Leavitt, son both doing well following kidney transplant

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003 | 8:24 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Nevada Supreme Court Justice Myron Leavitt says his son Jimmy doesn't have to give him a Christmas present this year.

Jimmy Leavitt, a 36-year-old lawyer in Las Vegas, donated his kidney to his 73-year-old father on Nov. 17. Both are doing well.

The father said he is feeling fine and will return next month to sit in on oral arguments at a panel hearing in Las Vegas, where he lives. He said his doctors don't want him to fly until February, when he will join the full court in Carson City to hear arguments.

The justice said he has been keeping up with the workload at the court, working at home. His doctors don't want him to mingle with a crowd because of the flu epidemic, he said.

Leavitt said he learned something about his family when this health problem arose.

All 11 children agreed to donate one of their kidneys. Jimmy was chosen because he was the best match.

He said Jimmy recovered within a week and was back on job. Myron said he has been taking antibiotics but has not used any pain pills since he was released from the hospital.

He says he was disappointed he missed the UNLV-UNR basketball game in Las Vegas because he's a graduate of UNR, where he played football.

He said he has already voted on all the cases that were submitted before he went into the hospital and is now reading briefs and other documents in other cases.