A Bryson in China: June 2006

Pork treats at Dedication ceremony.

Guests and A Dedication

What a hectic week! I knew it would be busy, but I had no idea. I was expecting three visitors from our Atlanta offices, and my good friend, Chris, but we had a lot more.

You see, Monday was the Dedication of our new building. A special bus of our Hong Kong personnel was coming in to visit. Well, as the Atlanta group showed up they also informed me that we had just received a call from the Starwood Resort folks (Sheraton), and they had five people ready for a tour of our facility on Monday too!! Well, look out; let’s just have everyone show up at once.

The Starwood group arrived and wanted a quick tour – impossible in a facility of now over 1 million square feet. Plus, they wanted to question everything they saw! And to top it off the temperature was peaking around 35°C (think around 95°F).

I had been at Decca on the day we had the original ground breaking for the new building in March of last year. So I had been lucky enough to see the addition of 360,000 square feet from the start. I wanted to be around for more of the Dedication, but I had to continue the tour with our guests. Besides we didn’t want them standing too long in the sun anyway. A guests passing out from sunstroke is not a good thing.

The Dedication took place on the rooftop of the new building in a scorching sun. I thought someone said there would be umbrellas available, but that was only for those smart enough to think about bringing their own. Another dozen management members huddled under my shadow! Don’t laugh…. They were enjoying it!

But I had to move along with the tour before most of the festivities. I was able to get a lot of photos from the many photographers there for the day. And I did hear part of the ceremony, particularly the fireworks, even when I was some distance away. What a string of fireworks. It was probably a good thing that I wasn’t so close to that noise!

More photos available from the link "New Building Dedication Ceremony" link in the right column.

Mr. Tsang blessing and burning incense at Dedication.

Richard and Tony pour last concrete on rooftop.

Why I'm Still in China!

Okay, some of you have questioned why I’m not returning right away to the US considering I  need a new kidney.  Let me assure you, I’m in the best place possible right now.

Where else can I get the care and attention from fellow workers like I do here?  You just can’t believe the Decca folks.  They are great to work with.  In fact, my life right now is like having a dozen mothers hovering over me.  They really care.  Our owner’s wife and daughter are at the plant visiting or working every week, and they have taken a direct personal interest in my diet and care.  Daily they check what I eat and they insure that the food that is prepared for me follows my diet.

You see, right now it is important that I be on a low-phosphorus diet.  That is pretty tricky.  The main thing is to reduce dairy products, wheat products, and another set of ambiguous items.  For example, mandarin oranges are okay, but oranges are not.  Frozen broccoli is okay, but fresh broccoli is not.  Anybody know where to get frozen broccoli in China?  They don’t even know that concept here.  Everything is fresh.

But my diet has been copied and translated to Chinese and given to our cooks here at the factory.  They are good at daily assuring I get the best food for my diet.  So far I’ve lost close to 30 pounds since I moved to China.  I dare say, I doubt if I would have done as good in that respect if I was still in the US.

And medical care couldn’t be better.  I’m listed on the waiting list at the University of Colorado – Denver Hospital.  The director of the kidney transplant team in Denver is from Hong Kong. What a small world.  And he connected me to a local nephrologist, who is renowned in Hong Kong.  I couldn’t be in better hands or ever find better care.

When the time is right to return I will.  If all goes well, I will just schedule and return for a couple of months to get a transplant.  Otherwise, if my conditions worsens, which again I remind all, I feel fine right now – I will return and be ready to receive a kidney from the waiting list program.  But I prefer the first option.

In the meantime, I’m happy at my job.  I’ve got great medical care nearby.  The folks I work with, smother me with care and affection.  My career is enabling good medical insurance.  Why would I want to leave this now?  I will when the time is right.  In the meantime, stay in touch and please continue your prayers and concerns.

66,838

66,838………… That’s a big number.  As of Monday, there were 66,837 candidates for transplant in the United States awaiting a new kidney.   So I figure that puts me makes me 66,838 on the list .  I am officially on the waiting list now.

