First VMMA Honorary Membership presented to Kaiser
Saturday 30th October 2010
Kaiser Wehbe is a double, double lung transplant recipient who 24 months ago was the Cystic Fibrosis Victoria representative on the 1st "Breathless" 8 Day Ride that commenced in November 2008, he had only received his first lung transplant in March 2008.
Kaiser should have attend at the Alfred Hospital during that 8 Day Ride to have a piece of metal that had protruded from his chest reinserted, but no way was he going to miss the 1st "Breathless" Ride.
Kaiser outside with his Oxygen Bottle with Taxi.
A relationship, friendship, bond ship and many other hard to describe feelings developed between Kaiser and the VMMA during those 8 days that will no fade, in fact those 8 days were so enlightening to us of this deliberating disease Cystic Fibrosis that when we are asked what is our motivation we speak of our experience with Kaiser during those 8 days.
Since that 1st "Breathless" Ride the VMMA has maintained a close relationship with Kaiser and is lovely family which has involved a BBQ lunch provided by Kaiser's family, many visits to Kaiser both at home and at the Alfred Hospital along with a number of CF Awareness presentations to community groups and Freemasons Lodges.
Many VMMA are in constant contact with Kaiser via Facebook and personal telephone calls.
Kaiser stated that if we had another "Breathless" 8 Day Ride he would be in it not matter what, but it was unfortunately at the time Cystic Fibrosis Victoria and the VMMA had agreed to undertaken another "Breathless" Ride Kaiser had been diagnosed with rejection of the lungs.
This was not the news anyone wanted to hear, after a great number of tests and additional medication the rejection could not be overcome, Kaiser was reappraised and was extremely lucky to be accepted back on the register as a number one priority for the most common set of lungs in Australia, you would not want to be number 2 on that register!!!!
How long do you think it would take for a common set of lungs to become available?
Kaiser struggled to survive for, wait for it 5 months for that set of common lungs to become available.
Finally receive his 2nd double lung transplant a number of complications developed which found Kaiser in a coma for nearly 6 weeks, during this time other complications found Kaiser with some lost of movement and with short term memory problems.
A number of VMMA members visited Kaiser at the Alfred Hospital after the 2nd transplant and after a good number of re-admittances, his situation at that time bought tears to our eyes, what we saw and felt can not be described.
Chris presenting to Kaiser the first VMMA Honorary Membership.
The VMMA membership at the recent AGM voted to make Kaiser a Honorary Member, our 1st Honorary Member in fact.
A certificate was framed, this was accompanied with a name badge and a supporting letter to Kaiser's Honorary Membership of the VMMA.
At this point in time it was known that Kaiser would not be able to join with us on the 2nd "Breathless" 8 Day Ride and his friend Paul who is also a CF transplant recipient would be the representative for this particular "Breathless" Ride.
It was hoped that Kaiser's health would allow him to attend the departure of the 2010 "Breathless" Ride from the Arts Centre in Melbourne on Saturday 30th October and his Honorary Membership of which he new nothing about would be presented to him, but on the Saturday morning the message came through that Kaiser was very weak and was unable to attend.
Plan B was developed immediately and Chris was asked to speak at the "Breathless" launch at the Arts Centre to display Kaiser's Honorary Membership Certificate and to announced that it would be presented to him after the departure of the "Breathless" Riders by Chris, Taxi and Woody who were going to visit him at Northcote.
No words required, just look at Kaiser.
On arrival at Kaiser's mum and dad's house at Northcote the family thought that it would be good for Kaiser to come outside and get some fresh air, it took quite sometime for the family to organise Kaiser to come outside due to his current condition.
Kaiser did come outside attached to an Oxygen Bottle that assists him to breathe, his lung capacity had increased recently for 28% to 32%, item to note is that will we were with Kaiser we all took turns to have our Oxygen levels taken we were all around 98 to 99%, Kaiser was around mid 80% which means the Oxygen is required to maintain a good Oxygen reading.
Chris made the Honorary Membership presentation to Kaiser on behalf of all the VMMA members, please take time to look at the image of Kaiser with Taxi when we arrived and the group photograph after the presentation, you will clearly see what this presentation means to Kaiser.
Reported by CW
