| On February 23, 2007 my daughter died from the | | | | for our daughter's decision to be an organ donor. |
| injuries she received in a car crash. Surgeon after | | | | However, we did want others to understand the |
| surgeon tried to save her life, but their efforts | | | | process. JAMA, the Journal of the American |
| were in vain. My daughter's injuries were too | | | | Medical Association, has published a patient |
| extensive and she was also brain dead. Despite | | | | handout about organ donation. "Recipients of |
| our profound shock, my husband and I signed the | | | | organs are chosen by severity of illness, time |
| legal documents for the harvesting of her organs. | | | | spent on the waiting list, and medical factors, and |
| Our thinking: We can make something good from | | | | not by economic or celebrity status," the handout |
| this tragedy. | | | | explains. Our legal permission had started this |
| The harvesting process, according to LifeSource | | | | process. |
| of Minnesota, begins in the emergency room and | | | | Yesterday we received a letter from the |
| moves to intensive care, where the medical team | | | | Minnesota Lions Eye Bank. To publicize the |
| tries to save the patient's life. As doctors updated | | | | benefits of eye donation and celebrate its 50th |
| us on our daughter's surgery we slowly came to | | | | anniversary, the organization is asking for personal |
| terms with the severity of her condition. The | | | | stores about eye donors. A questionnaire was |
| organs would have to be harvested quickly, the | | | | enclosed with the letter. We completed it because |
| doctors explained. "Organs are matched with the | | | | it gave us an opportunity to credit our daughter. |
| patient on the national transplant waiting list who is | | | | If your loved one was an organ donor you have |
| the best match," notes LifeSource. | | | | probably received invitations to dinners and other |
| Two days later we received a call from the organ | | | | events. Should you go? You are the only one who |
| donor agency. Our daughter's organs had saved | | | | can answer this question. Making a pro and con |
| two lives and two others could now see. While | | | | list, as we did, may help you make your decision. |
| this news made me sob, it was also comforting. | | | | Consider the purpose behind the event and how it |
| According to LifeSource, more than 100 people | | | | may aid your grief journey. |
| are added to the transplant list each day. Though | | | | Three years have passed since our daughter died. |
| we would never meet the organ and eye | | | | During this time we have received more |
| recipients, I felt a kinship with them. | | | | invitations to organ donor events. We understand |
| Months later, my husband and I were invited to a | | | | the concept of honoring donor families, but we |
| dinner honoring organ donor families. We discussed | | | | just can't make ourselves go. Instead, we stay |
| the pros and cons of going. The cons -- renewed | | | | home, talk about our daughter's achievements, |
| emotional pain, a driving time of three hours, and | | | | her wonderful twins (a boy and a girl), and her |
| conversation about organ donation -- outweighed | | | | generosity in being an organ donor. |
| the pros. Neither of us wanted to be recognized | | | | |