"In April of 2015, my kidneys failed. I was immediately put on dialysis, a process that took two and a half years before I got word that there was a kidney available for me in the fall of 2017.
"While I was on dialysis, I was adamant that I didn’t want a kidney from a live donor. As a former cop, I didn’t want someone perfectly healthy to put their life on the line for me. After discussions with my spiritual friends, I realized I was putting restrictions on the miracle that I was asking God for. When I found out that there was a match for me in the kidney chain, I knew that my prayers had been answered.
"What I loved about my experience with Dr. Locke and UAB was how informed and supported I felt. They really were with me every step of the way and subsided any fears that my family and I had. What was really special about my experience was that my daughter was a match and was able to donate her kidney to someone else in need. Knowing that both she and I are a part of the longer living kidney chain together and threaded into the UAB family is very special to us.
"If there has been one thing I have learned throughout this whole process, it’s that you really cannot take anything for granted. My time on dialysis was full of saying “I can’t;” I can’t take my wife on a spur of the moment road trip, I can’t go on the hike I love, I can’t go out to dinner like I used to. With my new kidney, my life has truly been restored. I have gone from "I can't" to "I can". I’m back to hiking and taking photos of nature like I love to do, and I have been able to drop everything in a hurry to help my daughter since she is in college in another state. There have been so many things and experiences that this kidney transplant has given back to me, and I am certain I will never take that for granted again."