https://www.angelfire.com/journal2/lungtransplant/
nwatson@discoveret.org
Copies of letters sent...
September,2003
My name is Norma, a 65 year old great-grandmother, and I am the recipient of the life saving donation of a right lung on April 26, 2003. I want to try and express my deep gratitude for this great gift that you have given to me. I have always had a hard time putting into words how deeply I felt about things, but with this I had to try. It's been hard to compose this letter in my mind. I have written it in my thoughts almost daily for almost 6 months.
Not a day has gone by without my thoughts of your loved one and the gift you gave me, and I am humbled, deeply so. I could never be worthy of this gift. How could anyone be? Why one person lives, and another passes is beyond my understanding. But I have faith in God's perfect plan, and I agree; "Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake". And so I receive His gift in humbleness, and thankfulness... understanding that it came with a purpose. I try hard to find that purpose in my faith, actions, and testimony. God has been so good to me. He gave the doctors the knowledge to do this life saving transplant, you the desire to donate, and me the willingness to accept this great gift and to honor your loved one’s memory. Please pray for me to see the plan that God is wanting fulfilled through your gift and your loss.
The main thing that carries me through the profound experience of being a recipient of this gift, at the price of your loss and hurt, is faith... faith that there is a reason. I am deeply sorry for your loss.... like I said at the beginning of this, "I could never be worthy". I am so greatly honored that your loved one was chosen in God's plan, to save my life. " Greater Love No Man Hath, Than He Lay Down His life...." I read these words as I pray to be worthy. It is appropriate that the Organ Donor Network uses this verse; it is so true,.... no greater love. Indeed.
I was diagnosed with COPD/Emphysema in Nov. 1992 and I was on oxygen since then. With the gift of the new lung, I am now off oxygen after being hooked to the hose for so long, it is so awesome. This has been such a great experience that I do not have words to express the happiness that I feel being able to take deep, deep breathes again. To be able to do things that I want or need to do without being short of breath.
With the gift of your loved one’s lung, I was able to be here to see 2 new great-granddaughters be born into my family, which makes me 7 great-grandchildren to watch grow into adults. I have 3 children, 2 girls and 1 boy, each have families of their own now and I can enjoy them and 5 grandchildren along with the great-grandchildren.
I am from a close knit family; I was the oldest of 5. My Mother was the oldest of 8 and my Father was the oldest of 3. We have reunions on both sides of the family each year with from 100 to 150 family members there. This is another thing to enjoy that the life saving donation of your loved one’s lung has given me.
I am able now to do most of my own housework, something that I hadn’t been able to do for over 3 years. I am able to drive again, to church each Sunday, to get my own groceries, go to my doctor appointments, to the library, or just go to the senior center for fellowship and exercise. Of course with all this I wear a mask and use common sense about being in crowds where I might contact germs. I am taking as good a care of this precious gift as I possibly can.
I welcome you and your family to be in contact in any way that is comfortable for you. I pray that you will somehow see how deeply I am affected by this gift, and that I will try hard to honor that gift every single day that I am alive. It's a great standard to achieve; I will strive to achieve it. You deserve no less. I am especially affected with thoughts of your loss and if there is anything I can do to be helpful in the healing of your loss and pain, please do not hesitate to tell me. I prayed about this, maybe if and when you feel it is appropriate I could meet with you to let you see the results of your loved one’s gift changing a stranger’s world.....
You are welcome to contact me any time. In fact I would welcome the opportunity to say thank you personally and to learn more about the person you loved, and the person who I carry in memory now.
In Christ's love,
Norma
July 26, 2004
As I try to write this to you, I am again hit by the enormity of your gift to me. As I said in my first letter to you, I have a hard time putting into words how deeply I feel about things, but not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about the gift you gave to me and I am humbled, deeply so.
It has been over a year now and I should have written this closer to the date of the 1 year anniversary. The lung transplant has solved my shortness of breath with each movement, but it did not solve my procrastination. I have been so busy doing things that I hadn’t been able to do for 11 years while I was on oxygen. I am learning to live again. I am meeting with my classmates of my high school graduation, planning the 50th year’s anniversary of our graduation. That is another thing that your great gift has given me the opportunity to enjoy. I have been to the first birthday party for my sixth great-grandchild last month and will be going to the first birthday party for the seventh great-grandchild this Sunday afternoon. That is the thing that I am most thankful for, being here to enjoy my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
As I go back to Vanderbilt for a check up tomorrow, I think back to my 2 day clinic anniversary studies done back in April. I could not have gotten a better report from those studies. I am doing so well with the gift of the right lung transplant. There has not been any rejection since the slight rejection I had right after transplant. They treated that, adjusted my medication and I haven’t had any rejection since. I feel so good being able to breathe; this is awesome, after all the years that I struggled to breathe.
As I told you in my first letter, I welcome you and your family to be in contact in any way that is comfortable for you. I pray that you will somehow see how deeply I am affected by this gift, and that I will try hard to honor that gift every single day that I am alive. It's a great standard to achieve; I will strive to achieve it. You deserve no less.
If there is anything that I can do for you to make your grief lessen, please let me know. You are welcome to contact me any time. In fact I would welcome the opportunity to say thank you personally and to learn more about the person you loved, and the person who I carry in memory now.
Most Sincerely,
Norma
