Perhaps the Wierdest Story of the Modern Era

[Newsman]

Forget fighting over the vintage record collection, or Aunt Betty's prized bauble.

A Long Island surgeon embroiled in a nearly four-year divorce proceeding wants his estranged wife to return the kidney he donated to her, although he says he'll settle for $1.5 million in compensation.

Dr. Richard Batista, a surgeon at Nassau University Medical Center, told reporters at his lawyer's Long Island office Wednesday that he decided to go public with his demand for kidney compensation because he has grown frustrated with the negotiations with his estranged wife.

He claimed he has been prevented from seeing their children, ages, 8, 11 and 14, for months at a time.

"This is my last resort; I did not want to do this publicly," Batista said.

He said he gave his kidney to Dawnell Batista, now 44, in June 2001. She filed for divorce in July 2005, although he claims she began having an extramarital affair 18 months to two years after receiving the kidney transplant, his attorney, Dominick Barbara said.

Douglas Rothkopf, the attorney representing Dawnell Batista, did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Matrimonial attorneys were quick to shoot down any possibility Batista would succeed.

"I've been in this business over 40 years and I've never heard of that," said Seymour J. Reisman, a Long Island divorce lawyer. "It's not marital property, not a marital asset you can put a price tag on."

Manhattan attorney Susan Moss said, "The good doctor is out of luck and out a kidney. This is similar to cases where a husband wants to be repaid for the cost of breast implants and the such. Our judges are not willing to value such assets, so to speak."

Batista, 49, said he has no regrets about donating the kidney, only about the failed marriage. The couple was married in 1990 and lived in a million-dollar home in Massapequa. They met while he was working at a hospital and she was training to be a nurse.

He still recalls the day after the surgery took place.

"There is no greater feeling on this planet. As God is my witness, I felt as if I could put my arm around Jesus Christ. It was an unbelievable; I was walking on a cloud.

To this day I would still do it again."

[MelodyB]

Wow.

[*~Trina~*]

WOW!    People never cease to amaze me!!!

[Sis]

The kidney is community property and she got it in the settlement.   

[The Purple Fuzzy]

No takebacks!  Isn't that what the kids used to say?

If you give it, then you give it.

[iridiscente]

Yeah, but what a sorry thing to happen after giving up so much.

[Sis]

I can almost see the breast enhancement, though. Women have used guys just to get them, then dump them.

[CDAGeek]

I can almost see the breast enhancement, though. Women have used guys just to get them, then dump them.

yeah, but if a woman is using a guy for that purpose, and it lasts to the point of them actually getting married, either the guy is big enough of an idiot to  not notice it wasn't real (...the relationship, that is), or figured he'd get his money's worth. Either way, I can't really feel sorry for the dude not getting reimbursed.

[Sis]

Oh, wasn't talking during marriage. That's a different can of worms.

[CDAGeek]

My bad. I thought you were going off this quote:

This is similar to cases where a husband wants to be repaid for the cost of breast implants and the such. Our judges are not willing to value such assets, so to speak."

[Sis]

You not bad.   I go off on tangents sometimes. Don't worry, be happy!   

[CDAGeek]

This has gotta be the most tangent friendly message board I've ever seen. It's like threads are expected to be derailed. It's a change of pace from what I'm used to, lol

[iridiscente]

So what's the price of tea in China?

[CDAGeek]

http://supertart.com/priceofteainchina/index.php

Apparently it is $23,497.

[iridiscente]

[Sis]

This has gotta be the most tangent friendly message board I've ever seen. It's like threads are expected to be derailed. It's a change of pace from what I'm used to, lol

Sometimes, it IS brought back to the subject, but mostly in the serious threads. We allow conversations to flow like they do naturally, otherwise.

You need to learn what pink winking means. LOL 

[CDAGeek]

Pink winking? Enlighten me.

[Sis]

Would someone care to enlighten the newbie?   

[RainbowJingles]

alert!
:-)

is the symbol often used by someone when they have just (deliberately or unintentionally) hijacked a thread with something so completely that they are almost apologetic about it.  Kind of.

It started with some infamous topic hijackers.  Anyone care to name names? (no, it wasn't me)

BTW, Welcome, Geek.  How did you happen upon GP?
You're pretty good at getting into the fun there, it seems.  lol

John:  VERY weird story.

See?  I brought the thread successfully back on topic.

[CDAGeek]

I don't even remember how I found this place. It's been ages since I started lurking. I think it was shortly after I got into church that I stumbled across it.

[Amelia Bedelia]

although he says he'll settle for $1.5 million in compensation.

He claimed he has been prevented from seeing their children, ages, 8, 11 and 14, for months at a time.

"This is my last resort; I did not want to do this"

he claims she began having an extramarital affair 18 months to two years after receiving the kidney transplant

Batista, 49, said he has no regrets about donating the kidney, only about the failed marriage.
He still recalls the day after the surgery took place.

"There is no greater feeling on this planet. As God is my witness, I felt as if I could put my arm around Jesus Christ. It was an unbelievable; I was walking on a cloud.

To this day I would still do it again."

he doesn't want the kidney back
he wants acknowledgment and appreciation for his sacrifices to this woman who betrayed him and withholds his children from him

the kidney is just a reminder to get the conversation and negotiations into perspective

unfortunately the millions won't heal or help what is tormenting this man and family

poor man, poor family

[Sis]

You're probably right. You should be a shrink!

[RainbowJingles]

She already has been, I hear!  lol  But she's workin' on it with those high heels of hers! 

[Amelia Bedelia]

lol
my closet wears the heels a lot more than I do now

I wear birkenstock looking things in the summer and big clunky boots of course in the winter

[Dew-Ax-238]

there is just something shady about this guy... he is pointing his finger yyou know what the old saying is if you point tthe fingure then there are 4 pointing back at you?

What has the man done in order for his X to keep the kids from seeing him or may-be the kids don't want to see him?