Gladstone teen donates kidney to friend, boss

[okarol]

Gift of a lifetime
Gladstone teen donates kidney to friend, boss

By Audrey LaFave
POSTED: May 9, 2009

ESCANABA - A local teen will undergo surgery in Madison, Wis., this week to transplant a kidney to his boss and friend.

Lou Klein, 49, Escanaba, and his friend and employee Andy George, 19, Gladstone, will leave town Tuesday to head to Wisconsin for their surgeries. Their surgeries are scheduled for Thursday.

Klein has known he had polycystic kidney disease for seven years. About eight months ago he started undergoing dialysis.

"I knew I would eventually end up in a dialysis chair," Klein said. He and his wife Maureen spent many of their winters traveling.

Meanwhile, Klein has been the manager of the Gladstone Golf Club for many years. George worked for him through high school and is returning this summer after his first year of college at Michigan State University. He had also been golfing at the club since seventh grade.

He said it's probably been two years since he first started thinking about trying to donate a kidney to Klein.

"I was thinking about it, and he didn't know I was thinking about it," said George. "Me and my mom went and got tested to see if we were a match and once I found out I was a match, I decided to do it."

George is the son of Tammy and Jeff of Gladstone and the grandson of Jerry and Charlie George, who are all members of the club, said Klein. George said when he told Klein he wanted to give him a kidney, he was very surprised.

"He was at work when I found out I was a match. So, I drove out to the golf course and basically said 'I've got some good news.' ...He was kind of awe-struck," said George. "He didn't say anything at first because it hadn't really hit him yet."

George said he hasn't had time to be nervous yet, because he just finished with his final exams at MSU Thursday. He said his friends are supportive of his decision.

"It's interesting, the different majors kind of determine how they think about it. The pre-med majors are really excited about it and think it's cool, and the English majors are not too sure about it," he said.

Klein, who will have six-to-eight weeks of recovery time, said words cannot describe his gratitude to George.

"It amazes me, his generosity. My emotions well just thinking about it," Klein said. "He's a special kid."

This isn't the first time George has tried to give Klein a kidney. They were all set to go in December when doctors discovered a malfunction in Klein's dialysis equipment had caused his heart to deteriorate. Klein spent the next three months exercising by lifting weights and walking in Wal-Mart every day. He brought his heart back and is healthy enough for the surgery now. Klein said Fresenius, the clinic where he spends four hours per day every other day undergoing dialysis, gives excellent care.

"The people there, the nurses and the technicians are so nice, and so personable, and they treat us so well," he said.

While Klein said he thinks he is stronger than he has been in a long time do to the dialysis, he said the treatment option of a kidney transplant was his choice over continued dialysis.

"I'm willing to take the chance because I want a better life and I don't want to be chained to a dialysis chair," he said.
 
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