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Over two years ago, I wrote a blog about an ex-student of mine who is now a good friend. Derek Kovick had contracted Walter Payton’s disease and needed a new liver. He was playing college baseball at Walla Walla Community College when he was diagnosed with the fatal disease.
He did indeed get a liver transplant, but the liver he received never really functioned properly. They thought too much time had transpired from the donor to the operating table, and many of the small vessels of the liver were not working. So Derek was put back on the transplant list for another liver.
Another agonizing wait started for Derek. He never knew when the call might come in,and he had to be ready to get to the hospital in a moments notice. 18 long months passed by until the cell phone in my Chemistry class rang last Friday, and the caller ID said Derek on it. I thought he was going to talk to me about hunting, which we both love to do together. He was planning on coming up to my camp some weekend in September.
Much to my surprise the first words out of his mouth were that he was getting a new liver within a few hours. This time the match had to be absolutely perfect or the surgeons wouldn’t do the transplant. That was the first question out of mouth, and he told me it was the perfect liver for him. It was somewhat ironical for me because he called on the first day of bow hunting for me, September 3rd, to tell me he wouldn’t be hunting this year, but he WOULD be there in 2011.
As I hunted that evening in the hills above Council, all I could think about was the 11 hour operation he was going through, and for the second time! When I had a knee operation two years ago, I was quiet all the way to Boise because I was very nervous. When I compare that to the positive attitude that Derek has always had throughout this ordeal,I felt like a total wimp. I couldn’t imagine having one, let alone two major organ transplants, but Derek was actually looking forward to this operation, and why shouldn’t he? It is his ticket to a healthy, normal life.
When Derek got his first liver, I titled the blog “A Second Chance.” That could be represented by the number 2. Now that he has another second chance, it could be represented by 22, which just happens to be the sports number Derek wore on his jersey. It is also the number I wore on mine, and I am honored to share the number with the most courageous man I have ever met.
In today’s world, the word courage is used far too much. Like a golfer who showed courage by hitting a lob wedge over a lake. Ridiculous. True courage is shown by our troops around the world, and by people like Derek who scoff at death and face life full of positive energy. If you could have heard how excited he was to be getting his new liver, you would have marveled at him like I did.
The operation went off without a hitch and his doctors said he couldn’t have done better on the operating table. Now comes the long road to recovery, with lots of therapy and work. That will all be great for Derek because he’s been there and done that, and he’s excited to have the road ahead of him, in spite of its length or the ordeals along the way.
If you want to follow Derek’s progress or donate to his enormous medical bills, just click on this link. But just one thing: don’t ever feel sorry for him. He does not want anyone’s pity, he just wants us to share in the joy he has now: another second chance!
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