Parker was also an organ donor and I am very proud of Jennifer for seeing past her own pain to thinking of helping someone else.
I remember when they came in to ask her about organ donation, her first response was no. After they left the room, she turned to me and said "I should though shouldn't I". I told her to do what she felt able to do and no one was going to judge her no matter what her decision was.
They had told us that the only organs they could take would be his eyes and heart valves. She told me to go tell them they could have the heart valves but not his eyes. She just couldn't do them. They arranged to have the heart valves harvested at the same time as the autopsy.
I have been in touch with Mid America Transplant Services and know that one heart valve was used in December, 1999 on a two momth old boy in Queens, New York. At the time I checked the other valve had not been used.
At first it seemed very important to me to find out if the valves had been used and where but now it doesn't seem as important. Just to know that one was used and has helped some other family from feeling this pain brings some measure of comfort to me. Maybe sometime I will call again to check on the other valve.
If you want to learn more about organ donation, please click on the link below. This will take you to the Mid-American Transplant Services in St Louis, Missouri.
