This blog entry makes me smile... because it's true beyond compare and because it reinforces my belief in the goodness within the human race.
The wife's brother-in-law needed a new kidney. (Hang in there. This is a happy story. I promise you.) Why? Because his fourth kidney was failing and without one, he was looking at dialysis.... or worse, I suppose.
Yes, I said fourth kidney. See, "Neo-Renal-Man" (that's what I'll call him for this blog), was born with two kidneys that had no intention of working for any duration of time. Rat bastards. So, that's Kidney #1 and #2. He had a kidney transplant from his dad, way back when--which served as kidney #3. Once that little guy stopped working, his sister donated a kidney, which served as kidney #4.
Did you know they leave all the functioning and non-functioning kidneys in there? They do! So, at this point of the story, Neo-Renal-Man has four kidneys in him. I had no idea. He looks so.... two kidney-ish.
It's 2015. Unbeknownst to any us, Kidney #4 was no longer behaving. It was sputtering, limping along but it's days were numbered. NRM and his wife said nothing until things started to get ugly. Unless this guy could find a live donor, he'd be headed toward dialysis. It wasn't until Spring 2016 that any of us learned of this issue. We found out because they needed a live donor and his brother wasn't a match. As his blood type required a very specific donor, this meant the search would be a bit more complicated than for those with other blood types.
I think we can all agree that Facebook is both the scourge of the earth and an amazing tool, all at the same time. When Neo-Renal-Man's sister posted about her brother needing a kidney, the response was overwhelming. Friends, relatives and acquaintances responded to the call for a kidney. (For the record, the wife and I were both more than willing to give a kidney, but we're the wrong blood type.) Amazingly and most thankfully enough, there was a perfect match from someone in the area. Someone the sister had known in high school. Someone who had been trying to donate a kidney for a friend but wasn't a match. Someone in great health. Someone who was ready and willing.
Neo-Renal-Man was in business. He was ready for kidney #5.
This may not sound that incredible, but it is. This is a small town--there are less than 2000 people in the whole place and I think they may be counting pets and farm animals as part of the population. So, to find a match so close to home is really something. The Universe works in mysterious ways.
Suffice it to say that the surgeries were complete successes. How do I know? Well, we went to a party with both of donor and recipient present. Neo-Renal-Man's family threw a party to beat the band. They celebrated the incredible generosity of the donor and the almost instantaneous improvement of the recipient. The guy looked amazing. We had no idea how sick he had been. His color was great, he had gained some weight, he was in good spirits. As for the donor....she too was at the party....
...and, she was wearing a bikini!
Who the hell gives a kidney and then one month later can wear a bikini? This lady! Good for her!
Unbeknownst to me, the live donor's kidney is sucked out from the front....via the belly button. I'm telling ya, there was no way I would ever had guessed this lady had had any kind of surgery only a month before.
(Drawing: that is one ugly pen color. Why the company picked those colors, I do not know. I'm not a fan of mustard color. No offense to mustard. Anyway, here's a drawing of a dancing kidney, surrounded by sad, little non-functioning kidneys. The limerick follows below.)
To get the donated kidney into Neo-Renal-Man, they went in from the front, too. Who knew? (This was a great learning opportunity.) I thought a kidney would have to go in via the back. The donor may not have had a scar but he most certainly does. They opened him up and gave him a most beautiful, large, celebrated scar, from sternum to.... well, let's just say we couldn't see the ending of the scar. (I didn't want him to take his pants off or anything. I assume it stopped right by where his waist band sits. I didn't ask.)
How wonderful to be standing in front of a guy with five kidneys and three other people with only one kidney! Neo, his father, his sister and his new friend... standing in a row, posing for the camera. Beyond heart warming!
An acquaintance no longer an acquaintance. This woman was now part of the family and part of this guy. This guy was full of vim and vigor, thanks the work of her gift. If that's not happy and positive, I don't know what is.
There were many moments of happy tears at this gathering. Lots of laughter. Lots of joy. Lots of kidneys!
I end with a tacky limerick:
A medical need did arrive
A kidney transplant--stay alive!
A donor did say
she'd give right away
Now, he's got kidneys of FIVE.
Congratulations, Neo-Renal-Man. God bless you, donor lady. Here's to the human spirit, oozing with compassion, love, and selflessness.
Here's to healthy kidneys and generous hearts.
Here's to wearing bikinis a month after major surgery.
Here's to five kidneys in one body.
There is much hope for the human race.
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