I took off some time yesterday to spend alone and write the letter to the Kyle's heart donor family. After a year the letter can be sent to them. I purposely waited until now to write this letter. I wanted to give myself time for the emotions to settle and to give them a full year view of how much better Kyle is now. The letter we be sent out on Monday and then forwarded to them after the one year mark. I thought I would share it here:
Dear Donor Family,
I am sure this letter may be difficult to read. It is difficult for me to write. It is both painful and joyous. I know I may only have one chance to write to you and it is important to me to get it right. The reason I am writing is to thank you.
Kyle is our 14 year old son. Almost a year ago your donation saved his life. Kyle was born with a congenital heart defect. He had his first surgery at 4 weeks of age and had a heart valve replacement at 11 months. This was a temporary fix that would buy him time until he would again need another open heart surgery as a teenager. Last fall at the age of 13 we knew we were getting closer to having that surgery as he became more ill. To the surprise of the doctors his heart condition was much worse than they had imagined and open heart surgery would not be enough to save him. We were sent 400miles away to another Children’s Hospital and after being evaluated we were told that Kyle’s only option was a heart transplant. He and I were required to stay in that area until a new heart would become available. His condition deteriorated quickly. His heart was failing. He no longer had energy to do much. Walking a few blocks made him extremely short of breath. His appetite decreased and he slept more than usual. I watched helplessly as his health failed. On several occasions he and I had very in depth talks about life. A couple times he asked me if he was going to die. I did not know how to answer him but did the best I could. Since October 8, 2008 when Kyle was placed on the transplant list our family experienced many feelings. I was very torn. I prayed for Kyle to get better but did not want another family to suffer. I only asked God that if it happened, that the family would be brave enough to donate and Kyle would be a match. Kyle received his heart December 4, 2008. I cried that day. I cried for joy for my son but also because I knew that on that day some where a family lost a precious beloved person in their lives.
After the transplant Kyle had some complications early on with rejection. He also had some trouble with a rapid and irregular heart beat which required an ablation in February. Since then though he has been doing wonderful. In less than a year he has grown about 2 inched and gained about 33 lbs. He has more energy and can run now like never before. He has got the OK to play high school basketball which will start here next week.
During this past year we look back and reflect. There were so many fears and uncertainties we all felt. We watched our son’s health deteriorate, watched him suffer and then watched him rejoice and now flourish as health and new life have came back to him. He is a wonderful boy who has a great sense of humor and loves to laugh. He loves sports, especially football and basketball. He loves the outdoors, farming, fishing and animals. My husband and I tried so hard to prepare him and our family for all of this as it unfolded. In the end we realize that Kyle taught us so much more than we ever taught him. He taught us about bravery, faith, not dwelling on the bad and living each day to the fullest. He has astounded us with his attitude and we are so proud of him. Our family is forever changed thanks to your donation of life. Your courage in the face of loss has given Kyle a chance at a new life.
Your loved one has become our hero and angel. Her gift of life has touched and inspired so many. I pray for your family daily. There are many more thoughts and feelings I would love to share with you. We would love to meet you someday if you like and hear more about your loved one. Even if we never meet please know we will honor her and her gift of life by taking good care of our son and celebrating life.
With love,
Marilyn, Kenton, Jessica and Kyle
