Megan Herdegen 1979-2010
This is a picture of Megan and me at the U.S. Transplant Games in Madison, Wisconsin, this past August… We’re both enjoying Dippin’ Dots – the breakfast of champions…
Organ donation and transplant are precarious things… It’s a gift spawned from devastation – In someone’s death, life is given to others… Maybe a little like a phoenix, with life rising from the ashes… And the life that results from this incredible gift is often fragile. We recipients and our families and friends are thankful beyond measure for the extra time we are given… And we’re on toxic drugs that keep our immune systems from attacking the gift we were given – while taxing the rest of our body. Some of us live much longer than we ever expected. And some of us don’t get nearly as much time as would seem fair…I lost a beautiful friend named Megan this week. I’ve posted about her in the past, here and here and here… Sometimes – OK, often – I’m a little disappointed in myself that I don’t spend more time with the people I love – with my friends… We get new lungs, go back to work, get involved with all manner of things – and life is moving at 100 miles per hour, and you hope that the people you love know that you love them…
Megan was transplanted a little over three years ago – she went into rejection over the past year or so, and she was not a candidate to be re-transplanted… A few weeks ago, she got sick enough to be placed on a ventilator – and she couldn’t be weaned off of it… This Monday, Megan chose to remove herself from the ventilator. I cannot imagine the level of strength and courage she had in her little body. The week before – she left a message on Facebook that she was upset… She was hurt because she found out that because of an unknown pathogen in her lungs – she would not qualify to be an organ donor when she passed away… She was upset because she would not be able to give gifts like those she was given… But she did give gifts – she gave hope and inspiration to so many people.
Please visit Revive Hope to read Steve Ferkau's full tribute to Megan. To Megan's family and friends, our deepest condolences and sympathies.
2 comments:
Hey Glenn...
Thank you so very much for picking up my post about Megan... She was a precious and amazing girl... And she was a warrior.
Her life before transplant with her severe asthma would have taken out most people... Her journey after transplant had quite a few bumps in her road -- yet she would tell anybody, in a heartbeat, that she would do it all again...
In 2009, she climbed in the Hustle up the Hancock with me, taking the stairs 94 floors to the top... I promised her that I would climb with her the entire way... I got a little nervous on the 20th floor -- she looked up and told me, "This is harder than I ever imagined!", yet she wasn't stopping... We went three floors at a time for the next 74 stories and she came out at the top to wild cheering from my team!
She was a beautiful person...
Love, Steve
You are welcome Steve,
Your tribute is so stirring and full of love, respect and understanding that I wish I had known her personally.
It is very obvious that Megan inspired you as you did she. Steve you also serve as a role model and inspiration to me and so many others. Continue you great work.
Glenn
Post a Comment