One last post before I go~

Hello everyone on this Tuesday the 19th of March, just a day or so before the official first full day of spring and 3 days before the next winter storm come, this weekend.  Weather~you gotta love it, I guess!  Here in Kansas, we just pretty much accept it that you won't know for sure when winter's last breath has been taken until about mid-April and even THEN, you can't be sure some years.  Yet, in the least of things we remember to give thanks from the people of a land of drought.  Snow is moisture and also a wonderful "blanket", a protector of plant life that is just beginning to emerge from its winter's sleep. The plain and simple truth is this~"we need it!"

I have a "plate full" of stuff to accomplish tonight and very little time to do it in.  In just a couple of days it's off to New York to visit places that I more than likely will never go to again in this life.  Yet, it is so important to me to at least see them this time.  I've got so much to finish up with packing and laundry that I had really thought I wouldn't post a blog entry until I arrived in Owego on this coming Saturday.  But I got an email yesterday that kind of changed those plans and I'd love to tell you about it.

The email was an "invite" to attend the "Celebration of Heroes Event" in Wichita on the 13th of April and to be one of the featured speakers there.  This celebration, this special occasion honours all of the people who have been a donor of their organs, tissue and/or corneas upon their death. Their "survivors", their family members will be the special guests in attendance that afternoon. It is sponsored by the Midwest Transplant Network and will be held at Christ Lutheran Church that afternoon.  Because I received a donor's bone tissue in order to repair "old lefty" after my accident in 2011, I was asked to tell my story as one of speakers that day.  I vowed, so long ago now, that I would tell the story of "Eleanore" whenever, wherever and however I was asked to do so for the remaining days of my life.  And I so intend to do.  

I'm not sure yet what I will tell them and the truth be told, I may not know until I stand before them.  When I have said before that my accident forever changed my life for the "good", I wasn't kidding.  I mean it~I am changed now and will  never dare to be the person that I was once before getting hurt so badly.  From the moment that tissue was implanted into my very messed up wrist and arm, there was never any thought of "looking back".  I don't know how to explain it to you other than to say, I would have never understood the importance of organ donation had I not been the recipient myself.  Even though I had already listed myself as a "donor" on my license, I still understood virtually none of the impact it could have upon someone. But to actually be a witness to it first hand, to know that a piece of another person is now a part of you is the most humbling experience a person can ever go through.  

I remember when I woke up from surgery back in the recovery room that the first thing they handed me was a letter inside of an envelope from the Transplant Foundation, back in Connecticut.  A long string of numbers on a bar code was the only identifier of the person who died and donated their body parts so people like me could have a better life.  I hadn't expected the recovery room nurse to tell me what she did, that I had received a donor's bone material in surgery and that if I wanted to, I could write the family members and say thank you to them.  In my sorrow and in my gratitude, tears just started running down my face and I remember being a little embarrassed that I had not been able to "keep it together" after hearing the news.  The nurse just gave me a nice smile, said not to worry, that it happens all the time when people receive news like that.  I can remember taking my right hand and rubbing it over the cast on "old lefty" in the spot where I thought the bone might have been implanted.  It was as if I was giving whoever that was who was now living in me, a huge hug from the bottom of my heart.  

My dear friends, I do not know how you feel about organ donation, perhaps as I do or maybe not.  I have said many times before that it is such a personal decision and I would have the utmost of respect for you if you did donate your organs and I would have the same ultimate respect for you if you chose not to.  It has to be a decision that you make for yourself.  If you are still unsure of whether or not is a right move for you, then I would encourage you to read as much as you can about it and the process that is involved.  If you do wish to make donations of your organs, make sure that someone knows about it.  Let your family and friends know of your plans.  The sad truth is that today the waiting list is much longer than the availability of viable organs ever will be.  And as in my case, a wonderful unknown 45-year old man from Missouri had to die accidentally yet in his death, so many people, including me, were saved!  I will always be beholden to that man.  I carry his "life" inside of my arm now and I will never forget that, as long as I continue to live.  

Well, it's time to get off the computer for the night.  So much to do and I'm "trading daylight for dark" once more.  This will be my last blog post until I arrive in Owego, New York this weekend.  Excited to be able to "look for America" and pray to be able to not get lost while doing so.  Have a great Tuesday evening, one and all.  You guys, I gotta say~you are all the best friends that I think I could ever asked for.  I love you all and thanks for listening and caring about what happens to me in this life.  For you, from me, the same.

The flowers I left for "Eleanore" on my way to Maine last summer~at the State of Missouri rest stop just east of Kansas City, Missouri.  Because I  never learned of my donor's name, I decided since it was Memorial Day weekend that I would just leave his flowers next to this beautiful tree that morning.  I felt at peace in knowing all that God intended me to know of my donor's real identity.  It was surely enough.

I always loved this photo-the day that Grahame drug my bike up from its original "banishment" to the basement after the accident.  My arm was in the second cast at the time.  I would still be months away from riding it again but it just felt nice to stand by it once more. It was not "vehicle" error that caused the problem, I think they call it "operator" error or something :)