Anniversary

This past Saturday marked a very important anniversary in my life. It was 15 years ago on Saturday, I was given a very special gift: a cornea. I was diaginosed in 1986 with a degenerate eye disease: keratoconus. It is heriditary. It is a disease where your cornea becomes cone shaped. As I was told then as it comes to a point, scar tissue builds up and light evenually won't penitrate it. You then need to have a transplant. The thing with this disease is there is no way of knowing how bad it will get, it doesn't get that bad for everyone. I lost my battle with the disease in 1994. Mine was a case whereby the cone was so steep, I could no longer wear my contact lens. I had my cornea transplant on October 24, 1994. I was 34 years old. The following January I finally asked how old the cornea I received was. It was 49 years old. On Saturday I realized I am now the same age as the cornea was.

I have never forgotten the person or their family whose cornea I received. It is a very precious gift and am thankful every day for their generousity. I pray someday I will be able to thank that person myself.