Other Stories
Sarah's Story
My little Sarah didn't make it to transplant because of the lack of donor. She passed away on January 15, 2003 at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Sarah was listed for both Liver and Small Bowel on May 2 of 2002. She also suffered brain hemorages and had developed seizures and this caused her to be declared brain dead. We then had to make the decision to remove her from life support and she passed away 2 hours later. I had always been a blood and plasma donor but up until I had Sarah and she needed a transplant I had never thought about the critical need for organ donors, in fact I was kind of against organ donation. I think partly because of the negative stories you hear about donation. My Sarah was born with a medical contdition called "short gut infalicle." This is where the small bowel is in a sac on the outside of the abdomin wall and is severly underdeveloped. She was taken into surgery at an hour old to be given an ostomy and a central line. Through this central line they gave her an IV drug called TPN (total parental nutrition). Because she couldn't consume any food by mouth this TPN is what kept her alive, but in turn TPN also destroys the Liver if kept on it for a prolonged period of time. Which is what happed in Sarah's case. Requiring her to be listed for both Liver and Small Bowel. But sadly Sarah lost her fight before she had a transplant and went to be with the angels and her grampa. My wish is for another family to not have to lose their child in this way. I do all I can to promote organ donation and awareness. You may visit her at her web site at http://www.littlesarah.net