Jed Block, writer

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Love Defined

Elizabeth Ramirez "could just tell" that Bill Lowery liked her. But she had no idea how much.

She works the 3 p.m.-1 a.m. shift as a handpacker in Wichita. Bill is a machine operator on the graveyard shift in the processing side of the plant. When they passed in the night, there’d be a smile, small talk, maybe even a flower. But she already had a boyfriend.

She also had a hectic schedule. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Elizabeth had to rise at 5:30 a.m. for five hours of dialysis treatments. Her kidneys were failing due to complications from diabetes, and Elizabeth needed a transplant. Despite the lack of sleep and not feeling well, she did not miss a day of work during two years of dialysis, while waiting for a donor.

When Elizabeth and her boyfriend split, Bill asked her out. After only a week, it came up that his blood type is O positive the same as Elizabeth’s.

"He told me, ‘I’ll give you my kidney.’ I thought he was joking. But he wasn’t, and he made me cry," Elizabeth said.

Without telling her, Bill went through a battery of lab tests and evaluations, and their tissues matched. A year later, they went into the hospital together. In a four-hour surgery, doctors took his kidney and gave it to Elizabeth.

Three hours after surgery, doctors had Elizabeth walking. Almost immediately, she felt better. But it was a day before Bill was up. Initially, the procedure was harder on him. "She was being fixed. They were taking an organ out of me," he said.

"I feel like a normal person now," Elizabeth said. "The headaches are gone, and I can eat everything. I have much more energy and feel great. It’s my precious gift from Bill."

The decision to be a donor was easy for him. "She needed a kidney. She’s a friend. And it just seemed like the thing to do," Bill said.

He plans to return to work in late October, two months after the surgery. Elizabeth is scheduled to be back in November. In the meantime, they’ve been talking about marriage.

© 2003 by Jed Block

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4300 Knollwood Lane • Appleton, WI 54913-6307
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	ARCHIVES
	Love Defined
	Elizabeth Ramirez "could just tell" that Bill Lowery liked her. But she had no idea how much. She works the 3 p.m.-1 a.m. shift as a handpacker in Wichita. Bill is a machine operator on the graveyard shift in the processing side of the plant. When they passed in the night, there’d be a smile, small talk, maybe even a flower. But she already had a boyfriend. She also had a hectic schedule. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Elizabeth had to rise at 5:30 a.m. for five hours of dialysis treatments. Her kidneys were failing due to complications from diabetes, and Elizabeth needed a transplant. Despite the lack of sleep and not feeling well, she did not miss a day of work during two years of dialysis, while waiting for a donor. When Elizabeth and her boyfriend split, Bill asked her out. After only a week, it came up that his blood type is O positive the same as Elizabeth’s. "He told me, ‘I’ll give you my kidney.’ I thought he was joking. But he wasn’t, and he made me cry," Elizabeth said. Without telling her, Bill went through a battery of lab tests and evaluations, and their tissues matched. A year later, they went into the hospital together. In a four-hour surgery, doctors took his kidney and gave it to Elizabeth. Three hours after surgery, doctors had Elizabeth walking. Almost immediately, she felt better. But it was a day before Bill was up. Initially, the procedure was harder on him. "She was being fixed. They were taking an organ out of me," he said. "I feel like a normal person now," Elizabeth said. "The headaches are gone, and I can eat everything. I have much more energy and feel great. It’s my precious gift from Bill." The decision to be a donor was easy for him. "She needed a kidney. She’s a friend. And it just seemed like the thing to do," Bill said. He plans to return to work in late October, two months after the surgery. Elizabeth is scheduled to be back in November. In the meantime, they’ve been talking about marriage.
		© 2003 by Jed Block
Return to Archives		© 2003 by Jed Block

\| Home \| Current Piece of Work \| Resume \| Business Samples \| Test \| \| Diabetes Book 1 \| Diabetes Book 2 \| Clear Window \| Mr. Big Shot \| Can't Say It Better \| \| It's My Job \| Poems \| Feedback \| Archives \|

Copyright © 2004 by Jed Block. All Rights Reserved. 4300 Knollwood Lane • Appleton, WI 54913-6307 Voice 920-735-6061 • Fax 920-735-6067 • jed@jedblock.com