Evening with the Stars

 What a special night! I was very honored to be asked to present awards at Lifeline of Ohio's annual awards ceremony. I admit it was so much fun to have a wonderful reason to get dressed up! I have not had a semi formal event since before my surgery so being able to enjoy the experience made it all the more special.
Being the awesome husband that he is, Bill insisted on shopping for a new dress with me. We had a great date day at Easton having lunch and shopping last month. Not many husbands would help a wife look for a dress and wait patiently while she tried them all on. I also left with two since we couldn't decide and I have been told that I will want to have the other dress for an upcoming night out. I am not complaining!
 Lifeline has a way of  making you feel like a star! I had a special green chair to sit in during the dinner portion of the evening signifying I had been touched by donation.
Bill and I had the privilege of sitting with the OR Staff of MedCental in Mansfield, one of the many hospital recognized during the evening. I had such a great time meeting all the nurses who are often involved in the process of organ donation on the donor side. What a great group of people who are so special in what they do. It was also nice to reminisce and "talk shop" about my old days of nursing.
One of the guests that was sitting with us had also had spinal fusion surgery. While I was giving my presentation about my story, I spoke of how it took 2 years before I fully realized that I was a tissue recipient.  While I was speaking this man's wife leaned over to Bill and said, "it took you two years but it took us six, we just realized it tonight". Even in a room of medical professionals the education about tissue donation continues. Although most patients are told they will be using bone for the surgery, most just don't make the connection about it coming from an organ donor. In my case, I was so consumed with getting through the surgery that I could think of nothing else.
Many people were recipients of awards Saturday night. I was so excited to be able to present the 2010 awards for the Clinical Educator, Hospital Liaison, and Nurse of the Year. These individuals were awarded for going above and beyond in promoting organ donation, taking care of donors and working with Lifeline.
The Nurse of the Year was from Riverside and Riverside was also the Hospital of the Year which is a very special place for me. I worked as a tech there while in nursing school and then as a nurse after graduating. Riverside is an awesome hospital and I was thrilled they received  that recognition.  I worked with some amazing people there and it will always have a special place in my heart. I was also on the patient side when I had my spinal fusion at Riverside and received fabulous care. It definitely helped my high anxiety level being in my "home" hospital.
I meant to get more pictures during the evening but time got away from me and I was way to busy chatting. I even saw one of my nurse managers from a position I had at Grant Medical Center. I had not seen her in almost 15 years! Bill did get my picture in the  "official" green chair before we left for our personal "after party" at Hyde Park where we had another dessert and drinks and talked for two hours! Thank goodness for an awesome son who can hold down the fort with his aunt!

I am really looking forward to April 2nd when I will be sitting in the chair for the 1pm hour to help represent "not letting another chair go empty" for the 24 hours of Hope, Remembrance and Celebration. Join us as we celebrate the blessing that tissue donation is for so many people and honor the donors who are everyone's heroes.

The video below is the part of the presentation that tells my story.