Illness, Transplant, and Racism
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
Canada
March 18, 2016 10:12pm CST
My best friend Judy married her college sweetheart in Germany before he was sent to Vietnam. She came to Kansas to see me before she went to Boston and her new job.
Judy became very ill. Her Jack was sent home on an Emergency leave several times as she got worse.
Judy's mother, now outraged, had Judy removed from the Army hospital and delivered to a major hospital in Boston.
The Army had misdiagnosed her illness. She almost died from nephritis. She needed a kidney transplant. She was put on dialysis. Jack was sent back to Boston again on emergency leave, but this time they gave him his freedom with honors. The army paid all of her bills.
Judy got her transplant and recovered. When well again she and Jack went to visit his parents in Illinois. It was 1970's.
Judy has no tolerance for Racism. As they drove through a city park Jack's father and mother were upset because the Negro's were ruining their park. Judy went to the defense of the families in the park to deaf racist's ears.
At the family reunion where all the Illinois family got to meet Jack's bride, Judy got even.
Of course, people were curious about the transplant and wanted to know if she knew who donated her kidney. She didn't. All she knew was it was a man who crashed a motorcycle.
During the family gathering she responded to the questions with her wonderful sense of humor ..... and a bit of spite....
While eating watermelon she exclaimed how delicious it was and she never like it until now...
When asked about changes she said since she had the transplant her hair has gone from straight to curly. Isn't that cool?
She also mentioned since the transplant her skin tans so much better...
Every sentence that came out of her was to make the family realize that maybe, just maybe, a black person gave her a second chance at life. That, and it was about time Racism needs to end.
Sadly if she was still alive in 2016 she would be disappointed to see Racism is still around and still just as ugly as it was in the 1970's.
21 people like this
19 responses
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
19 Mar 16
Good for her, and she's right. It's hard to imagine that racism is still around. I guess it's just to much to hope that this type of behavior will end in my life time.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
Wouldn't it be amazing and wonderful if it ended. i worry about the world and especially the states with he hate and disrespect that is so obvious. Just looking at the senate and how they treated Obama makes me ashamed...and they are elected supposedly smart people...
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
19 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate They are only smart where it concerns them. Get elected and on easy street the rest of their lives, they get their pay forever, even when not in office any longer. I fear it will never end. Humans have been fighting for thousands of years and it's still going on, I don't hold much hope for things to improve as history has shown.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
19 Mar 16
A lovely lady RIP.
Yes she was a champion in her own right Paints.
I would have been so proud to know her.
You were blessed to have her.
2 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
19 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate I bet you do Paints..She was a very special friend.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
We were friends from childhood and we kept in touch until the end. I still miss her.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
You would think with everything that has happened in the world in our life time, people would be smarter. There is no reason for racism.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238355)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate I think there IS reason for racism. People tend to be suspicious of others whom they perceive as different from themselves. Being aware of ones prejudices and (if desired) trying to overcome them is a matter of personal choice.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
27 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate yes there really is no need we all are humans
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
24 Mar 16
i'm so glad that ms. judy's momma had her moved 'n she was given a second chance't life. bless her heart fer tryin' to make those who're so blind to see :( some folks'll jest not change what's ingrained'n 'em sadly. i dealt with this quite a bit growin' up'n the hills'f tennessee. i ne'er saw 'color' 'n shan't bore ya with how many crosses got burned'n my front yard when i'd come to the rescue.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
24 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate jest twerks my jaw to hear the words that're comin' outta those folks :( reminds me'f schoolyard bullies 'n i dislike those immensely. yepperz, they ought to be 'shamed'f 'emselves fer their lack'f self-control.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
24 Mar 16
I find it so interesting to watch the racial slurs from some of our politicians. There should be a law that would stop that but its hard when the politicians do it too.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
20 Mar 16
@JudyEv that is an interesting thought. I doubt anyone knows who the donor is or their nationally...If I needed a transplant I would not try to second guess and certainly would not be bothered with the color of their skin.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
Judy was a wonderful woman, and it is outrageous that Racism is still alive and well in the US and other places.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate I wonder if the family members would have rejected the offer of an organ from a person with a different skin colour for themselves - or would they have overcome their prejudice in favour of living? Interesting thought. :)
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
20 Mar 16
I agree with that. I can't imagine how anyone can see beauty in life if they spend most of it hating people.
