Mr. Guariglia Gets A Kidney!
A Teacher's Students Join His Quest for a Life-Saving Transplant.
Last year we told you about Brooklyn school teacher Frank Guariglia and his search for a life-saving kidney donor. His students, who affectionately call him "Mr. G" and contacted Help Me Howard for help and tell his story.
Frank was suffering from Polycystic Kidney Disease and in desperate need of a new kidney. The genetic condition causes a normally five ounce kidney to abnormally swell up to as much as ten or twelve pounds! By this time, Frank's kidney function had dropped from 60% to as low as 20%.
In continuous pain and subsisting on a limited diet, Frank finally got the good news last fall 2008. The parent of a former student was tested and passed. The transplant was scheduled for November 20th, 2008. Frank thought his ordeal was finally over, but then at the last minute, just 43 hours before the scheduled surgery, the donor was diagnosed with an illness and the operation was cancelled.
Frank struggled with beginning the long task of looking for another donor, but then on Christmas Day 2008 he got a call from that same donor. She explained that she had been misdiagnosed and that she was still qualifed and wanted to donate.
Frank says it was the best Christmas gift he ever received.
The surgery was re-scheduled for January 29th, 2009 at New York Presbyterian Hospital and it was a success.
The road to recovery has not been entirely problem free. Frank says the surgery was like four surgeries in one. When his kidneys were finally removed, the left one was 15 pounds and the right one weighed as much as 18 pounds! It was much more difficult then he expected, but he says it was also an unbelievable experience and is thankful to so many people who got involved and supported him.
Frank especially praised his current and former students, who got the word out and even created pages for him on MySpace.com, asking for a kidney donor to come forward.
Frank has since donated his bad kidneys to science in hopes that they may somehow help other people suffering from the same disease.
During his ordeal, Frank was in the care of the Rogonsin Institute, which is affiliated with New York Presbyterian Hospital. He gave them very high marks.
For now Frank is enjoying life, happy to go back to work and thankful to everyone in his life. He also thanked Howard for publicizing his need for a kidney donor. But he especially wants people to be more aware of the issue of organ donation and hopefully become a organ donor themselves.
Comments: 17
Too bad Mr. Guariglia thanked everybody EXCEPT the most important person-the young lady who gave him her kidney.He thanked his wife, the students who went to bat for him and Howard Thompson but not the person who saved his life.
That's the least he could've done for her since without her there wouldn't be a story or any kind of decent life.
Talk about good deeds going unappreciated.
I was very interested on this story since i have been very closely touched in my life by Kidneys failure in family. My father passed away 4 yrs ago from kidneys failure, my brother had his kidneys removed and his life now depends on dialysis 3x a week, sometimes 4, my sister, my other brother and my 15 yrs old niece have also being diagnosed with this illness. It is a hereditary disease and we still do not know how many other members of my family will be diagnosed. my father was on waiting list for a kidney but unfortunately never received one, my brother has been on a waiting list for 4 yrs now but has not yet located a donor. It is a very devastating situation with very little that one can do. but this report brought a little hope, and is very inspirational to see that there are still good people out there that so care and are willing to sacrifice so much to safe a life.
May Gos bless all those grtpeople out ther:)
I was very interested on this story since i have been very closely touched in my life by Kidneys failure in family. My father passed away 4 yrs ago from kidneys failure, my brother had his kidneys removed and his life now depends on dialysis 3x a week, sometimes 4, my sister, my other brother and my 15 yrs old niece have also being diagnosed with this illness. It is a hereditary disease and we still do not know how many other members of my family will be diagnosed. my father was on waiting list for a kidney but unfortunately never received one, my brother has been on a waiting list for 4 yrs now but has not yet located a donor. It is a very devastating situation with very little that one can do. but this report brought a little hope, and is very inspirational to see that there are still good people out there that so care and are willing to sacrifice so much to safe a life.
May Gos bless all those grtpeople out ther:)
Good job Howard. I'm glad that teacher got a kidney. I saw it on the news last night. It seems like he is a beloved teacher. God Bless him....Lee
Nice story Howard. Keep up the interesting blog.
To the person -- "Posted by Lesa at September 15, 2009 11:01 PM". I did thank my donor in more ways than one. However, there is a thing called video editing, so my story and words were reduced to fit into the given time frame.
I do not appreciate being labeled as an ungrateful human being. It would be nice if you reflected on the positive of my story instead throwing some negativity out for others to see. I hope you do some good with the limited time have you have to enjoy life. I would also hope you funnel your energy into helping others instead of critcizing others.
Thank you to everyone who support me through this ordeal. And, of course my donor.
I agree with lesa. dont blame Help Me Howard for making you "look" selfish. They werent concerned about the donor ??? As a follower of your horrible updates on your facebook page, I never saw ANY mention of the donor. You used Lesa's comment to finally thank your donor!!
some people can be very disgusting. keep your head up Frank! dont let anyone make you feel bad.
some people can be very disgusting. keep your head up Frank! dont let anyone make you feel bad.
Mr. G i still don't see why you cant hi-5. so this doesn't answer my question. :)
Hey,
"charles" get a clue, give me your real name so I can make sure to remove you from my Facebook "friends." I did not know you were at the interview to know what I said completely, so I blame no one. I simply stated a point -- not pointing the finger of blame. As for my Facebook updates, they have been "status reports" for the hundreds of people who I hold dear to me and supported me during this life crisis (obviously, you not included). But, I am glad you stated, you were a "follower" of my updates, and I am glad they served as some form of "horrible" entertainment for you.
