December 29, 2013.  A day I will never forget as long as I live.

I am about to write this post because:

It was around 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning when my phone started to ring.  I glanced at the number calling it was area code 617.  Boston Massachusetts.  I started to shake, I answered the phone and on the other end was our Dr. from Boston.  He said to me very calmly “Lynne, yes this is Dr. Steward and yes we have a heart for Lauren.”

Well, it has been 3 years now, and I can report that Lauren is doing great.  Just had her yearly biopsy, no rejection and all blood work looks great also.

I cannot say how grateful we are to the hospital and all the doctors and nurses that gave me my daughter back.   Also most importantly we cannot say “THANK YOU ” enough to the family that is Lauren’s donor.  We realize that someone must die when you are waiting on the heart transplant list. That was the hardest thing we had to overcome to make our dream come true.

To this day we have not found out who was Lauren’s donor.  We have written our letter but no response.  That is their choice and we respect that.

As I am sitting here writing this my mind is taking me back to that day.  Flashes of the hospital keep going through my mind.  I will never forget right before they took Lauren into surgery.  I sat there looking at her and watching her.  Wondering what in the world is going on in her head.  I was scared, I need to be able to say this, “was this the last time I would be able to see or talk with her.  Will I ever be able to give her just one more hug”?

Well, we all know how it turned out.  I can only hope our story has helped others in making that decision to become an organ donor.  If not please consider it.

Because someone did, I have my Lauren today

My daughter’s new heart took it’s first beat at 12:15 a.m. on December 30, 2013.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN

Lynne