Today, my wife donated one of her healthy kidneys to her father.

He has been suffering from Berger's Disease since he was in his mid to late twenties. The cause isn't really known, but in his specific case, he slowly lost kidney function over the last 30-something years.

He is quite lucky to receive a gift such as this one, and so close to Christmas, too. I don't think her dad will ever receive a gift more practical or useful. My wife has literally put her whole life on hold for this process, as she is a student majoring in Elementary Education at a local university, and scheduled the surgery to take place immediately following finals between semesters.

We have a 22 month old son who may not understand what is taking place, but who certainly understands the character of his mom and grandpa. And if you've ever tried to keep a kid cooped up in a 10' by 10' space (waiting room) for 10 hours, then you would certainly appreciate the good behavior he displayed. I believe he may have inadvertently been crowned the "darling" of the waiting room at IUPUI Hospital in Indianapolis, as he was showered with cute little gifts/distractions all day long (everything from coloring books to die-cast cars).

Our hotel is only 5-8 minutes away from the hospital, but it feels like thousands of miles right now. Please wish for my wife's speedy recovery. Thank you for listening.