by Bert Williams

Carl Thompson of Marin County, California has been a diabetic for 25 years and has been on kidney dialysis for nearly five years. Doctors have slated him for a double organ transplant. Connected magazine introduced Carl to readers last week (see “Developing Story . . .” posted June 13). This week, the story continues. 

“The doctors say I’ve got a 50-50 chance,” Carl Thompson told me as we talked yesterday on the phone.

“50-50 for what? You mean to survive?”         

“Yep.”         

“So your life may improve or it may be significantly shortened.”         

“Exactly.”         

“Did you have to think hard about going through with this?”         

“Oh yeah.”         

“And you’re convinced it’s the right decision.”         

“Oh yeah, totally.”          

Carl and I were talking about a double organ transplant—a pancreas and a kidney—that his doctors are waiting to perform. When we met a week and a half ago, Carl told me the doctors want him to keep his cell phone with him constantly. They don’t know when the organs may become available. When I called yesterday, Carl had heard nothing new.         

“So do they keep you updated on anything, or are you just in the dark until you get the call?”         

“I don’t know a thing,” Carl said. “I’m just waiting for the call.”          

“Wow, that’ll be a big call.”         

“It’s pretty scary, actually.”         

“But you’re convinced it’s worth the risk.”         

“Oh yeah. It is totally, absolutely worth the risk. I’ve been on kidney dialysis for nearly five years. It’ll be kind of weird not waking up and having to go to dialysis three days a week, but it won’t be a hard habit to break. And if this new pancreas works out, I won’t have diabetes any more.”         

“That is a big deal.”         

“Yeah. Another thing that’s weird, though, is the idea that I’m waiting for somebody else to die.”         

“I was wondering about that.”         

“I’m not wishing for someone to die, but that’s the reality.”         

“There is a lot to think about.”         

“Yeah, there is.”         

So Carl is thinking and waiting for The Call. As he waits, I continue to pray for him. I hope readers will too.          

Bert Williams is editor of Connected magazine. A further update about Carl Thompson will appear next week.