Dr Thomas E Starzl and fellow transplant surgeon Dr Kumaran of New Delhi at Starzl's 80th b'day party. He's 85 today (b. 1926) and still visits the transplant center at University of Pittsburgh which bears his name.
Dear Ms. Deming:
The antirejection strategy that minimizes dependence on drug therapy, but does not usually allow complete avoidance of these drugs, is described in the attached 2 reprints. I am sure that your Einstein doctors are aware of this work. I have no objection if you want to share the reprints with them.
In essence, you should not believe that you can look forward to complete freedom from the drug treatment, but with careful management, you can reduce the burden of these drugs.
Sincerely,
Thomas E. Starzl, M.D.,
Professor of Surgery
OLD WINDOW. For a little over a thousand dollars I had Bob Walmsley put in a new window over the kitchen sink. I have a really b'ful backyard but I can't see a darn thing cuz I'm too short.
Stand on a stool, said Scott.
Quite honestly, I never would've thot of touching the window if Bob's sec'y Yvonne hadn't called and left a message that he was ready to come out and do any work I had for him.
One of his workmen is standing on a stool to get to the window.
Bob said, "Every time I come out to your house it's a nice day."The last time he was here was right before Sarah and I went on our fantastic Mediterranean cruise.
He wished me good luck on the transplant.
I'm ecstatic about the new window.
New window w/ my things arranged on the slimmed windowsill. Aunt Tay's pewter creamer holds my backyard forsythias which I'm forcing.When my friend Judy Lipshutz came over I gave her a bunch. We visited a friend Lisa Weil-Lowe who's recuperating from surgery at a rehab. When we came back home Scott was in the yard.
Oh, he's cute, exclaimed Judy. Couldn't believe she's never met the man in my life.
I asked Bob to slice off some of the green formica so that the fridge could be pulled away from the wall. The freezer doesn't open far enuf. Strong man Scott did the deed today. He's lifts weights in his basement, up up up, moaning all the way. I never watch. It'd freak me out.
Sunset in the back yard.So, I'm making a bread today when the phone rings. I couldn't answer cuz my hands were filled w/ dough. I figgered it was important cuz they rang twice and believe me, it wasn't the postman.
It was Beth, one of the transplant nurses at Einstein.
She offered me a kidney, a 29-yo male from out-of-state who had overdosed on heroin. She called him a 'hi risk donor,' a term I'd never heard of.
Only about six weeks ago I was offered another kidney from an even younger dude who'd overdosed but I was no. three on the list and didn't get it.
This time I simply declined, since Sarah will donate on April 1.
But I did get a bit of information about the meaning of hi risk:
- hepatitits C
- been in jail
- has multiple tatoos
- practices the oldest profession
I was sorely tempted tho to save my lil darling from getting a renalectomy.
In his book The Puzzle People, Dr Starzl says that even tho it's very common, he doesn't believe in the ethics of live-donor transplants.
Is that possible? Did I misread him? I think not.
Movietime! The Big Lubowski. Jeff Bridges can do no wrong. Or should I say, the Coen Brothers.Two hours later...
Scott and I watched the movie, each of us periodically dozing off.
When it was over, I said to Scott: "It's the kind of movie that makes you feel good about being alive."
He said nothing.
"Scott," I said. "Did you hear me?"
"Yeah, it doesn't make any sense."
"What? A movie making you feel glad to be alive?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
WELL, I DO! This was one of the best movies I've ever seen.
Okay, just put the finishing touches on some 'haiku' for my Monday nite poetry class,assigned by teacher Bill Kulik.
MEDITATIONS ON MORNING
1
good morning train whistle
motoring schoolbus
and hidden sun.
2
open window brings
blue sky into my bedroom
the sun warms me as
we curl up together
in a hot embrace
3
eyes closed
the world wakes up
without me
continues though i’m not there.
4
a book lies closed
on my bed
ten thousand words asleep
until my eyes wake them up
caution: don’t all talk at once.
5
remote controls lie on the dresser
hardly things of beauty
they gather dust
the silent power-brokers.
6
small painting of a covered bridge
reminds me of its painter
a man whose wife visited catholic shrines
when i said bernadette of lourdes
he handed over the painting
no charge.
7
hot breakfast of
eggs and toast
at daddypops
warm smell of coffee
i eat alone on my
living room couch.
8
each day i will suck the juice
of the ruby red
leaving sweet marks at my corners
after april i can never eat a grapefruit again:
life-saving surgery and potent medication
until the day i die.
fuck grapefruit.
9
boris putterman can’t write
unless whipped
billy whips us with words
who besides me is working on
the assignment wanting to
finish first?
10
a huge puddle in the street
makes cars go slow
i listen to the splash as
my feet get wet.
Pretty good of the Doc to write back.
ReplyDeleteTough decision you had to make there - but that risk sounds like real risk.
yes it was great he wrote back and yes it was a tough decision. my friend rob said this whole kidney t'plant thing must seem surreal... imagine getting an offer like that when we're psyched for my daughter's kidney.
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