A Personal Memorial to Mary Dina DuBois

On Saturday; January 17, 1998, Mary Dina (Ellingson) DuBois, a fellow 
transplant patient and a very close friend succumbed to complications 
caused by kidney failure. 

Like all of us who are transplant patients, Mary wanted so much to get 
better, but her system would not accept some of the vital medications 
that keep us alive. Although the Doctors kept on top of her ongoing 
problems it seemed as though she would take one step forward and two 
steps back. 

   With the exception of Mary's parents, and some of her close friends 
that were her nurses, myself being a transplant, and knowing Mary before 
she got her new heart, I could see her change from one visit to the next. 
It was very hard for me to understand why things were going so bad for her,
and so good for me. I felt kind of guilty when I would see her lying in the 
bed and losing ground with every month. 

   I guess the most enjoyable moment for Mary was after she had transplant, 
she said to me with a big smile, "see Dave I'm like you now I have two 
birthdays". And the other time when she was going to meet her donors 
mother. She asked me if I was as nervous as she, I said yes, but it will 
work out, and be a very beautiful day for you. As sick as she was she made 
the meeting, and from then she would only know the true feeling she felt at 
that time. 

   On January 15, I visited with Mary and her mother that afternoon, 
and she was in very good spirits. In the evening I went back to visit her 
for a while, we went for a walk, we talked and joked about each other. I do 
not remember her being this happy and radiant in the two and a half years I 
had known her. A little after 7 pm that evening while I was preparing to 
leave, I took her hand and kissed her goodnight, and said I will see you
tomorrow before I leave Madison. God would only know what happened from 
there.

 Mary I know you are in a better place now, no more pain and suffering. 
I will miss you, and have a warm spot in my heart for you always, just 
save me a spot beside you, I want to know you are alright.

I Love You
Your friend,

David Craig Hilton
 

Mary's Obituary

nellingson@aol.com Don and Nancy Ellingson
©Copyright David F Hilton 1995-2003