Tag: organ donation

Blogging 101

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This is how I feel after I publish a post.

It’s that moment, right after you hit the publish button.   When I write a post, in the back of my mind, I know people are going to read this.

In my blog, I have been writing about a subject that I am very passionate about.

Let me rephrase that, it’s not a subject, it’s our story.

I make it a point to write a post everyday, and now that I am in the blogging 101 course, I have learned so much.

Writing you thoughts, make you so vulnerable.  You never know who is reading, what they are thinking.  In my post you may agree or disagree with me.  I personally write, to connect with people and to get certain feelings out.

I would like to thank my followers and invite new people to my site.

Please feel free to leave a comment, would love to hear what you have to say.

Lynne

Do you think you are immortal ?????

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/finite-creatures/ I

“Written in response to The Daily Post prompt Finite Creatures.

DAILY PROMPT
At what age did you realize you were not immortal? How did you react to that discovery?nwhm_hospital_visitation_ministry

 I have this question, are we immortal or not.

A couple of years ago when my daughter was very sick in the hospital, I still have a hard time saying, dying, is when it really hit me, dr.’s can’t fix everything.  We are not immortal.  There are some things beyond our control.  Only the Dear Lord knows.  All I could do for my daughter at that point was to just hold on to her and tell her to hang on.

We may not be immortal in body, but parts of us can be immoral for a longer time.

If you are an organ donor, then it can happen.

My daughter Lauren, received her gift of life, a new heart.  The person that was the donor, may have died, but is not completely gone.  Her heart is beating strong in my daughter’s body.  We pray and hope we will meet the family that gave my daughter back her life.  A part of their daughter is still alive in my daughter.

So I guess I am thinking,  if you are an organ donor, would you think you could be immortal.

Something to think about………

Become an organ donor today.

Lynne

Rainy day, time to jump in puddles

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There are times when I enjoy a rainy day.  Today, here in Massachusetts, it’s one of those days.

Rainy day’s remind me of when Lauren was in the hospital.  When it was raining she told a friend of ours Norm, that all she wants to do is jump in puddles again.  He talked with her for quite a while to boost her spirits and then told her when she gets out of the hospital they would jump in puddles together.

The day we were released from  the hospital, when we pulled into our driveway, there was a huge balloon saying “welcome home Lauren” and also they were tied to a pair of yellow rain boots.

I thought it was the most thoughtful gift.  Norm remembered the conversation and went out of his way to do this.

When we had a welcome home party for Lauren, now this was a big party.  We had it at a hall,( they donated it to us), I can say there must have been over 300 people who showed up.  When people enter, we brought the yellow rain boots and put them in the entry.  Those yellow boots mean a lot to Lauren.  They are now a reminder of how many people love her and of this special man who gave her encouragement through her journey.

So Norm, Lauren has her boots on today……..

Enjoy the day and when it rains, go outside and jump in puddles because you can.

Lynne

Echo Donate Life

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Please take a minute to read this post……

ECHO, which stands for :  Every Community Has Opportunity

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The Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) Teams Up with Donate Life America (DLA) to Launch New National Observance: Donate Life ECHO

(Richmond, VA—July 6, 2015)—The Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) and Donate Life America (DLA) are joining forces to launch “Donate Life ECHO,” a new national observance designed to reach multicultural communities. ECHO, which stands for: Every Community Has Opportunity, is being launched to bolster engagement with African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, and other multicultural communities.

The new observance, ECHO, has two objectives: one is to focus on the power of sharing one’s personal decision to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor with members of one’s community; the second is to encourage registered donors to ask members of their personal networks and extended communities to register as donors. Through the ECHO concept of reiteration and repetition—with people sharing the life-affirming message of donation within their community—more lives will be saved and healed.

“This strategic initiative is about empowering individuals to echo the message of donation throughout their respective communities, while building momentum together,” said Remonia Chapman, president of AMAT. “We are delighted to collaborate with DLA for this groundbreaking effort to equip people from all backgrounds with a host of culturally relevant tools and resources that have been designed to foster meaningful conversations and personal testimonies about the vitally important health topic of organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation.”

