LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One woman's gift to the family of an organ donor is a teddy bear with a special heartbeat. The bear is a gift of gratitude to the family that lost the life she gained.
Lisa Russell is counting her blessings. "I shouldn't be here ... only 10 percent of my heart was working," Russell said.
Her diagnosis: heart failure. Doctors made plans, but Russell said, "I planned my own funeral."
Russell was given an L-VAD, a left ventricular assist device, to keep her alive while she waited for an organ donor. Data shows that 22 people die every day while waiting for a transplant.
"I received a phone call and I thought they were teasing that they had a heart for me," Russell said. "You're facing death and you're mentally and emotionally preparing for death and then all the sudden your told you get to live."
Russell understood she had a second chance at life, but that gift is only possible because of the kindness of families who are willing to say yes to helping others.
"I received my new heart and I was so thankful. I remember going into surgery and I remember thinking about the family knowing that I was celebrating life. They were also grieving. Every day I live so thankful for the life of my donor," she said.
Russell said she had a sense of gratitude she couldn't seem to put into words, so she decided to let her donor's heart speak for itself.
"I'm recording the heartbeat and I'm putting it inside of a little bear," Russell said. "I'm hoping when they have those difficult days, they can hold onto that bear. When they hold the teddy bear, they'll know that's their loved one's heart."
It's a little bear carrying a big message.
The donor's family is thankful for the bear, but said they aren't ready to meet Russell just yet.
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