There have only been 4,096 kidney transplants year to date in America.  The incongruity of those numbers may seem a little daunting.  I try not to worry about it.  I know a “living donor” is my best bet and I’ve had a few offers, from family and friends.

It’s incredible to get such a genuine offer from someone, even when it’s a close relative.  What do you say to a person that’s offered one of their kidneys?  I’ve been more than little speechless.

It also gives me great hope.  I know that I am going to get through this.  God is on my side.  My family is on my side.  My company has been incredible.  And I’m blessed with caring friends all over the world.  The outpouring of concern I’ve received in the last week has been incredible.  I thank you for all the emails and expressions of support.

The process for a transplant may take a little while.  As I keep mentioning, I am fine for now.  I watch what I eat to be sure to prolong the condition of my kidneys, in hopes they don’t deteriorate any further.   In time, my number will come up.  The best situation would be  a scheduled living donation; otherwise I’ll have to wait for my turn on the waiting list.  If I’m lucky enough to find a living donor I hope to schedule the transplant within the next 12 months.  If not, and I have to depend on the waiting list, it may be 3-5 years.

What can you do?

If you are truly interested in donating a living kidney, please contact my sister and the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver. There are links in the right column you can use to take these actions now.

Also, please take a look at the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) website, www.unos.org. You can find a lot of data and information there. Be sure to check on ways in which you can Share a Life!

Hurricanes over Edmonton for Stanley Cup

Can you believe it? The Stanley Cup is at home in North Carolina!!!

Who would ever have thunk it? On Tobacco Road, a hockey trophy!!

Congratulations Hurricanes!!!

A Special Message from My Sister

I’m Gene’s slightly older sister Anna Sauer. If everything had worked out according to my scenario, you would be reading in Gene’s blog that he would be going to Denver for a couple of months so that I could give him one of my kidneys. I honestly didn’t imagine that it would be a problem – my blood type is compatible, so we would just schedule the transplant, he would spend 3-4 months in Colorado recuperating, he would go back to China, and we all would live happily ever after. But, I’m too short! I’ve always known that being 5’3” was very annoying, but it seems that the “surface area” of my kidney would not support someone Gene’s size. One of the doctors at the transplant center explained it this way – it would be like taking the motor from a Ford Focus and putting it into a Hummer and expecting it to perform. Conversely, if I needed the kidney then one from Gene would work for me. So if you are bigger than Gene don’t assume that would be a problem.

I’m asking you to PLEASE consider being a donor. I’ve researched the process; I’ve talked to the doctors and the members of the transplant team, so I can answer some of your basic questions – my email is Asauer0328@aol.com.

Here are some common questions and concerns:

Are there conditions that would prevent someone from being a donor?

High blood pressure;

Taking medication for blood pressure;

Diabetes;

Overweight (body mass index higher than 30);

Previous kidney stones, although if it was a single episode the candidate would be tested to see if their kidney had suffered any damage.

So who can be a living donor?

Living donors must be over 18 and under 60. They also must be blood-type compatible with the recipient. (Gene is B, so he can have a donor with B, O, or AB.) Of course, they must be in good physical health.

How is the surgery done?

A new technique for removing a kidney for transplant has been available at the University of Colorado Hospital Transplant Center since 1999. This technique utilizes laparoscopic technology to allow the kidney to be removed safely through small incisions in the lower abdomen. Patients undergoing this procedure have significantly less pain, a shorter hospital stay, and return to normal life much faster than those who undergo the more traditional “open” procedure.

How long would I be in the hospital and out of work?

Usually the donor is in the hospital an average of 3 to 5 days, and they may be asked to stay in the area (Denver, Colorado – and you would be a guest at my house!!) for approximately one week after the donor surgery. Most people return to work after 2 – 3 weeks, depending on how they recover and the type of job they have.

How will kidney donation affect my life after surgery?

Most people can live a long and healthy life after donating a kidney. The remaining kidney grows bigger and simply takes over for both kidneys.

What are the risks of becoming a living donor?

