This week took a turn for the horrible. After struggling through a work thing which took multiple days. I was able to take my head up and found out that a friend was not doing well. My initial and wrong impressions was that maybe it was a bad accident, but after some more information, found out he had a heart issue, lost consciousness while he was driving.
Someone called the police right away, he was given CPR.
He was taken to a local hospital and stabilized on Monday. Many things happened, before I noticed Wednesday night, and after a couple of meetings on Thursday, I headed down to the CCU at the hospital, to see how things were going.
After seeing the faces of his family, especially his mom, partner, boys, and co-parent, I texted my boss saying I wouldn’t be back at work. I saw how his older son reacted to the situation, and I recognized that as something that happens to myself, which is trying to hide a large emotional reaction.
I had some time to sit with him, I made jokes, as many do in a stressful situation. I kept a few people in the loop, for as much as I understood. When Shannon got off work, I brought her down and we were there when the publicly announced that he would be the 101st organ donor in Iowa, this year.
With the terrible loss to his boys, partner, co-parent, family, friends, he will bring a bunch of life to those in dire need.
Stepping aside from the situation, the fact that organ donation is so specific under the conditions on which donation can be obtained, it seems to make more sense that so few happen. Note, tissue donation, is much easier.
At this time, if you live in Iowa, I think it’s important to register to donate your organs: