Not a Waste of Time
SIL C - this is about Dad. You may not want to read yet.
Immediately after learning of my father's death, we were faced with decision #1: organ donation. It's such an awkward approach the staff has to make. In our case, there wasn't quite as much urgency, since none of Dad's major organs were in good shape. We were told that maybe - and only maybe - his corneas could be used, although I agreed to them taking anything they could use that wouldn't affect the viewing. So, less than an hour after saying our goodbyes (he was already gone), I spent what seemed like hours on the phone with the Gift of Life people. Well, one person. I've already forgotten her name, but she was very respectful. But oh, the questions she had to ask! Every surgery I could remember, every drug taken, every hospitalization, the really awkward STD questions. And I found myself wondering: Is this a waste of time? I answered "yes" to every illness except AIDS, cancer and mad-cow disease (or so it seemed). So many times, I wanted to slam down the phone and say, "Forget it, this is a waste of time! He was too old, and had been too sick for this to make any difference."
Well, I was wrong. We received a letter today saying that two women - one from Trenton (where John & I got married) and one from Sterling Heights had each received one of Dad's corneas and were now able to see.
So there. Not a waste of time after all. And it broke through my carefully constructed resolve - I've been trying too hard to hold it all together.
Immediately after learning of my father's death, we were faced with decision #1: organ donation. It's such an awkward approach the staff has to make. In our case, there wasn't quite as much urgency, since none of Dad's major organs were in good shape. We were told that maybe - and only maybe - his corneas could be used, although I agreed to them taking anything they could use that wouldn't affect the viewing. So, less than an hour after saying our goodbyes (he was already gone), I spent what seemed like hours on the phone with the Gift of Life people. Well, one person. I've already forgotten her name, but she was very respectful. But oh, the questions she had to ask! Every surgery I could remember, every drug taken, every hospitalization, the really awkward STD questions. And I found myself wondering: Is this a waste of time? I answered "yes" to every illness except AIDS, cancer and mad-cow disease (or so it seemed). So many times, I wanted to slam down the phone and say, "Forget it, this is a waste of time! He was too old, and had been too sick for this to make any difference."
Well, I was wrong. We received a letter today saying that two women - one from Trenton (where John & I got married) and one from Sterling Heights had each received one of Dad's corneas and were now able to see.
So there. Not a waste of time after all. And it broke through my carefully constructed resolve - I've been trying too hard to hold it all together.