Thank You
16 years ago today on August 18, 1998 at the age of 33 while living in Toronto at about 10 o’clock in the morning, I received a phone call that would forever change my life. A few questions were asked, and then I was told that there was a suitable donor set of lungs and that I needed to be at Toronto General Hospital within the hour.
Hundreds of emotions ran through me as I tried to think about the family who had lost a loved one and decided to save my life. I also thought of friends and family back home and in Delhi, my wife Dorothy and our three children. Our eldest son Joe was in grade 11, Clarence was in grade 7 and our daughter Christina was in grade one.
Arriving at the hospital was quite chaotic as I was wheeled off to the operating room to get prepped for surgery. I really don’t remember too much after that except, that Dr. Shaf Keshavjee - Thoracic surgeon/Innovative genius letting me know that I was in good hands and that when I woke up life would be different.
Surgery lasted 4 hours and went well, then I was wheeled off to the recovery room. A couple hours later, I was up walking when Dorothy Brush came in to visit me. The next day I was off the respirator and making progress in my recovery. 12 days later after major surgery and a new life to live, I was discharged from the hospital and sent home to be with Dorothy, Joseph Brush, Clarence Brush and Christina. I had to visit the hospital daily for a bit, then weekly, then monthly for check-ups but I was living the dream. For once in my lifetime there was no oxygen, no Ventolin treatments, no clapping on my back, sides and chest to loosen the mucus in my lungs, just a few medications to control rejection of the lungs.
I continued to do well, and we stayed living in Toronto until our son Joe was done his first semester at school. In February of 1999, we moved back to Delhi where we belonged as a family as Delhi and the surrounding area was so supportive of us.
Although I went on to receive a second transplant of both lungs in 2001, I know I would not have been alive to see that without my first transplant.
This weekend I honoured my first transplant by having Concert to Cure V, with many people celebrating with me, we also raised money in the fight to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. And on Sunday, our daughter Christina who just graduated from her dental hygiene program at Niagara College this August, we moved her back home from Welland. As she was in grade one while I was waiting and had my first transplant, who would have thought I would be here today to see that. I am proud of all three of the kids .Joe is moving up the ladder in his job at Toyotetsu Simcoe, Clarence got married, this coming January will be their 3rd year anniversary, and they just purchased a new home in Tillsonburg. Christina can start her new life as a dental hygienist. I am also so proud of Dorothy, for all the years taking care of my needs and raising three children, for always being that humble person with a giving heart, even to this day. Although I think she works too much, she enjoys serving the community that helped us out when we needed it.
As for me, I am an open book. I am enjoying life to the fullest and living the dream. I would like to say “THANK YOU” to anyone and everyone whom I have come across in my lifetime, as your support has brought me to where I am today. But most of all, to my “DONOR FAMILIES” the selfless decision you made has gave me a chance to see my children grow up and become the people they are today. There has been many changes in my life, but those changes started with the better life you have given me. I by no means will forget what you have done for me and I am living life to the fullest because of it.
Next chapter, Grand Babies??????
To learn more and to sign up to be an organ and tissue donor;
www.beadonor.ca
Also check out the following link to become a supporter in the fight to find a cure for cystic fibrosis.
www.cysticfibrosis.ca
