I dont use these blogs to promote things or to really harp on many subjects but tonight may be a little different. I am reminded today of how life really can be taken for granted and how the smallest decisions can be a life saving decision for someone else.
A couple of years ago, I was sitting with Ramon when we received news that his uncle was not doing very well at all. In fact, I think most of his family was at the hospital just waiting and knowing that he would never leave the hospital again. He was in the need of a liver transplant and the need was emergent or he was not going to make it. A few hours later, Ramon answered the phone fearing the worst.
On the other side of the hospital, a man laid in the hospital nearing his death. He had fought a disease all of his life just to see it finally take toll. He was a loving husband, father, son, and friend. It was too soon for him to go but God had decided it was time. Little did we know that night, that his familie's decision would be a decision that would bring life to someone else.
The phone call Ramon received wasnt the worst. In fact, his uncle was being rushed to the operating room to receive a new liver. They were told that it was flown in and that he was going to be receiving it. What a blessing and an answer to many prayers! But with that happiness came a little guilt and sadness for they knew somewhere a family was grieving the loss of someone special. It could have been Ramon's family suffering the loss but it wasnt. And we could only pray for his uncle during surgery and then pray for the faily that donated the liver.
While this was happening, I received news that my ex's cousin's husband had passed away. He had been sick for a long time and I remember feeling so sad because I knew of the family of he was leaving behind. I had met him before and couldnt understand why God would do this. So while a prayer for Ramon's uncle was being sent up for healing and a successful surgery, one was also being sent up for the family of my ex's cousins family as they were suffering a terrible loss.
They told Ramon's family that the liver had been flown in, yet the waiting room they had been in which was located right by the helipad, never echoed the sounds of a helicopter landing. In fact, it was such a surprise it was almost like the doctors had just found out that his uncle would be receiving the liver that no later he was being rushed to the operating room. And just across the hosptial, my ex's cousin had just finished saying goodbye to her husband as they prepared him for organ donation.
Wow... now I didnt put 2 and 2 together until a day later when I was talking to Ramon. Could that really be? I had personally never known anyone to receive an organ donation and I had never known anyone to donate their organs, again not personally at least. As I started asking questions, it fell into place. My ex's cousin's husband donated his organs and his liver went to Ramon's uncle. It was unsure for a while but afer a couple of months, I think it was finally confirmed. To witness one is a miracle but to know both people involved was overwhelming.
Ramon's uncle is doing well and out doing things he has not been able to in a long while. And this was all thanks to a family deciding to not only make an organ donation, but to save lives while doing it. It was amazing to say the least to experience both sides of the story. And I am just reminded, once again, of how precious life can be.
So my point is if are not an organ donor, thatn you should be. If you are unsure, than you do the research on your own and make that choice but I have seen first hand, the impact it can make. I won't go on and on about it because it is a very personal decision but I would like to think that when God does decide that it is my time that I would be able to make the same impact on other families just as I get to witness the impact it had on Ramon's family.
Happy Birthday to a great man who was very loved and will be remembered by many=)
