Dr Orville Messenger is a well-regarded thoracic surgeon and former Chief Surgeon in a large Canadian hospital. At the age of 42, he was only beginning his career which he regarded as a life-long vocation. In 1985, Dr Messenger underwent heart surgery. He received a blood transfusion. Eight months later, he was told he had received AIDS contaminated blood. Borrowed TIme is Dr and Mrs Messenger's own story of trying to survive with AIDS.