Thinking of Jimmy

Five years ago today, Jimmy Wilson and I survived transplant surgery.

Jimmy had been born with one kidney that doctors expected to fail sometime in his life.

That happened in his senior year in high school. For a while doctors managed his condition with a drug regimen, but that eventually stopped working, too, and Jimmy had to start peritoneal dialysis – 8 hours through the night and a half-hour during the day, every day of his life.

His only hope for a normal life away from the machine was a transplant.

In New York, the waiting list for a kidney is several years long, so Jimmy's mom and dad began a search on their own for a volunteer to be a living donor.

About a dozen potential donors were tested and rejected, and then a man from Iowa volunteered. After testing proved he would be a match, he asked Jimmy's dad, Jim,  for money. 

He wanted payment for his kidney.

Jim called the cops, but the guy vanished. And Jimmy once again was without a donor.

Until me. I read the story in the paper. I have the same blood type as Jimmy, so I began the testing. It took 8 months of testing here and sending results to the hospital in Syracuse, N.Y., near Oswego, where Jimmy lived.

I was a reasonable match and the surgery was scheduled for March 16, 2004. The Gazette covered the story in tandem with the Syracuse paper.

Jimmy's new kidney worked remarkably well. He finished classes at the junior college in Oswego and began working for the school system.

He could once again eat things that he liked and stay out late with his friends on the weekend.

We have stayed in touch with Jimmy and his family. But Jimmy is gone now.

In January of last year Jimmy died of a heart attack. He had just had his regular checkup the week before, and everything seemed fine. His kidney was working great. But apparently his heart was tired.

We'll miss you, Jimmy.

May joy and peace surround you,

Contentment latch your door,

And happiness be with you now,

And bless you evermore.