Messages From My Patients: Chapter 9

July 15, 2005

2000

The spirit of the Vietnamese organ donor (closed head injury from a fall in his home on a wet marble floor) came to me.

 He was here yesterday, early—Wednesday organ procurement with Dr. D.B.

 “I polished my floor. I was so proud of it. When you polish something too much is will be the end of you.”

 I told my mom. She was happy and wanted a message from him.

Last night he came, to tell her that:

            “He is happy. When she crosses, not to be sad. She will have an important job to do.”

 She was happy and named him “Herman.”

She asked him to help Dad golf today. She told Herman what Dad looked like. (mom is an organ transplant--kidney--recipient. She feels a special bond with the donors since the family of her donor never acknowledged her or her letter of heartfelt thanks that she sent. )

Then, now, as I slept, he came, much more peaceful, laid a hand on my shoulder and said, “I am proud of you. For what you have accomplished. In this life. And also in the next. You will understand what I have said, at a later time. You will be happy. Not to worry about the baby. Everything will happen for the best. You will be right about the drug use (paternal). God will prove it. God will prove it rapidly. Once and for always. You will have your dignity restored. Hold your head high. The baby will be happy with the arrangements—lots of visits, only of an hours’ duration, and only at your house with someone watching. It will be for a long time, something like forever. You will be wise to understand another life will count on this; that of your husband. Thou have not convinced you yet; it will arrive. Just as Mark Taylor said. Walk to it. You are happy. You will have a wedding like Marjorie, at the Four Seasons and Kelly at the Ritz-Carlton. You will understand, but at a later date. You will have a husband. Father to the baby. So Glorious and very blessed. (Pinches my cheek).

 I am proud of you. For everything you said. About my life. About saving it. About it being a safe place to learn so as to save another:  as my heart passed after you turned the anesthesia machine off at cross-clamping of my aorta, I listened myself and learned—all that you said. I was behind you and watching on the monitor as you said it (ed. note--the heart went through the agonal rhythms on EKG, to asystole--I always teach my residents to know 'what bad looks like' and in any other situation than this to work as hard as they can to save the patient's life). I liked to learn. When I was alive. Now that has passed. I liked to have Grandchildren. God will have you many. You are going to be alive a long time, much longer than your 85 years the palmist predicted. Never trust a Persian RN who works at night and does palmistry (ed. note--he is making a joke! I had one read my palm as an intern, on 4 South).

God will make it up to you. Forever and ever and ever. Thou are blessed. Thou hast the faith in this (snaps fingers). You are holy in this life, and also in the next. God can count on it. Thou art sincere. God will make it up for you.

God has blessed you mightily,

Good bye,

V T N