The Perks of a Double Lung Transplant

It delights me to say that I have really enjoyed my lung transplant experience. Sure there were a couple of bumps along the way like a pneumonia, and the night I had a really crazy psychotic trip Sure I lost all semblance of dignity for a brief period of 13.5 days when I could neither wash myself, nor deal with any evacuated material. But this is a tiny price to pay for a new lease on life. The really incredible part of my recovery has been my brush with fame.

It all started with Frank Deford. You know the guy who wrote for Sports Illustrated forever, who started The National (the first national sports newspaper), the man who lost his daughter Alex at the age of 8 to Cystic Fibrosis. This is a man of substance, dignity and so you are probably wondering what does he have to do with me? Well, my good friend Melissa notified Frank about my condition and even though I am pretty sure he has a full schedule and I am a total stranger, he still found the time to send me a get well email. Not only was I flabbergasted, but I immediately wrote a warm response never expecting to hear from Frank again. Wrong! He replied to my thank you email within 3 minutes. That was A) amazing and B) slightly clingy so I ceased further communication.

The next celebrity that I shared a word or 2 with was Bob Costas. Yes, THAT Bob Costas! However, the hour is late, the details many and bedtime draws near so that will be for another post.

Upon my discharge, I thought my brush with fame was over. In fact, it was just starting...I came home from the hospital to receive a personalized letter from no less an esteemed figure than the Right Honourable Stephen Harper. Yes folks, the current Prime Minister of Canada found time, in what must be a busy day, to drop me a dozen lines wishing me a speedy recovery, congratulations and that I remain in their thoughts.Apparently my friend Dr. J. informed the Prime Minister about my condition. This just about made me cry. I am not bashful in the least. Stephen Harper will go down as one of the PMs in Canadian history. He is a hero of mine in that he says what he believes and does it. People complain that politicians are spineless and govern by polls. That is what makes Stephen Harper so refreshing. I will need to get that framed.

Who could be left after Deford, Costats and Harper? That is a pretty impressive trio...Well, watch out Liberal readers, members of the far left and anybody else....because I got a letter from George W. Bush. Yes, the man who preceded Obama found time in his retirement to write to me. People who know me, or know of me know how much I liked George Bush. In fact, my fondness for W. once resulted in a mildly uncomfortable New Year's Eve party. We were a group of 12 at a fancy dan joint called Biche Aux Bois. You have to dress to the nines and they have got all the cutlery laid out just to give you a hint of the atmosphere. When can an entire New Year's Eve party go by without talking politics? Naturally, the subject of Iraq came up and one thing led to another, someone impugned George Bush's integrity beyond my tolerance level and I called my good friend Sascha a fu..king idiot at a pretty audible level. Things between us are better now...That tells you how much I like W. Again it blows my mind that people of this caliber found time to write to me. This is just some of the inspiration that continues to fuel my recovery.