Sometimes, we live believing that diseases are something that happens to others, that neither we nor our loved ones will touch them. face a bad health situation, which takes us to the point of finding ourselves between a rock and a hard place.
Also read: What should I do to be an organ donor in Colombia?
However, an illness can come suddenly, sometimes unannounced, changing all plans, the daily life and life of those around us; This was a lesson that Sandra Gómez learned three years ago, after facing a near-death experience.
In Sandra’s case, the alarm that led her to visit a doctor, they were constant migraines, a signal from his body that something was wrong with his health.
“I consulted with a very good clinical neurologist here in Risaralda. He decided to test me and that exam reported that he had an internal carotid aneurysm”, he detailed.
Sandra knew the risks and consequences of her diagnosis, since, she works teaching others about the culture of organ donation, Therefore, in his career he has encountered cases similar to his.
“It was very complicated for me, especially that I am very afraid of death, not for me, but for my son, I don’t want to leave him alone, I want to accompany him, I want to see him grow.”
As in many cases, Sandra had not discussed death with her family, as a common thought passed through her mind: “You always think that you leave your house and you are going to return to meet them”.
For human beings it is complex to remember that life is full of surprises and unknown paths, that we have nothing guaranteed, that is why The best decision we can make is to prepare ourselves and talk about death in life.
“When we already have the surgery scheduled, I write a letter. In that letter, let’s say I give everyone a role, Really, the only thing I asked of them was to be happy if I was not there, and to help the child to be a better person”.
Above all, one of the requests she made to her husband if he died was that all healthy organs will be donated and were useful to give a new life to someone in need.
“That’s why I work, that’s why I stay up late, I get up early. I do education, I do everything because I I am a faithful convinced that donating lifesaving organs ”.
We want to talk to you about the importance of donating organs 🫁: millions of people are waiting for a transplant, which means a new hope for their lives. Hit play, we’ll tell you why the donation is relevant. ✨
✨ We are waiting for you in a new chapter of Reborn pic.twitter.com/E3Yr8EtejI– Institutional Channel (@InstitucionalTV) May 21, 2023
The story of Mariana Duque and how a transplant improved her life and self-esteem
From the age of 12 Mariana Duque was diagnosed with scoliosis, which consists of a deviation of the spine, which in her case was quite notorious, something that affected her self-esteem, thanks to the derogatory comments people made about her appearance.
Without losing the smile that characterized her at all times while telling her story, Mariana highlighted: “It affected me a lot, because, well, being told you’re weird, that you have a snout there on your back, well I did feel bad”.
A thought from Mariana, and that It frequently attacks many people diagnosed with some disease. Why me?“why me if I am an athlete, if I am a good person, if I am a student”.
The pandemic made her lead a life of sedentary lifestyle and inactivity, which caused her severe back pain, taking her to a hospital in Medellín, where she was transferred to Bogotá to perform an operation. that would finally allow him to get back to doing activities he enjoyed, like bowling.
The procedure consisted of placing some rods on the sides perforating each vertebra using screws, however, For it to consolidate, it was essential to apply a tissue of human origin known as spongy bone.
“My life improved 100% I can say it “Mainly, the pain he felt before receiving the transplant decreased, on the other hand, it allowed him to improve the way he looked and felt about his body.
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Ancizar Arredondo: the decision to give life
“At some point in a talk, father and daughter hugged me and said: ‘Daddy, if one day your heart fails you, I’ll give you mine.’ That same day he told me: “Dad, if one day I’m missing, I want you to donate my organs.”
That conversation, which at the time did not have a great impact, would later allow Ancizar Arredondo, make the decision to donate the organs of his young daughter Gabriela.
“He was here at home, a severe headache and he passed out. What the doctor told us that day was: ‘Gabriela’s situation is very critical, her organs are completely healthy, but her brain does not work, we look forward to your youth’”.
In the case of Gabriela and Ancizar, the wish that she expressed in life was fulfilled, granting with their organs a new life and opportunity both to those who received the transplants and their families, They got their loved ones back.
However, many do not talk about it with the people around them, due to lack of knowledge, misinformation or fear, This makes the organ donation process difficult after your death.
“In Colombia we have a donation rate of 5.2 donors per million inhabitants, it is an extremely low rate. I can make you a comparison: Spain is a country with 47 million inhabitants, Colombia has around 50, while the rate in Colombia is 5, the rate in Spain is already at 50 donors per million inhabitants”, Dr. Juliana Buitrago.
Donating is not only an act of love through which we give someone in need a second chance to live, but it is also a way of understanding the death of a loved one, and to feel that despite his departure a part of him is still with us.
“Organ donation in the experience of grief, in the management of grief, helps a lot to families who have been donorsThere are even studies on this, because the family feels that this loved one has not left at all”, explained Dr. Sandra Gómez.
2023-05-23 04:14:47
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