Last week my father mentioned to me about the excerpt I wrote on platelet and blood donations. He said that he would show me a file that he had kept from the duration of my hospital stay and beyond. I received that file today(08/17/2020) and was amazed at the outpouring of love and support from so many people on my behalf. Remarkable letters of prayer and well wishes from such dignitaries as…Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore, Cardinal John O’Connor of New York, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua of Philadelphia, The Vatican Secretary in behalf of Pope John Paul, Ed Snyder and the Philadelphia Flyers organization…and many more. I never knew that these existed. Wow!
In this file were the Guidlines for the Donation of Platelets and Whole Blood for patients during their stay at Hahnemann Hospital. Three to four Platelet transfusions per week and about four to five whole blood transfusions. For every week of my stay, I would need three to four donors…approx.- 24 to 28 donors. Well, the list my dad showed me tonight had 144 potential donors who had volunteered their services. This army of donors collected by my sisters, Lisa and Donna, worked to make sure I had the resources needed to keep me alive. They literally had to turn people away. How great is that! How selfless and compassionate. I was overwhelmed tonight.
I would personally like to thank everyone who donated or offered to donate their blood on my behalf. These are some friends and family who donated in the first week on record….Bill Piszek, Vladik Piszek, Arlene Naids(rip), Mark Oswald, Eric Cutler, Bill and Rick Dunn, Matt Winger, Dave Brecher, Craig and Reesa Ostroff, Michelle Selvaggio. I do not have the records beyond that but thank you to all. You helped save my life. This file also contained the Medical Power of Attorney that I completed with my wife the day before I entered the hospital. Very sobering.
Also included were the many letters my father wrote to elicit prayer and goodwill on my behalf from special religious groups that specialize in the power of prayer and healing. They replied enmass. Anything to help the cause. Thanks Dad….They worked.
Up Next: A Holiday Weekend, My Birthday and a little bit of Freedom