T - 1

Today Barbara and I head to NYC and I begin the pre-op prep. Somehow, Kate has escaped this part -- she owes me! We will not have internet access in the apartment, but will have e-mail on our phones.

I have been reflecting on this journey that began shortly before New Years and have come up with some random thoughts:

Our lives are always so busy and so full, but we are able to quickly change priorities and the things that were so important can't even be remembered.

It takes two people to have surgery and you have to be in good condition. No way could I imagine doing this alone or if I was sick.

My initial thoughts about surgery in general and doing this kidney donation was that it would be scary. Once I started to learn about it and get a handle on exactly what was going to happen, I have no apprehension or anxiety at all. Meeting the hospital staff and having confidence in them is very comforting and reassuring.

Throughout this journey I have experienced a tremendous outpouring of support from family, friends, people I hardly knew and people that I didn't know at all. Your thoughts and prayers have been very heartwarming and helpful to me.

My new friends, Jill and Emily, are donors themselves and have been very kind to answer all of my questions and offer helpful information from their experiences. This has been great.

I suspect that my next blog update will be after the operation. I will let you know where I am on the Dick Cheney pain scale.

I will try to do some Twitter updates in the interim.

Talk to you tomorrow.