1 person likes this
@MGjhaud (23228)
• Philippines
19 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate i dont think she would appreciate some it, no. but theres a reason why she left early. im sure shes the happiest in heaven.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
She spent her life trying to make the world better. If she could see it today, she would not be happy.
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
19 Mar 16
Unfortunately it still is thriving. Funny people think it is all about the south but it is everywhere.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56374)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate I've read a bit about black history because I grew up not too far from a settlement up here. I have a lot of respect for those people that we used as slaves. They are a strong group of people and we should admire them for that not look down on them for the colour of their skin.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
I agree with you. that is the way it should be. But history won't allow humans to forget and forgive i guess. I find it much easier to care for people than hate them.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
We can only hope that it will die sometime in the future. The pain it causes to so many is obscene.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
It must be our history, The blacks are the ones who have suffered and still do today because they were slaves at one time, a horrible time in history but the attitude still makes my blood boil. Now many other nationalities have joined in them trying to live with racism. Its not a happy country.....in the US at least. Canada is much kinder than the US.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
1 Apr 16
Funny that she told them where it was at in such a way. I wonder whether they ever learned that she hadn't a clue who she got the kidney from?
Was she living on a base when she became ill and that's why the Army was treating her before her mother had her moved? I was a bit confused by your quick telling of that portion of her story.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
1 Apr 16
She just hinted to them to make them think her transplant was not white. She highly disliked their attitude and predigests. She never lived on the base. They got married in Germany and when Jack went to Vietnam from Germany she came home to the US, Settled first in Rhode Island and then in Boston to work and got sick. It was a long time ago. I don't remember why she was in the military hospital maybe because it was free to her or expected from her because her husband was in Vietnam...I really have no idea. I do know her mother and she was a mover and shaker. She is the reason Judy lived...
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
There will be no answers for a few more generations in the US unless everyone kills each other....Canada is so calm compared to the US. its pretty amazing.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
20 Mar 16
@PainsOnSlate Lol! I know. I've been there a few times.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (17038)
• United States
27 Mar 16
It is sad to think that there are still those who can't see past the color of someone's skin. Growing up in Philadelphia in the 70's we lived in a racially mixed neighborhood. We literally had 1000's of neighbors surrounding us and I-95 was a few yards from our back yard. When we went out to play we played with all the neighborhood kids, not just certain ones. Thankful to have lived that life for the first 11 years of my life. I learned to look at people, not their skin color. Sorry for the loss of your friend. Have a blessed evening.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
27 Mar 16
I too don't notice color, I had a similar childhood to you and my parents had friends of color. We do too. Its had to understand how some people see the color and not give it a chance.
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14994)
• Malaysia
19 Mar 16
Sorry for your loss, I am sure you miss Judy very much. I think she is great!
I really do not understand about racism. Well, I am not sure if it's still around until today.
I didn't know the kidney transplant will make a person change the hair and skin as well.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
The transplant didn't change her skin color or hair, she said that to her in-laws to make them think...about racism. They were racists and unpleasant around anyone that was "different" Thank you for your kind words.
@garymarsh6 (24028)
• United Kingdom
19 Mar 16
I like the sound of this woman. What a great stance to take with her family and I hope that it broke some of their blinkered thoughts!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
I don't know if it changed anything but it must have felt good for my friend. I don't remember them talking about his family again.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
19 Mar 16
There are too many haters that think they are better than others and cause the problems that started when the country was new. The US abused the natives and the slaves brought in to do the work in the south...Nasty part of history and it still goes on today.
