Nothing new to report as far as “phone calls” go. I would say it’s been a pretty boring week, but I have 3 children ages 4, 3, and 11 months. Every day is an adventure or stressful (it changes often).

A reporter from the local paper is coming to our house this week to meet with Natalie. They want to do a piece on biliary atresia and what it’s been like for her. If anything, we hope to reach out to our community and educate others on organ donation.

ORGAN DONATION – it seems almost morbid to think about. Unless, someone you love needs an organ. I’m guilty! I recall renewing my drivers license many years ago, I may have been 22?? I recall the woman asking me if I wanted to be a donor. Without hesitating, I said no thank you! Then not long after, I miraculously came across this nice middle aged couple in my restaurant days and I’m not sure how it came up, but they mentioned how they had lost a son years ago. They chose to donate his organs. Though it had been a few years, they had recently received a letter from one of the recipients. The dad said the letter couldn’t have been timed any better. Honesty I don’t recall a lot of detail from that conversation, as I’ve lost count with my age after 35, but it stuck with me. That same year, my beautiful young cousin passed away. Her heartbroken parents made that same decision, to donate. Her donated organs saved the lives of 6 PEOPLE!!! I made that trip back to the license branch, I changed my thoughts on organ donation. I became a donor.

I encourage families to have that hard conversation. Tell your spouse, your children, anyone that you love, what you wish to do.