Nashville, TN: Tomorrow morning, my friend Patti will be donating her kidney. That's right -- having major surgery to take out an organ in her body to put in someone else's body so they can live. And - not that it really matters - but it's a husband of a friend. Not like a best friend or a partner or the Pope, but a semi-random recipient.
Patti and I met in prison (I just love saying that). She works at
CMT but does some volunteering at
Thistle Farms and we went to visit the Mark Luttrell Correctional Center in Memphis, TN together
last year. She's funny and short (love that!) and talented and, oh yeah - giving. As in, giving up her kidney.
A few months ago Patti told me of her coming life change and as I stared at her, with an open mouth, all I could think of was "you need to have a party!" I mean, you get a party when you decide to get married. You get a party when you decide to have a child. Why the hell wouldn't you get a party for donating an organ?!
This past Saturday, Patti got her kidney shower. Tons of her friends made to trek to
Lebanon to show their support.
There was a ton of food (including a can of kidney beans, of course) and Patti, who does not drink, bought 18 bottles of wine and a case of beer for her guests (now THAT'S a good hostest!). She also got a TON of gifts -- some super useful and others just plain funny.
One of my favorites came from her co-workers at CMT. (and side note, if you ever need any random gift, go to Cafe Press, which has
everything!)
There was entertainment, including an acapella rendition of "
Copacabana" (all three verses!) by Dorinda Carter, using a salsa bottle as a microphone. As you can tell, it was a pretty wild party.
And, of course, what Kidney Shower is complete without a Kidney CAKE!? I waffled between a
real to life veiny organ cake or something
a little cuter. In the end, I figured I'd go for the easier thing to visually eat. And it was a hit!
And now, as I check her
facebook page (which is HUGE considering she was anti-FB forever... until her Kidney Shower when she basically got forced into creating one), her status is being updated by her friends:
As you know tomorrow is the day Patti gives her Kidney to John. Here's the approximate schedule: 6am she checks in at the hospital... 7am she gets 'knocked out'... and 8am is the surgery. By noon she should be in recovery and we hope to see her in her room by 3pm. What a day!
Yep - what a day.
And what a kidney.
And what a heart.
