The Prank

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my wife, who both took care of me during these trying times and continued to work excessively hard at a company that did not appreciate her. I love you. It is also dedicated to my family, who all provided support even when they had other things they needed to do. Additionally, a friend provided enormous emotional support, and for a while was the most optimistic person alive on my chance of living, which was a blessing. Thank you all. Finally, it is dedicated to the Stanford Hospital and Satellite Healthcare doctors & staff, who dealt with a very diseased and sick individual who they helped walk out of the ICU, through the exceptional M5 program (twice), back into his house, and ultimately back into the hope of living. There is no better collection of skilled individuals anywhere. Thank you for caring, applying your skills, and for my life. A special thanks goes to my illustrator, who has adorned all my books: Baird Hoffman (https://www.bairdhoffmire.com)

PROLOGUE : IRONY

In November 2020, I stopped drinking alcohol. Completely sober. Never drank again. ❦

The irony? In spite of the committed sobriety, I was terminally ill due to alcohol destroying my liver. I was sober but dead. ❦

This singular event enabled me to see a deeper world: a world with both more iniquity and more hope. ❦

Hemodiealysis describes trying to transform that world for the better.

CONTENTS

Part-I The Prank Menlo Park — Susan Transplant Lists Menlo Park (2) — Susan The Recruit — Dr. A. Hemodialysis Vampires and Slaves Menlo Park (3) — Susan Roofs Recovery Menlo Park (4) — Susan Influence Sirius Black Phones and Watches El Toro Hemodiealysis Five Hundred Lana The Ring It Takes a Village

1 3 9 11 17 19 21 25 31 33 37 41 43 49 51 53 55 57 61 65 69

Part-II Ignorance Convoy Razors The Second Convoy July 5th

Communication 350 Acres Safe Houses The Neighborhood — Carl Defending Boardwalk Boardwalk — Marc Bishop — John Exodus — Mark Exodus — Sandra Exodus — Bruce Exodus — Patrick Exodus (2) — Sandra Exodus (3) — Sandra Negotiations — Dr. A. Venice Epilogue : Hemodienamics

73 75 77 83 85 89 93 97 101 103 107 111 113 117 119 123 125 127 129 131 133 137