Love, Luck, And Technology

It was 20 years ago today/Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play.
The Beatles

Tim is always with me.

That’s not a metaphor.  It is a biological fact.

You see, 50 years ago, I was diagnosed with kidney disease.  Back then, such a condition was often a death sentence.  I knew kidneys excreted waste products and looked for ways to help mine out.

So, I started running – 30 to 50 miles a week.  For decades.  In the middle of that, in the early 1980s, I met Tim Schreiner while at Lockheed Martin, and we became friends.  He ran with me too, and we liked the same bands and the cool stuff we helped build at LM.

Some 21+ years after my diagnosis, the kidneys failed, and I went on dialysis for a year and a half.  Then I got a cadaveric kidney transplant, but it never worked right, and after another 6+ years, I was once again on the verge of kidney failure.

Enter Tim.  Ten people offered to give me their kidneys.  Tim demanded to be put at the front of the line.  He tested, matched, and decided to save my life.  I knew life would be better with a good kidney, but I never knew how much.  Tim offered me so much; I can only hope to repay society a fraction of what he did for me.  20 years later, we’re both doing fine.

#transplant #love #luck #technology