Any time major surgery is done there are risks involved. The most common problems encountered with donor surgery are minor infections at the incision site and pain related to the surgery. The risk of dying from donating a kidney is less than one percent.

How much will this cost me?

There are NO COSTS TO YOU for the pre-operative evaluation, surgery, hospital stay, outpatient visits or donor surgery-related medical treatment within the first three months. These costs are paid through a fund provided by the recipient’s insurance company. The only costs that might affect you are your time off from work and transportation to Denver.

After reading through all of this, hopefully you have decided that you would like to be considered as a donor, so your next step is to contact Gene’s transplant coordinator at the University of Colorado Hospital, Jamie Reitz. She can be reached at 303-372-8321 or via email at Jamie.reitz@uch.edu. Let her know that you are interested in being a living kidney donor for Gene Bryson, give her your contact information and she will mail you a packet of materials for you to review. (The packet is not available via email so you need to give her your mailing address.) The packet includes medical history forms that you will need to fill out so you can be considered as a donor.

As you can see, this process is very detailed, very cautious and could take many months to complete. Gene doesn’t have that many more months before he may have to be on dialysis. It is important that we really try to get his kidney before that happens – the success rate for transplants is much higher in recipients that have not had to go through dialysis. Please consider this seriously, but don’t take too long!

ANNOUNCEMENT: I Need a New Kidney!!

How do you  ask someone for a kidney?  This is the most difficult posting that I have ever done.  It seems that living with kidney disease for the last 30 years would have prepared me for this, but it hasn’t.

I need a new kidney!  There I did it.  I said it.  I feel like an alcoholic at their first  AA meeting.

Sorry if I have been pre-occupied in some of my communication over the last few months, but the realization of this need has been in the back of my mind for some time.  I have avoided most discussion, mainly because I wanted to get some things straight before I became public about this.

I was more than taken aback when I visited my doctor in Hong Kong the first time about a year ago, and he bluntly said, “Where are you on a waiting list for a new kidney?”  I didn’t know whether to faint or if it was just his dry British humor.  He wasn’t kidding.

Many of you know that I have had high blood pressure for many years, a side-effect of  kidney disease.  It is polycystic kidney disease, or PKD.  As long as I have controlled my blood pressure, all has been fine, and I guess I’ve done pretty well considering how many years that have passed.  But now, time has caught up with me.

Currently, my kidney function is below 15%.  I don’t even notice anything unusual.  And actually the fact that I also have another odd, rare disease (my good friend Roger always kidded me that “If I was a horse with all these illnesses, they would just shoot me!”), has balanced my symptoms.  Most kidney patients would be anemic by now with my low-efficiency, but my hemachromatosis is offsetting that condition by creating extra amounts of iron.

Did you know that there are over 66,000 folks like me that need a new kidney in the US right now?  It is the most common transplant performed, even though there have only been a few more than 4,000 preformed to date in 2006.  The best situation for me is to get a new kidney from a living adult.  A person with two healthy kidneys can continue to live effectively with only one.  Both of mine are bad by the way.  I just need one new one.

Some of my family members have offered a kidney.  I am working with the University of Colorado Transplant Center in Denver, Colorado to be added to the US kidney waiting list.  Only after listing, may donors, such as those interested family members, come forward to be matched.  Hopefully, that will suffice and I will get a transplant within the next year.

Otherwise, I may come begging.  Right now, I am asking that you seriously consider being a donor.  Please sign up to be a prospective donor following the best method in your state.  But  be sure to discuss it with your family!  They must consent, so they need to know your desires.  Go to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) website, www.unos.org, or www.donatelife.net for more information.  Be sure to check on ways in which you can Share a Life!

In the meantime, your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Reminder:  Comments are allowed again on the site here.  You may have to register.  If you would rather not do that, but want to write me, you can send an email to my account by using the “Email me!” link on the right.

A Sea of Yellow for the King

All decked in yellow. I remembered from my last visit that this was going to be a year of celebration for the King of Thailand. I didn’t expect the magnitude of what I found on last week.

