[OT] The 3rd anniversary

Hey, all!

Today is the third anniversary of my heart/lung transplant!  I had it on
Nov 29th-20th 2000 at University (of Arizona) Medical Center.  ^_^
If you know my story, you can skip the next few paragraphs, but please read
what's below that.
Keep in mind I'm in the US; I'm not sure how organ donation works in the UK
or on the Continent or in Australia or... well, you get the idea.  Still, I
think the message is important even if I'm not sure about the details.

I was born with a congenital heart defect in which the main valves going to
my heart were switched.  This meant that blood was circulating to my heart,
through my body, than back to my heart, never reaching my lungs; and the
blood going to my lungs just circulated back to my heart.  It also meant
that the blood going to my lungs was going through a larger valve than
intended (I think that's how it goes), and thus it put a strain on my
lungs.  I had a few surgeries, and at two years of age, had one that
supposedly fixed the problem.  I led a "normal life" for many years, all
the way through college.  Then, in 1996, while running for a bus, I
experienced a heart arrhythmia and went to the emergency room.  It
corrected itself, but I went to my cardiologist a few days later and was
told that I needed a hear-lung transplant.  As you can imagine, this
stunned me.  I had been "normal" for so long that I never thought there
would be a problem.  I'm just glad my dad was with me when I got the news.
This happened in May of 1996, and in October of 1996, I put myself on the
transplant list.  I went through tests like you can't believe, and was put
on a few medications.  I spent four years waiting.  I grew weaker, to the
point where walking across the room was getting tiring.  In Nov. of 2000,
my cardiologist suggest I admit myself into the hospital to get a "heart
booster" drug.  Two days after being admitted, I got the news I'd been
waiting four years for--a donor had been found.  I had been told to expect
false starts (problems that would prevent transplant, etc), and had taken
it such to heart that I was less excited about the news then those around
me.  But I was prepped, and anaesthetized, and after a 12 hour surgery, I
was in possession of a new set of major organs.  ^_^
Recovery was unpleasant but manageable.  I learned my meds--a lot of them
at the time--and therapies and spent a few weeks in the hospital.  I'm more
thankful than I can express for the love and support of my family.  I was
never alone except when I was asleep; there was always a family member or a
friend there to talk to or entertain me or help me with whatever I needed.
I'm also extremely appreciative of members of my on-line family who sent
cards and letters and general stuff (one of these was the late Steven
Thorpe from rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc).  Leaving the hospital was like coming
back to life,  I had energy, and could *do things* again.  There were
difficulties, but I managed them, and now I'm more active than I've been in
years.

I tell you this story to show organ donation CAN make a difference.  It can
save someone's life.  *I'm* alive today thanks to someone's selfless act of
kindness towards a complete stranger.  And with new medications and
technology, people are surviving post-transplant longer and with a better
quality of life.  I know it's a difficult thing to deal with and think
about it, but I urge you to do  so.  Thousands of people die every year
waiting for an organ transplant.  And there are living-donor transplants,
like kidneys.  Even livers are becoming "living donor" operations, thanks
to the liver's unique ability to regenerate itself.
But, of course, in my case, there was no way to get the organs I needed
from a living donor.  And this is the one that makes people uncomfortable.
It's not something people want to think about or deal with and I understand
that (you think *I* like thinking about it? no, way, brothers and sisters).
But, frankly, it *must* be dealt with.  We're all going to die.  And I can
certainly understand the desire to remain "whole", or having religious
objections to transplantation (giving or receiving).  But I ask you to
think about it.
Consider the benefits and the costs of offering your organs--before or
after death--to someone who may die without them.
Consider that you're helping someone's loved one live a better life.
Consider, even, that maybe your gift could help your own loved ones feel
better about your death; knowing that you helped someone with this act.
Most importantly, and I cannot stress this enough:  TELL people about your
decision.  Your family, your friends, your significant other, even your
children.  Organ donor cards and a tag on your driver's license are great,
but  nothing beats telling those you love, and who may end up having to
tell the doctors what to do upon your death.  Even if it's no, tell them.
Leave no doubt in their minds how you feel and what you want done.
Discussing this with my older sister, a few issues came up.  Myths, if you
will, about organ donation.  So, here goes:
The doctors will NOT work any less hard to save you if they know you're an
organ donor.
After taking whichever organs you have agreed to donate, the rest of your
body will be dealt with in whatever manner you've discussed with your
family--burial,  cremation, whatever.
It's just tissue and muscle; your soul or spirit or personality or whatever
you wish to call it won't end up "in someone else" if you donate, nor will
you be "controlled" by someone else if you get their organs.  Your
personality might change, but that's because you're taking powerful
medications that can cause all sorts of mood swings and personality
changes.  I also saw something on the news that said "open heart
surgeries"--especially long ones--can effect memory due to the anesthesia
and lack of oxygen to the brain.  I wouldn't be surprised if this also
applies to something like a heart/heart-lung transplant, since you're also
under anesthesia and on a heart-bypass machine.   I find I'm more
forgetful, and this could be why.  It's a pain, but it's manageable.
So in closing:  In this season where we think about giving to others,
consider the possibility of giving someone the best gift you can give them.

Thank you.

Catherine Johnson.
-- 
fenm at cox dot net
Right now you are reading my .sig quote.