I will say, don't criticize others, if you have not walked in their shoes. I do not wish what I went through on anyone. You and "lesa" do not know, nor will you ever know the relationship that I have with my donor and myself. More important, I do not need to use this forum to answer or explain myself and that relationship to anyone -- including individuals who are comfortable hiding anonymously in the shades while criticizing others.
WPIX and Help Me Howard, and several other news organizations were kind enough to run my story. I am not looking for any fortune or fame from my ordeal, simply hoping to spread the word of my cause to ending the suffering of thousands of other Americans who are still in the situation I was in for too many years.
It never seems to amaze me how someone, somewhere will always find negative in everything, regardless of how positive someone else tries to be. I told my story and exposed my hardships to help others to bring awareness for the need of more living kidney donors. "lesa" is correct with one point, "Talk about good deeds going unappreciated."
I hope you and "lesa" will someday find something productive to do with your lives instead of bad-mouthing others. With that said, I hope you both have happy, healthy lives and find a more positive roles in society to fill. You are not judged by what you have in life, but by what you have done for others and give back to society.
To Charles and Lesa....if you followed Frank's "horrible" facebook page for real then you would have seen that when every time he gave those of us who cared how he was doing an update HE THANKED HIS DONOR! EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!
You both need to look at your wasting lives and put your negativety into doing some good for someone else!!
Way to go Mr. G! Congrats on your recovery! I wish you and your donor a very LONG HEALTHY LIFE!
Thanks, "OldBklyn" it is appreciated. My finally point regarding my Facebook updates, there came a time when my donor actually stated, "to stop thanking her" publicly -- which is why I never mentioned her by name through all this, since I respected her wishes of remaining anonymous.
u told them mr. G
Geez for somebody who swears that he HAS done all of the right things you sure are super defensive! I hadn't put you down; I just pointed out that in your interview you forgot to thank your donor.And I never said that you were ungrateful; I just pointed out that you neglected to publicly thank your donor in the biggest and most public forum you've done yet about your story.Respecting her wish to remain anonymous doesn't mean that you still can't thank the person who gave you your new kidney, uh you just don't mention her name.In one fluid statement you thanked a list of people yet never mentioned the donor.
BTW,I am a paramedic in NYC so I help people every hour of every workday, thank you very much.
I wish you no harm and do indeed wish you and your kidney a long and healthy life.
And OldBkyln, re-read my post, I don't follow (nor do I wish to) Franks blog.
One has to wonder why one contrary comment among so many agreeable one's if not true in any way would upset the person it concerns.
Frank, methinks doth protests much (too) much.
The best to you nonetheless.
Mr.G is saying that he did say it,but they cut it off. so you people really need to leave him alone. he has a lot to go through with my class only.
p.s. hi mr.g
Mr.G is saying that he did say it,but they cut it off. so you people really need to leave him alone. he has a lot to go through with my class only.
p.s. hi mr.g
Lesa,
You can think what you want, read and hear what you want. However, you missed the point, again.
First: Please, do not put words into my mouth, by stating, "HAS done all of the right things." I never stated that.
Second: Since, you were not at my interview with Howard, let me explain this again... My interview with Howard was at least 25+ minutes long -- which was condensed down to 3 minutes and 27 seconds (which I appeciate every second they gave me). During the interview, I stated several times, how do you truly thank someone who has saved your life? Also, I stated, how much I did and continue to thank my donor. If the editors of the show choose not to put that in their aired broadcast, how am I to fault or classified as ungrateful? That is the point?
For example, when I listed, in the aired segment, all the people I need to thank, the last one stated (on air) was "city councilmen." However, in reality my last person on the list was... "and of course my donor." If WPIX chose not to air that part, how am I to fault? I am not passing the buck, I simply refuse to be labeled a certain way when you do not know all the facts and continue to bash my credibility? You stated, "you neglected to publicly thank your donor in the biggest and most public forum." Wrong, from what you saw and heard, you assumed that to be the case.
Please, don't accuse me of doing something I did not do. You want to comment on my looks, you are entitled to your opinion. You want to condemn my speaking voice, go right ahead. You didn't like my shirt, so be it. However, don't tell me I did not do something, when I did in fact do it -- but it was not aired, which was out of my control.
Using your logic, let's assume I showed up at an automobile accident after it occurred. You are the paramedic on scene treating a critically injured patient and he was to succumb to his injuries. Should I assume you killed him? Why, because obviously from what I saw, you were the last person to touch him, so you must have been the cause. In other words, since I did not have all the facts, I can not simply make an assumption and portray you as lazy or uncaring.
I "doth protests much (too) much"? Your initial comment on this blog was a protest and condemnation of me. I am defending myself to a stranger who made an accusation about me and questioned my integrity.
If I was to protest too much, I would call the producer, and "protest" that I am not a Math teacher, as aired. However, how many people get a large forum such as this to help them with a life-threatening condition? The mistake, in my eyes is not a crisis, but actually pretty funny, when people were calling and emailing me saying, "you're a math teacher now?"
I hope that clears things up. I am happy to be alive -- yes -- of course as a result of a incredible person who risk their own well-being for me. And, with all that I have been through, I will not remain silent when someone speaks ill of me, especially when the facts are not correct.
As for you and your profession of a paramedic, I hope you continue to work to the best of your abilities; knowing that life is precious. I try to appreciate every extra second I have here, and hopefully those who have been in your care do the same. However, please do not be so quick to judge others as was the case with you watching my story.
Stay well.