On the morning of May 17, 2026, I read a Facebook post from a friend and colleague of mine. It began:
My dear friends, this is something I never thought I’d post, but I am having a serious health challenge.
I recently found out that I’m in need of a kidney transplant, and I’m currently looking for a living donor.
I was shocked. I have worked with this colleague for decades and attended their retirement party eleven months earlier. They retired, among other reasons, to focus on preparing for and parenting their new baby, due to arrive in the fall of 2025. Just thinking about that baby losing a parent at such a young age brought me to tears. Even though I was leaving for Hawai‘i in a month, I had to see if I was a match.
Yes, I was a blood-type match. But there were other tests required to determine if I would be healthy enough to be a donor. It would require coming into the hospital for several hours of tests spread out over three days. "Why don't you just contact us when you get back from Hawai‘i and we'll do the tests then?" they asked.
"No," I replied. "I want to get it done now so I know. That way, if I am approved, I will have the time to wrap my brain around the reality of being a donor." So, the week before getting on a plane for what I thought was a six-month stint on O‘ahu, I completed the battery of tests and awaited the news.
1️⃣The Request | 2️⃣The Call | 3️⃣The Universe | 4️⃣Sharing the News | 5️⃣The Prep | 6️⃣The Surgery | 7️⃣The Recovery
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