On June 21st, 2007 I had a Liver transplant. I am writing down the events that lead up to and followed the transplant for those of you who are interested in what Ila and I went through for over seven months prior to the surgery and cure. For those of you not interested in the details, you can stop reading right here secure in the knowledge that the transplant was 100% successful and I am now perfectly healthy looking forward to a long life.


It all started about 4:00 am on December 7, 2006. I was suffering from severe gas and indigestion so bad that I went to the emergency room of my local hospital hoping they could give me something to make me comfortable. There, they did a sonogram and then a CAT scan. The doctor (James W. Porter) comes int my room and the following conversation occurs:

    Ila: “How is my husband doing?”
    Doctor: “He has liver cancer.”
    Ila: “What is the treatment?”
    Doctor: “There is no treatment. He will be dead in 3 months!”

Naturally, Ila was totally devastated but put on a very brave act for my benefit. When she was alone, she cried her eyes out. I was sort of resolute about the situation. They had told me that I had a 10cm tumor and I knew that was very bad. We left the hospital scared and helpless and the anxiety alone made both of us feel sick.