The Gift of Life

 There are over 109,000 people on waiting list for organ donation.  Seventeen patients die each day waiting on an organ.  As an adult I made the decision to be an organ donor.  I didn’t put much thought into it other than I knew I wasn’t going to need it when I was gone.  I think as adults that choice can be easier, but the hardest thing is when you lose a child and have to struggle with making the right decision.  It was harder for me to make the decision to stop life saving measures than it was for me to decide for Em to be an organ donor.  

The way I looked at it was that I could make a decision to save someone else’s life, but I was also giving Em the chance to continue living.  No not in her current body, but through someone else.  That gave me so much comfort.  I know many may not look at it that way. But I guess we all have to deal with things the way we know how.

I was sad that due to her situation, many of her organs were not able to be used for donation.  Last week we received a letter from the Lions Eye Institute letting us know that now her cornea’s are allowing someone to see the beauty of God’s world.  I’m sad that Em is not with us, but she gave someone the gift of sight!! Someone’s loved one some where can maybe see their new baby for the first time, or can see a sunrise or a sunset.  Or they can see the colors of a rainbow.  Making her an organ donor would have been what she wanted.  And in her death, it’s one of the greatest gifts she could have given.

I’m proud of the woman Don and I raised.  She was beautiful, loving, giving and a wonderful and loyal friend.