The two-week observance will be held during the second and third full weeks in July. This year’s inaugural observance will be held July 12 – July 25. ECHO is not intended to replace current programs and commemorations; rather, it offers a new mid-year opportunity with tremendous social media and community potential. As nearly 60 percent of the current U.S. transplant waiting list is comprised of ethnically diverse patients, the need for increased education efforts and new strategic approaches is a critical step toward increasing the number of registered donors in multicultural communities.

David Fleming, DLA President and CEO, added: “DLA is excited to be working with AMAT on this new observance, which has the potential to reach specific communities in an innovative way. It is no coincidence that the words ‘community’ and ‘opportunity’ both include the word ‘unity,’ as together, we can create lifesaving change. This transformative observance highlights that great good that can come from sharing the importance of registering as a donor with our family, friends and communities.”

The new observance will be translated into multiple languages, including Spanish. Done Vida ECO, which stands for Esperanza, Comunidad y Oportunidad, translates to “hope,” “community,” and “opportunity.” Together, AMAT and DLA will offer a Donate Life ECHO digital toolkit that will include: social media banners, graphics, talking points, and an array of resources that can be customized for specific audiences. To learn more, visit: http://www.amat1.org/programs/echo and http://www.DonateLife.net/echo.

About the Association of Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT)
AMAT was established in 1992 to address the increasing need for organ and tissue donors in the multicultural communities while simultaneously offering support, shared expertise and professional development opportunities for its members as they save and heal lives. AMAT is a self-sustaining, self-governed organization operating solely on voluntary contributions from individuals, corporations, and other affiliated organizations. For more information, visit: http://www.AMAT1.org.

About Donate Life America (DLA)
Donate Life America is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit alliance of national organizations and Donate Life State Teams across the United States committed to saving and healing lives through increased organ, eye and tissue donation. Donate Life America, with the help of its corporate partners, is dedicated to spreading the word about the importance of being a registered donor so that others may live. For more information, visit: http://www.DonateLife.net.

Media Contacts:

AMAT
Ayanna Anderson, Public Relations Chair
aanderson [at] dnwest [dot] org, Ph: (510) 251.7003
Donate Life America
Aaron Kelchner
akelchner [at] donatelife [dot] net, Ph: (804) 377.3584

Today is the waiting day, Lauren’s biopsy results……….

Lynne13244 Comments

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Yesterday, Lauren had her heart biopsy.  Off to Boston.  Her last biopsy was 3 months ago all  good.  Lauren had her heart transplant on Dec. 30, 2013. Since the transplant she has had 2 slight rejections, the dr.’s told us that is normal.  Well, it might be normal to have a slight rejection, those are the words you do not want to hear.  They needed to adjust her medication to correct rejection.  The rejections were at the beginning of her journey after transplant, we haven’t had one in a while.  Thank God.

If you read my last post, it explains the biopsy process.  When a body receives a new organ through transplant it will always see it as a foreign organ.  That is why a recipient must always take rejection medication every day.

So anyway, it was a long day yesterday for Lauren.  Biopsy, echo, then a visit to the clinic to talk with the dr.  From what they saw everything looks good.  Her pressures where a little high, but they always have been.  After the biopsy, they send it to the lab and check for rejection.  That process takes 24 hours.  So, by the end of the day we will receive a phone call with the news.  Please, say a prayer…no rejection.

Lynne

Why donate??? Pass this website… blogging 101

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This is the third assignment for blogging 101.

WHY DONATE?????

Because you may save up to 8 lives through organ donation and enhance many others through tissue donation.
Last year alone, organ donors made more than 28,000 transplants possible. Another one million people received cornea and other tissue transplants that helped them recover from trauma, bone damage, spinal injuries, burns, hearing impairment and vision loss.

Unfortunately, thousands die every year waiting for a donor organ that never comes. .

You have the power to change that

Below is a picture of my son Michael and my daughter Lauren at the beach last summer.  If it wasn’t for  an organ donor, I wouldn’t have this picture.  Because some special person made a decision to sign up to become an organ donor, I have this picture.

My thoughts are, I genuinely hope if you are reading this, you never find yourself or a family member in the position of needing an organ, to finally make the decision to sign up.

All I can say is consider it.

If you could pass this website to your friends, and they pass it on to their friends and families, with more awareness maybe together we could save just one life.

Thank you  –  Lynne

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