thinking about you today, but it is way too early to call you. I’ll call tonight. I hope you have a wonderful day and weekend.
Lots of love from all of us,
Denise, Jerry, Sophia, and Mia