Everywhere one looked on Friday, the Thai people were paying respect for their King by wearing yellow – most with Thai writing: “I love the King.” In a celebration in Bangkok on Friday, hundreds of thousands of Thai people waited in the heat for hours to get a glimpse of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It was an incredible tribute with dignitaries from around the world, including several other monarchs.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the longest serving monarch in the world. Thailand is is commerating that feat on the 60th anniversary of his ascension to the throne with a year long celebration. I arrived for the big first day of celebration. I even had to go to Bangkok Saturday night just to get near the airport for my flight out on Sunday. Otherwise, there were so many roads to be closed on Sunday for other celebrations, we didn’t think I would ever get to the airport from the factory, had I waited.

More impressive is the devotion of the people to the King. Admiration is easily apparent by everyone, and it is truly genuine. There is no doubt about their love for the man. He has been a favorite of all people, particularly in the rural areas. And though he is officially limited in power by the democracy, he has remained a significant force in the affairs of the country. Over his tenure he has been instrumental in assuring the rights of the poor and has admonished anyone who may have threatened the balance of the country’s democracy.

I read many an article in the newspaper Friday lauding the King. It was amazing to read news reports so glamorous in admonition for an authority. It echoed the people and their views so apparent by their wearing of yellow shirts and wristbands “I love the King.”

See BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5062534.stm

Thailand Contact

Now that I am back in Thailand, my previous phone number is active again. Phones have not been so good though, so follow-up with email too, if you need to reach me. To contact me this week, it's:

+66 (038) 0 1578 5451

60 Years under The King

I'm in Thailand again today. I arrived last night - after a lousy two hour delay from Hong Kong airport to Bangkok, followed by a long ride to Chonburi. I have some business here again a few days. I should be back in Hong Kong on Sunday night and back in China again on Monday.

It's interesting to be here at this time. I've arrived just as the 60th anniversary of the King's reign is being celebrated. Everyone is wearing yellow here at the hotel today. I understand there are activiites throughout the country. He is unrivaled in the term of his reign, and it is astonishing to see the admiration and respect he is granted in this country. While other politicians are being constantly berated for their activities, he is held up with great honor by all.

Email may be a little limited for the few days here. I am at the Mercure Hotel in Chonburi, and will be at Para World Furniture on business. Hopefully, I will be posting a phone number to be reached. I am probably going to have to buy a new card. What a pain, I arrive in a country and have to buy a new phone card and get a new number almost everytime.

Anyway, greetings from Thailand.

It's been a little wet here lately. This picture was taken on Saturday afternoon from my apartment. (I'll post a sunny day picture below to contrast the difference.)
This was taken in color & not black and white - note the red brake lights on the car. No adjustment to color has been maed.

Same view on a sunny day.

6-6-06 = Lucky Day

While so many people were fretting about yesterday being 6-6-06, they were happy here in China.  Six sounds like luck in Chinese, and so they considered the date to be lucky.

In Malaysia, I read where hundreds of Chinese jumped at the chance to tie the knot on this lucky date.  A lot of marriages were preformed.  (See FoxNews.com: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,198346,00.html) Besides it is a popular year for weddings anyway.  All over China it was being referred to as a lucky day.  You didn’t hear all the doomsday predictions and concerns expressed elsewhere.

Isn’t it amazing how things get looked at in a different way from one place to another?  And we did survive the day…..  Didn’t we?

Butchering the English Language

What did that say?  I’m always amazed at the use of English in most things around here.  I believe I’ve commented before about how bizarre it can be.  Like the Combridge Bookstore that opened across the street from my home.  I’m sure they meant for that to be the Cambridge Bookstore.

Shirts and apparel are almost always in English.  I’ve even been frustrated at the availability of shirts or hats in Chinese.  They are always English.  I want a golf hat with the local club I play in Chinese characters.  ….. Nooooo… all they have is English.

I got in the elevator with a lady the other day in my apartment, and noticed she had a bright shirt with the words across her chest:  “Smurfs”, and with blue and white sequins of the famous characters,.  I laughed and said, “Oh, the Smurfs.  I haven’t seen them in a while.”  She said, “What does Smurfs mean?”  Typical, she had no idea.  [By the way, I fumbled on trying to figure out how to tell her what the Smurfs were…. I don’t think I ever got it across to her.]

