It's 7:15am on Wednesday morning. People have been calling and emailing in the past few days to offer their support and well wishes. It feels great and I am ready to go. Today I'll be packing a bag, finishing up any last minute chores, then heading down to NYC. the hospital had generously offered us a room in their luxury wing called McKean. It's much more convenient than staying in a hotel. I'll snap a few pics when we get there.
The most common question I've gotten is "Are you scared?" Surprisingly, I'm not scared or nervous at all. Maybe things will change today...
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It's a great thing you're doing. You'll remain in my thoughts and prayers. - Tom Simon
Perhaps more than most, and more than you yourself realized up until now, I can identify with the entire range of emotions that you’ve succumbed to from Day One. Two years ago, I willed myself through the emotional and physical roller coaster of donating my eggs (ova) to a couple in Texas. I researched organizations for three years before selecting one, my “profile” (Mentally sound? Check. No cavities? Check. Do I realize the impact on this will have on both me and the receiving couple? Double check.) was accepted, and within the day, the organization called to say a couple was interested. Wikipedia does a pretty sound job of explaining the self-administered shots to the thighs and abs for nearly two-months time, so I’ll spare you my adjective-laden account of it here. I had an early afternoon flight with the procedure scheduled to begin within two hours of my landing, and one crack-of-dawn medical appointment that morning to be sure none of the eggs were cracked or fried. As I was driving to the airport, my caseworker called and said the couple called it off because I only had 12 “ready” eggs, and not the recommended 15-18. And that was it. “Thanks for your time, maybe next time.” I was told in the very beginning that the couple had the upper hand in everything, but it’s hard to consider that would include day-of rash decisions.
I share this because I share your passion to give, to impact, to change. And in my current arrangements, that’s exactly what I get to do on a day-to-day basis with a little one (TWO today!!) who’s not even my own (though at a glance, we could definitely pass for mother-son).
With much affection, I’m requesting you be at the party on Saturday. No bumming around the hospital in a backless frock, doing wheelies and drinking the chapel’s supply of Communion wine. Not without me, at least.
To Tom, thanks for your guidance and support through this process.
To anonymous, thank you for sharing the story of your ordeal. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, our efforts go unwanted or unappreciated. Being the type of person that we are, don't let it break your spirit or the drive to do good. I hope you take the opportunity to put yourself in the position to change someone's life, again. Every day gives us another chance to make the world a better place, one step at a time.
I'll do my best to be there on Saturday. There are two cute blonds I would like to see...
Hi Anthony,
I just found out today about your donation via the Wall Street Journal, and I gotta say that what you're doing/did is the most incredible thing I've ever heard of. Otherwise completely healthy at 24 years old, I learned last September that my kidneys had failed. I was fortunate enough to only have to spend a few (albeit grueling) months on dialysis before receiving a new kidney from my wonderful brother in December. In my time on dialysis, I came across so many people who have spent upwards of 10 years on the waiting list for a kidney, so knowing that there's someone out there who would do something so selfless as to give a kidney to a complete stranger is such an inspiration and will no doubt give hope to those who had given up. I know how grateful I am and what a life-changing experience it was for a family member to do this for me; I can't even imagine the effect you're having on someone else who had no other options.
Thanks for being such an amazing person.
Margot
p.s. I love weimaraners; please give yours my best :-)
Thanks for your comments Margot. As someone who had to go through dialysis, you know what a horrible life it can be. I think if more people understood what it was like, more would donate to strangers.
I'm going home today, and I can't wait to see Frankie and Sammy. I'll send them your regards.
Good luck, and keep checking back as I fill in the details of my surgery and recovery...
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