Meet Me At The Stairs

Synopsis

Ten years ago, at the age of 23, I underwent a procedure that saved my life; a kidney transplant. My father donated one of his kidneys to someone that neither of us knew so that I could receive a healthy organ from another party in return. Before that, I spent the majority of my life gradually progressing towards undetected renal failure, which ultimately led me to a brief stint of dialysis and then the transplant.

During a worldwide pandemic such as the one we currently find ourselves in, that very procedure and the medications I take daily to ensure its success, put me in a very vulnerable place.

Because of these somewhat defining experiences that come with a procedure such as an organ transplant, I have an appreciation for what living with a compromised immune system means. I also have an appreciation for how this daily challenge affects those closest to me.

Meet Me At The Stairs is a profile piece that features my wife, an essential emergency worker for Toronto EMS and how during the first lockdown in Ontario, we lived in isolation from each other for more than 90 days. Even though we were still living in the same house, being so close yet so far comes with its own set of unique challenges.

The film explores the anxiety that comes with being an essential worker during a worldwide pandemic and coping with the sacrifices you must make to keep your family members safe.