Category: Random Musings

Angeli, thanks for your message! I am glad your little son is doing well these days. I will be the new editor for the TRIO newsletter (Transplant Recipients International Organization)and was wondering if you are familiar with that club. I hope to see you around the gym soon! Felix, nice to hear from you again. I am sure the Colorado folks will not let you forget about climbing. I have heard that the Spot in Boulder is a great gym. It was a good weekend. Eva kept Dave and me well-fed, cooking us dinner on both Saturday and Sunday nights. (We are spoiled.) Distressed about gaining weight, I spent the weekend gathering things to cook with…a Japanese cookbook, a tea kettle, and a baking dish. Monday, I prepared a quick spinach and potato soup. (It was one of those free samples at Trader Joe’s…I liked it so much I immediately bought all the ingredients to make it, which they had conveniently displayed nearby. I’m a real sucker for taste-strategy marketing.) Dave was so happy he had it before and after climbing! Tonight, it will be potstickers, bok choy, and rice. The trick for me and my friends is to actually find time to both eat and climb at night. It takes real discipline and time management. DYNO FOR DOLLARS EVENT This Saturday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m. there will be an exciting benefit for my medical fund called “Dyno for Dollars.” It is a jumping contest in which each climber starts with his or her hands on a lower hold, crouches down, and using powerful legs, then leaps for a higher hold to catch it, hanging in mid-air above the ground. Some climbers can jump a full body length! Double dynos can be up to 25′! For more information, click on the “Events” page of this website. In April of 2003, I was in a dyno contest in Phoenix, Arizona. It was a show after the biggest bouldering comp in the world, the PBC. My friend Corrine and I won a raffle to participate along with professional climbers such as Chris Sharma and Lisa Rands. It was exciting because it was set up on a stage in front of crowd of at least 500 people. I was feeling really nervous because dynos are obviously not my forte…being under 5 feet tall, I have to jump to holds most climbers can reach without even stretching. I recruited the help of my friend Abby Watkins…she gave me some good advice, and then I was on my own! I was relieved that the route-setters set up the wall so there were some holds that were reasonable for me. Even so, when it was my turn, I kept missing! Then the announcer, in an effort to be funny, revved up the crowd and asked them to make monkey noises for moral support. I closed my eyes, concentrated on Abby’s advice, listened to the obnoxious noise in the background, and jumped. Voila! It worked. I caught the hold and swung proudly four feet off the ground. Stacey, from Belmont

It looks like I’m making progress in climbing. Thursday I worked my way to the top of two 5.11a’s, almost doing one without resting. It was a good feeling because it’s the best climbing I’ve done since before the transplant. Today, I went to Waterdog Lake with Eva. It is a great wilderness path right in the town of Belmont. The sunset was really gorgeous, bright blue with pink streaks. It was a short uphill hike to the lake. I was glad that it didn’t seem too hard. When we got to the lake, we saw Eva’s neighbor with his dog, a golden lab. The dog was having a grand time playing fetch; he swam out into the lake to get the ball even though it was really cold. I was impressed. Stacey, from Belmont

For anyone interested in the Transplant Games, check the website (type without the spaces) www.kidney.org/news/transgames.cfm I especially recommend the video. It is very touching. One of my close friends (Isa) is in it, doing the race-walking event. Stacey, from Belmont

Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope the kids in the family enjoy the holiday…be careful trick-or-treating! Saturday, I was honored at the kick-a-thon and band benefit at Twisters. The band was called, “Return to Reason” and it was very generous of them to play for my cause! Many thanks to Dustin, the organizer of the day. Sunday, I went to Sacramento with Ana to attend a meeting for the Transplant Games, sponsored by the National Kidney Association. The Transplant Games is a national athletic competition and festival dedicated to raising awareness about the need for organ donors, to celebrate the new lives of recipients, and honor the donor families. I plan on attending the Transplant Games on June 16-21st, in Louisville, Kentucky, with my family and friends, including the European contingent, sister Denise, Jerry, and maybe their kids! The Transplant Games have given me hope and inspiration to get stronger and exercise throughout my illness, and this past year of recovery. This hope and anticipation gives me much happiness. I have heard so much about the Games from Ana and Isa (who attended the 2002 Games.) We had a lot of fun exercising together in preparation for the event in 2002. They came back with glowing reports. I have a long way to go in order to be strong enough for the Games. The schedule will be packed, the travel hours long, and the athletic events will be challenging. I will compete in badminton, and possibly other sports. Unfortunately, badminton and track and field are on the same day. I am now considering table tennis and doubles tennis, if I can find a partner. Stacey, from Belmont

