[NEohioPAL] Zoldessy/Loewy: Transplants & Circles

[Jacqiloewy at aol.com]

Dear friends and colleagues,
 
About 20 years ago, I had dinner with a friend in  NYC.  The task was to keep 
him calm while his sick wife was receiving a  bone marrow transplant in 
another part of the country.  He couldn't go  because he was conducting an opening  
Broadway show.  Yet I have never  forgotten the gratitude and emotion in his 
voice as he described what a complete  stranger was doing for him.  
 
In the past few weeks, many people have asked me, "What  made you think about 
giving a kidney to Brian Zoldessy?".   I kept  replaying my life to find the 
point of inception for the idea.  The freeze  frame kept going back to that 
dinner.  My friend is now the Musical   Supervisor for Jersey Boys and, as you 
might imagine, quite busy. We chatted  briefly online last week and I told him 
what I was doing and explained that I  needed to thank him for planting the 
seed.  He said,
 
"WOW!!  Circles within Circles within Circles.   You just never know."
 
Now, post-surgery, I am home and recuperating.  
Brian is still at The Clinic, but I believe he is going to  be fine.
We were blessed and surrounded by friends and family  through the whole day 
of transplant (last Wed). 
 
I wanted to post this because I wanted you (the  community  that fills my 
world) to know that the process is not as daunting  as it might seem.  Although 
my journey was most of the summer, there  are less time-consuming  and less 
invasive  ways to help  people.  Blood donation is vital.  It takes less than an 
hour. Another  close friend of mine donated stem cells to save a  complete 
stranger's life last month.  That took less than a week  of her time.  If you are 
healthy (and believe me, they put you through the  mill to make sure of 
that!) and you know someone you think you can help, I urge  you to investigate.  I 
am someone who has not, previously, put much stock  in the medical profession, 
but what they do at Cleveland Clinic is truly  miraculous.
 
I will be happy to talk to anyone and answer any questions  at any time. 
216-469-9160.
 
Thanks for reading this and keep Brian in your  prayers.  He cannot have 
visitors yet, but my guess is it won't be long  before we see him shining onstage 
again!
 
Warmly,
Jacqi Loewy 
13800 Fairhill Road, #519
Shaker Heights,  44120








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