Thursday, May 15, 2008

AND THANKS TO THE DONOR...


This is my bone-headed brudder. Yes, I'm the attractive one. We're less than a year apart in age...in a less PC time, that would make us "Irish twins"...that, and the fact that our Mother's maiden name is McCoy is simply icing on the ethnic-slur-cake that has been our lives together...eat your heart out Rachel Ray.

David calls me Dawd because he couldn't say Debbie when he was a fetus...whatev...I call him "Doov" because that's the sound of the first syllable of his name in Yiddish...because I'm clever...and have been since I was a fetus....and our dad's last name is Katz!!!

David lost the sight in his left eye because he was running with scissors...no...he got a BB gun for his birthday...no...his eye was the site of a gang war between some bacteria, amoebae and staph...and the result was an eye with no vision left in it, throbbing with pain and now with a cataract, which robbed it of its beautiful green color with gold flecks...which he stole from me, I might add. It was so bad, one of the myriad drops he was putting in his eye was POOL CLEANER...I kid you not...

And now to the reason of my post. Today, due to the kindness of an individual who died with a perfectly healthy eye and a generous spirit, my brother received a cornea which, at this point, is working out quite nicely. There are no words available for communicating our family's gratitude...our stunned amazement at a person's surviving family who had the presence of mind while enduring the agony of grief to give up pieces of their loved one to make others happier and healthier.

My brother and his family were permitted to write a thank you note to the donor's family, though they may never know who it is or was that was responsible for his new eye and renewed vision but they wrote it. I just wish the donor's family could feel what we feel. My heart is full. I have told my family for years that if something should happen to me, please donate whatever is usable, but I never considered any one that I love being a "receiver", if you will.

So, thank you, to all donors and to all donor's families. God bless you and keep you in your time of grief and always. Thank you for paying it forward...again and again and again...

3 comments:

Jette said...

What a blessing. I am so happy that Uncle David has his eyesight back. I love that Uncle of mine!!

Emmy said...

Okay, mom! If there is anything salvagebale on your body after you bite the dust. . .we're givin' it away! First come first served. Including your eyes that see into souls, your arms that lift the spirits of those around you, your chin that you have held up for years, your legs (less the knees - prayer has worn those out) that support all those you love, your ears that hear the words that loved ones trust you with, and your mouth that has uttered words of happiness, comfort and laughter. Unfortuneately, your heart will not be giving away. It will be worn out from all the years of loving us.

The Katzbox said...

Oh Em, I never considered myself wearing out like that, but that is perfectly and exactly how I wish to go...uh oh...you're going wayyyyyy before me then kiddo.....eeewwwwwwwwwwww