The other week, I was at the new South China Mall (see earlier posting).  I came upon the t-shirt pictured below.  I still am trying to figure out how “Romantic and Military” go together.  There are some Russian references too, though, so who knows.

The Chinese seem to try to appease us guests of the country with attempts at English accompanying business billboards, advertising, apparel and the like.  It gets more than a little confusing sometimes.  And since they have probably just used a computer program to translate, the meaning doesn’t always come across quite right.  By the way, don’t attempt to use a computer program to translate English back to Chinese….. I’ve been embarrassed enough on that one.

"Romantic and Military" t-shirt?!??! Seen recently at the South China Mall.

Comments Allowed Again

You may notice something new on my blog. I am allowing Comments again. Access was allowed early on when I first introduced this blog, but I got a little frustrated. As usual anymore on the internet, the spammers attacked my blog with a vengeance when they found the open access. I was inundated with comments that were nothing more than advertising for various internet schemes. I had to just switch off Comments.

Now Blogger has a word verification requirement for all Comments. That prevents programmed commenting. So go ahead and add your comment, if you like. It doesn’t get posted, but is available for reading by others by clicking on the Comments link. It is an interesting way to communicate. I’ll keep open as long as I get productive comments, and I don’t get blasted with spam again.

And this open commenting ability may be more important with some upcoming news. Till then…………….

Momenti or Mei wenti

I am constantly asked if I’ve learned Chinese. Well, which Chinese language? I get two everyday! It can be more than a little confusing.

First, I’m in Guangdong Province in southern China. Canton, now known as Guangzhou, is one of the biggest cities here. This province is where the Cantonese language originated. It has been the predominate language of this area for many years. Nearby Hong Kong also had Cantonese as the main language. However, in 1956, the Communist Party decreed that Mandarin should be the Putonghua, or “Common Language” or, in other words, the official language. Of course, Hong Kong did not come under China until 1998, and therefore, remained a predominately Cantonese speaking territory.

Now, Mandarin is taught in Hong Kong, like the rest of China. But Cantonese is still the predominate language. And now Hong Kong is really about the only city where Cantonese is still commonly used.

Except………….. here at Decca Furniture! Remember, this is a Hong Kong owned company. The management travels here weekly from Hong Kong to work here and returns on weekends. Most of the top management is fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin and many speak English rather well.

But most workers, come from Northern provinces, where only Mandarin is spoken, and with Guangdong populated mostly by workers only fluent in Mandarin, it is what you hear most of the time.

Except…… at Decca meetings and functions. Most are dominated by managers from Hong Kong, and guess what…… they speak Cantonese in those meetings. Most other business here is conducted in Mandarin. I’m lost. I seldom know when one is used and when the other is used. All the meals I attend have just Hong Kong managers, so they are usually speaking Cantonese. Company functions, like the Chinese New Year Party, have speakers for both Cantonese and Mandarin!!

Early on here, I learned a commonly used term: momenti, meaning “no problem”. In the next meeting, I bravely spoke up at one point and said “moment” about a situation we were encountering. Unfortunately, I was quickly refuted, that “No”… in this meeting it was “mei wenti”, since this meeting was being conducted in Mandarin!! Well, that is a problem for me!

How do I win? I need to learn two languages!!

A Bryson in China

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Guests and A Dedication

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Why I'm Still in China!

Thursday, June 22, 2006

66,838

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Hurricanes over Edmonton for Stanley Cup

Friday, June 16, 2006

A Special Message from My Sister

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

ANNOUNCEMENT: I Need a New Kidney!!

Monday, June 12, 2006

A Sea of Yellow for the King

Friday, June 09, 2006

Thailand Contact

60 Years under The King

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

6-6-06 = Lucky Day

Monday, June 05, 2006

Butchering the English Language

Comments Allowed Again

Friday, June 02, 2006

Momenti or Mei wenti

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