A Love Letter to the Universe

In the space of 24 hours I went from feeling helplessly stranded without transportation to and from dialysis therapy (my faithful van died!) to being surprised and delighted by the arrival in my life of a different vehicle. I couldn't have anticipated this happening so swiftly...but now that I've driven the new-to-me vehicle from home into Saskatoon, to arrive on time for dialysis today, I'm feeling richly blessed by the universe. To be more specific, I'm feeling blessed to have such a good friend who is watching my back, to suggest this vehicle!

It's a V-6 Toyota Camry, which means I will enjoy considerably better fuel efficiency over the Ford WindStar that just croaked. Driving into the city this morning, I had this deep feeling of gratitude...could have been the high-fidelity stereo cranked up, or the cruise control activated...I don't know, but that feeling was palpable.

I decided in my secret heart that the very best course to take, even with all of the challenges of dealing with the reality of Chronic Renal Disease, has got to be...think and live positively.

Michael R. Gaudet was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure only fourteen years after his father, Robert, died of kidney disease in Michael’s childhood. After his initial diagnosis, Michael was determined to achieve a measure of immortality. 

He designed and painted the seminal mural "Recovery 1", which he donated to the Toronto hospital that saved his life. This singular act cast the mold for the rest of his life, in which he battled chronic kidney disease and forged a career as one of Canada’s best-known mural painters. 

Michael has since designed and painted over 60 large murals across Canada. Today, he lives with his wife Sharon in the resort village of Manitou Beach in central Saskatchewan, where they own and operate a seasonal art gallery called “G-G’s Gallery & Gifts.” 

Michael is in the final stages of releasing Book 1 of the trilogy "Dancing with Rejection: A Beginner's Guide to Immortality". Please steer your search engine here to visit the Facebook page that was created to usher in the launch. Curious? Could this be the book for you? Come on over, we'll see you there.