Dear friends and family, I have just added two events to the Wind Song Foundation “Events” page. Check it out! I will be adding more events in the future. Stacey

Tuesday night I went to Stanford stadium with Isa and Ana to climb the stairs for the last time this season. I started with Isa, who rushed through 10 sets in about half and hour, and stayed to finish my workout with Ana, who arrived later. As we finished, the sky turned into a beautiful light pink pattern, the stadium quickly grew darker, and the air became crisp and cool. Even in California the seasons change. We will have to find an alternative way to get exercise now. Stacey, from Belmont

CALIFORNIA NEWS : I just signed up on-line to be an organ donor. Here’s some exciting news: SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ — In a history-making move, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law Senate Bill 689 — legislation designed to save tens of thousands of lives by calling on the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to partner with the new Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry*. Under the new law, the California DMV will begin on July 1, 2006 to capture donor decisions of licensed drivers on new and renewal license applications, and will electronically share that information with the Donate Life California Registry. Registrants will also be able to make a voluntary contribution of $2.00 or more to the registry and public education about donation. “Never before has the state of California had a registry system accessible to all,” said Jackie Speier, (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), author of the legislation. “By partnering with the DMV, the Donate Life California Registry will provide all 23 million licensed drivers with the opportunity to give life through organ and tissue donation. This law potentially boosts the ranks of those committed to donate life from the tens of thousands to the millions.” Until the law takes effect next July, the Donate Life California Registry will continue to be available only online at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org Currently in California, nearly 19,000 people wait for a life-saving transplant — 21% of the nation’s total of nearly 90,000 transplant candidates. Tragically, one-third of those waiting will die waiting due to a lack of donors. The numbers demonstrate the need to better identify those willing to give life. Each registrant has the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance another 50 lives through tissue donation. Stacey, from Belmont

Thanks for writing, Felix. That is a funny story. I feel a little bit better! This Saturday, Oct. 29th, there will be a “Kick-a-thon for Hope” sponsored by the Flying Tigers Tae Kwon Do Academy at Twisters Gym in Mountain View. et’s support these good-hearted young athletes! To sponsor an athlete, please contact me at [email protected]. CLIMBING PARTY WITH A BAND! There will also be a band playing for a party at Twisters Climbing Gym to benefit my medical fund. The band will start playing around 1:30 p.m. Climbing is free with a small donation. Come check out the rennovated gym and climb for a cause! All donations are tax-deductible. Medication expenses beyond insurance are approximately $200/month so there is still a great need for fundraising. Many thanks to Twisters owner Ron, and department managers Dustin and Jess for sponsoring these events. Stacey, from Belmont

Felix, thanks for taking care of my website. Nice to hear from you! On Sunday, I played in a badminton doubles tournament at a professional club called the Golden Gate Badminton Club. It was a great event. There were four levels: A,B,C/D (combined.) I entered the lowest flight, but my team was quickly beaten in the first match, 15-2, 15-7, and then we went to the consolation round. Even though I got in some good moves, we lost the first consolation round, too. I had trouble catching my breath, so I played up front while my partner, Anna Dang, ran around in the back. It was tough playing against such good players, and the experience really humbled me. At first I felt disappointed at how far I have to go, but now I am motivated to get stronger and better at the sport. Looking back, I realize that it was an accomplishment to just participate, be able to play the games, and not get sick in the process and have to drop out. Before the competition, I was worried about disappointing my partner. For someone who has excelled at sports in the past, it is a hard reality that my body is not up to competition level among able-bodied athletes. Maybe the Transplant Games will be different. We will see…, Stacey, from Belmont

Felix, thanks for the hint! As usual, Felix has been doing some incredible athletic feats himself, such as climbing the face of Half-Dome and doing 200-mile cycling events. Check out his website blog at w w w. felixwong.com (without the spaces.) At this point in my life, connections with people are very important. I hope it will always be this way, but I know once I get better I will have a job and less time to spend with people. Last week I had the pleasure of going on a memorable picnic to Twin Pines Park with Rhona. It was a happy discovery to find a little park so close to my house. Rhona spread out some towels on the picnic table in the woods and laid out the meal…tofu, sesame green beans, red cabbage and vinnegar, rice cakes, fuji apples, and ginger tea! I was very impressed at her thoughtfulness and good taste in food! Stacey, from Belmont