Draven Blaze returns after a hospital stay, with words of inspiration.

The Hot Spot with Draven Blaze!

Highlight: Kidney Transplant, From Son to Dad

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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA. Two wrestlers, one retired, one still very active, undergo a life changing, and life threatening, surgery. One simple mistake and not one, but two wrestlers will be rewarded with a ten bell salute before a wrestling show. Nothing is simple to begin with in a surgery to begin with, let alone a surgery of this importance.

The story begins in 2004 (excuse the use of third party talk here). Jesse Gindhart finally retires due to the kidney problems that have laid him into a hospital for over a month. Nearly dying on a daily basis, Jesse’s son, Charles Durning, aka, Draven Blaze, knows that he is helpless in this matter. Doctors say that Jesse will be dead within 6 months.

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Jesse started dialysis in May of 2007. A possible donor appears in the shape of a manager for EGW (Elite Generation Wrestling), Ms. Ria (Maria Yesavage). Everyone, and I mean everyone is very thankful she is going to do this. Lehigh Valley Hospital’s surgery team decides that Jesse must prepare for this transplant surgery, so they take out BOTH, still faintly working kidneys, to make room for the one that will be in there. Or so we thought. Doctors find something wrong with one of Ria’s blood tests, AFTER taking the kidneys out, that she is borderline diabetic. Thus eliminating her from being able to donate. Leaving Jesse, Draven, herself, and everyone else thinking… “What now?”

Medical fact, once the kidneys have been taken out, the person will be dead a little over a year! October 4th, 2007, was the date the kidneys were removed.

Jesse decides after a bit to go find refuge in another hospital, one that is known for their kidney specialists, their surgical team, their staff entirely. Thus he finds Hershey Medical Center. Draven decides to take to the metaphorical plate, bases loaded already at a 3-2 count, down by two, bottom of the ninth. And he’s not looking for a base hit, he’s looking for the grand slam.

After receiving a bunch of transcripts to get blood work, EKG’s, urine tests, MRI’s, constant blood pressure checks, talking with a transplant social worker, and more strenuous testing, Draven was declared a “perfect match.”  SWING! CRACK! Looks like it could make it!  Will it make it, or will it be a pop fly at the warning track?’

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After the rest of the testing, the date is set, Tuesday, October 7th, 2008.  Everyone in the stadium is holding their breath. Watching the ball slowly drop. The center fielder is on chase. If this makes it over the fence everyone goes home happy! If the center fielder catches this ball, everyone goes home crying. Or it’ll hit the wall, one man might score but the rest are left hanging.  This is the scenario. Both Draven’s and Jesse’s lives are at stake here! One problem could result in Draven dying. End result meaning soon, before the New Year,  Jesse would be joining. Or something could happen to Jesse, although nothing would be wrong with Draven, medically speaking, you can live a perfectly normal life, and just as long as a normal life, with one kidney, as you can with two. Or something could happen to Draven during the removal process, and to Jesse during the placement.

That morning, lots of people came to support. Like the little kids at heart praying that ball will go over the fence, in this reality, they were praying for two men, two wrestlers, to walk away with a success.  Draven goes under first. Wakes up, confused as to how his Dad is. Questions flying. Nurses say he’s still getting worked on. Draven is taken to his room; upon getting there, he hears that his Dad’s surgery was a success! The kidney started working immediately. GRAND SLAM HOME RUN! The Home team wins the game. Draven cries openly thanking the transplant coordinator, Mary Ann Smith, the transplant social worker, Gail Flannery, the Surgical team of Drs. Khan and Haulic.

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And they all lived happily ever after.

In the hospital, I got to see my daughter, sadly not my son, my family, the great nurses, doctors and staff of Hershey Medical. And last but not least, my girlfriend, who had made me believed she would not be able to make it, due to her being in school, which was easily believable. Jess goes to Penn State Main Campus in State College, which is a two hour drive to Hershey. She has a hectic schedule, with taking many courses a day, working a part of the Moral Team for Thon, a program designed as a big drawing help of the Four Diamonds Fund, http://www.hmc.psu.edu/fourdiamonds/ to learn more about this wonderful fund that helps a lot of children who are suffering! Anyway, Jess surprises me by coming down to visit, this was a vital point in my recovering. Not just staying a few minutes, or an few hours and leaving. Staying about 8 hours with me, supporting not only myself, but my Dad as well. She is great with my Dad, and my two children.

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I do a lot of thinking also in the hospital. The main thing in my mind, WRESTLING. I was a hairline shy of letting it go, retiring, and trying to keep myself from hurting my other kidney. But with the support of my family, especially my Dad, and my girlfriend, I decided that wrestling will only keep me stronger. I have come to the realization that wrestling is worth more now. When I return. I will no longer jump up and ante myself around the ring, like the pompous self I have known to be. Gimmick or not. This was a matter of life and death. I survived.

I savor things much more now. I will savor EVERY moment I have in the ring. I will savor the feel of the fan reaction, the way to the ring, the match and the walk to the back. Every motion I make will be savored. Will be passionate. I can’t wait to get started to get back to the ring. I can’t wait to get started, all over again. I thank everyone who had belief in My Dad and me. I thank those who prayed. I even want to thank those who thought we would not make it or that the kidney problems my Dad had was a ‘gimmick’, apparently this is the most followed through ‘gimmick’ wrestling has ever witnessed if this was true. Above all, I thank the ones who were scared with us, and prayed for us…

God Bless!

– Draven Blaze

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DAMN!!!!!