Organ Donation

This article took me by surprise.  Neonatal organ donation is less common than I realized. This quote is what has been in my heart since August 12, 2012:

“Obviously, it was the worst moment of my life." 
said Slifka, 28, of Youngstown, Ohio.
"But I knew there had to be more to her life than 39 weeks inside of me. 

She held not just the potential to save another baby, 
but to save another parent as well.” 

This is exactly how I felt.  Sweet Maggie was alive for 41 weeks.  I felt her every move, teared up at each OB visit listening to her little heart beating, and savored every moment of those 41 weeks with her.

I only imagined what happened in my worst nightmares.  I'm not going to lie, I thought about it with each pregnancy.  I always worried how I would survive if something like this happened.  

Only by God's grace does a mommy survive holding her lifeless baby.  God's grace, and the most amazing husband and family a girl could ever ask for.

Life Gift called us less than 2 hours after Maggie was born.  Everyone we spoke to was kind, respectful and compassionate. They were so helpful, during those numb first hours after her death.  They still contact us on a monthly basis with helpful resources and kind cards full of encouragement.  

It is bittersweet knowing she may have helped another family.  Her life may have been the reason that another mommy, somewhere, is able to watch her baby grow up.  As crazy as that may sound, it is healing.

This article makes it seem like she was one of a very, very small group of precious babies.

"Between 2007 and 2013, just 21 organ donors in the U.S. 

were a week old or less, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing."  

That is a small number.  More than anything, I hope it helps get the word out that organ and tissue donation is such a blessing, and can be incredibly healing for the donor family.

Here is a link where you can register as a tissue and organ donor in.  Please consider giving the gift of life.  Share the link with friends and family too!