My cousin Walter Guimbellot (we all called him Junior) has gotten a new liver. He's been very ill for such a long time, and now the wait is over. The surgery was a day or so ago, and my aunt (who NEVER calls!) just called to let me know. Sadly, his liver came from the 20-year-old son of a co-worker. The young man had been rendered brain dead in an accident.
A new liver for Junior means a new chance at life for him. He has children and grandchildren, whom he clearly adores. To me he'll always be that tanned skinny cousin who played with my brother Curtis (they're both 54, born just days apart), but we all grow older, even when the rest of the world isn't looking.
Now if only Curtis would take better care of his own health. Getting a new heart won't be an easy task. His heart attack apparently didn't scare him enough to make him change his habits. I've about decided "habit" is a curse word. Certainly, I have many, many bad habits that I need to change. Some of them, I have changed. Others--well, I'm working on them. I almost never bite my fingernails anymore. I don't eat ice cream at night now. I still WANT to eat ice cream at night, and sometimes I could just chew the wallpaper off the walls in frustration. But I have to put my health first, and my tongue, with all its tastebuds, doesn't seem to care about the rest of my body. Selfish organ that it is, it just craves new taste sensations.
2 comments:
Hi this is Junior. Thanks for mentioning me in your blog. I am doing well and no signs of liver rejection. I hope all is going well for you. Tell Hambone I said hi and feel better.
Walter
Hi my little Doctor,
My, what a suprise. Walter passed your blog on to me. Make me so proud of you and what you have accomplished.
Been a long time. E-mail my when you have the time. dubguimbellot@hotmail.com
Your "ole" worn out uncle,
E. W.
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