Jim

My friend and workmate Jim was scheduled for a stem cell transplant today in Iowa City. I am thinking of him and sending up prayers to a higher power, whoever that may be. I met Jim Bodensteiner nearly five years ago - when I first started working at DNR. I didn't find out that he was in remission from what I believe was non Hodgkins Lymphoma until many months later. I was shocked.

He's a private guy, and just didn't want to share that information. Somebody else actually told me about it. That's the kind of guy he is. Jim is 62 years old, and now that cancer has returned, he's decided to retire from DNR. He has worked as the Solid Waste Alternatives Program coordinator for the past few years - assisting people who apply for grant funding for waste diversion. He was never too busy to answer questions or help someone working on a grant app with a budget.

JaimeBo, as my co-worker Scott and I named him on one of our roadtrips, is the nicest guy ever. We decided we had to come up with a meanish nickname because sometimes Jim really needed to talk a little sense into some of our stakeholders. We thought he should morph into his alter-ego - JaimeBo. It didn't really happen though. Jim was too nice.

I liked talking to Jim about pets. He and his granddaughter volunteered at the Animal Rescue League - handling pets that were to be adopted. Jim loves his cats, and he would enjoy getting a dog someday. Maybe now that he's retired, he can. Jim patiently listened to my stories about my pets - and commiserated with me when Kitty died.

Jim will be in isolation in Iowa City for several weeks, and even when he comes home - they live in Altoona, he won't even be able to open the house windows. We won't get to see him for a long time. My supervisor called Jim to see if he and wife Jackie would consider accepting a benefit DNR staffers would put on for them. Nope - they're doing just fine they say. Jen said Jim sounded good last week when she spoke to him, just before they left for Iowa City.

Mick, one of the engineers on staff suggests we hold a retirement party for Jim "In Absentia". I think Jim might like that. On today's road trip to Cedar Rapids we talked about doing something like that - taking pictures and signing a big card for Jim. I said we could spell out his name in bodies - but Bodensteiner is kinda long...

God Bless you Jim. Thinking of you!

Jim might have considered going JaimeBo here, but didn't...