Read Online Your Heart to Keep: Holly and Jax by Amanda Mackey - Free Book Online
Authors: Amanda Mackey
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front. In from out.
The nurses got me up walking a couple of days ago, admittedly I shuffled along like a turtle on a beach but it was movement and they were happy with that. I had to have one of them hold my arm the entire time though because I didn’t have a clue where I might end up, one blurry shape the same as the next. Plus, I had been attached to the drip which had to be wheeled everywhere with me.
I was eating relatively normal and my pain management was under control. I was good to go.
Yesterday had been an emotional day for me. My heart donor’s funeral had been held. I was saddened for all those who knew and loved her. Their sense of loss. It was still a mental hurdle to grasp that even though she was dead, her heart wasn’t. I had a piece of her in me that would keep working for hopefully plenty of years to come. She was keeping me alive. It was mind-blowing.
Her boyfriend kept popping into my head. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking of him and the hurt he would be going through at having to say goodbye to the person he loved. I’m glad my family hadn’t been in the same situation.
With my medical scripts in hand and mother in tow, I scuffled out of the hospital. Each new day brought a renewed sense of health. I wasn’t breathless like I had been, even after the timely journey to the front of the hospital where Dad was waiting with the car.
Luckily we didn’t have far to drive because all I could think about was typing a letter to the donor family on my voice activated computer, printing it out and getting it sent. I would need to contact the donor registry to get their address. It was fast consuming me. Now that the girl’s funeral would be over, I felt it only proper to do so.
In five minutes we were home. Lifting my cane from the car, I walked through the front door and was met by my brother, who must had been sitting on the sofa. I could hear what sounded like a ball game on the television.
“Hey, short-stuff,” he sang, walking over to greet me. “Welcome home!”
“Thanks Ty. It’s great to be out of the hospital.” I couldn’t bring my arms too high due to the pulling of the stitches so I opted for loosely wrapping them around his waist as he hugged me.
“How’s the new heart?”
“Great. It’s amazing, actually. I feel so different already.”
“You’ll be running laps of the yard before you know it.”
“Yeah, well I think I’m going to do some sort of exercise when I’m able to; something where sight isn’t a pre-requisite.”
“Sounds cool. You could organize a buddy to help out. Maybe do some swimming down at the health center.”
I wasn’t sure who that would be. Apart from Leah, who worked with me at the school, I didn’t have anyone else.
“We’ll see. In the meantime, I’m heading upstairs for a bit.”
“Sure. squirt. Good to have you home.” Even though Ty didn’t live here anymore, I guess he still thought of it as home.
I made my way to my room. There was something I wanted to do.
I’d decided to leave all the flowers I’d been given at the hospital and donate them to other patients that may need some cheering up, or those that didn’t have many visitors. There were too many to transport home. I hoped they’d brighten someone else’s day as they had mine.
Sitting behind my familiar desk, having learned the dead girls name from my parents who’d watched the accident news report on the television, I started my letter using my voice activated software:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. McQuade,
I am deeply saddened by your daughter’s passing. I can’t begin to imagine the grief you are suffering at such a tragic accident and a young life taken too soon. There is little that I can say or do that will comfort you at this time so I’ll keep this letter fairly brief.
My name is Holly Jenkins. I’m 20 years old and I am alive today because of your amazing daughter’s selfless donation. You see, I now have her beating heart where my old, failing one
The nurses got me up walking a couple of days ago, admittedly I shuffled along like a turtle on a beach but it was movement and they were happy with that. I had to have one of them hold my arm the entire time though because I didn’t have a clue where I might end up, one blurry shape the same as the next. Plus, I had been attached to the drip which had to be wheeled everywhere with me.
I was eating relatively normal and my pain management was under control. I was good to go.
Yesterday had been an emotional day for me. My heart donor’s funeral had been held. I was saddened for all those who knew and loved her. Their sense of loss. It was still a mental hurdle to grasp that even though she was dead, her heart wasn’t. I had a piece of her in me that would keep working for hopefully plenty of years to come. She was keeping me alive. It was mind-blowing.
Her boyfriend kept popping into my head. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking of him and the hurt he would be going through at having to say goodbye to the person he loved. I’m glad my family hadn’t been in the same situation.
With my medical scripts in hand and mother in tow, I scuffled out of the hospital. Each new day brought a renewed sense of health. I wasn’t breathless like I had been, even after the timely journey to the front of the hospital where Dad was waiting with the car.
Luckily we didn’t have far to drive because all I could think about was typing a letter to the donor family on my voice activated computer, printing it out and getting it sent. I would need to contact the donor registry to get their address. It was fast consuming me. Now that the girl’s funeral would be over, I felt it only proper to do so.
In five minutes we were home. Lifting my cane from the car, I walked through the front door and was met by my brother, who must had been sitting on the sofa. I could hear what sounded like a ball game on the television.
“Hey, short-stuff,” he sang, walking over to greet me. “Welcome home!”
“Thanks Ty. It’s great to be out of the hospital.” I couldn’t bring my arms too high due to the pulling of the stitches so I opted for loosely wrapping them around his waist as he hugged me.
“How’s the new heart?”
“Great. It’s amazing, actually. I feel so different already.”
“You’ll be running laps of the yard before you know it.”
“Yeah, well I think I’m going to do some sort of exercise when I’m able to; something where sight isn’t a pre-requisite.”
“Sounds cool. You could organize a buddy to help out. Maybe do some swimming down at the health center.”
I wasn’t sure who that would be. Apart from Leah, who worked with me at the school, I didn’t have anyone else.
“We’ll see. In the meantime, I’m heading upstairs for a bit.”
“Sure. squirt. Good to have you home.” Even though Ty didn’t live here anymore, I guess he still thought of it as home.
I made my way to my room. There was something I wanted to do.
I’d decided to leave all the flowers I’d been given at the hospital and donate them to other patients that may need some cheering up, or those that didn’t have many visitors. There were too many to transport home. I hoped they’d brighten someone else’s day as they had mine.
Sitting behind my familiar desk, having learned the dead girls name from my parents who’d watched the accident news report on the television, I started my letter using my voice activated software:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. McQuade,
I am deeply saddened by your daughter’s passing. I can’t begin to imagine the grief you are suffering at such a tragic accident and a young life taken too soon. There is little that I can say or do that will comfort you at this time so I’ll keep this letter fairly brief.
My name is Holly Jenkins. I’m 20 years old and I am alive today because of your amazing daughter’s selfless donation. You see, I now have her beating heart where my old, failing one
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