HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL THE MOM’s in the world.

Becoming a mother wasn’t easy.  It took 7 rounds of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to have my children and 2 emergency c-sections, but I DID IT DAMMIT!   And even though motherhood killed me almost 3 years ago, it is also the reason I was able to survive.

It is a wonderful and terrifying thing to be a mother. You are a creator and caretaker of life, and you have to constantly give. Give your time, your energy and your love. But I am overjoyed to be able to give it my all, because I wouldn’t be here without the generosity of many strangers who decided to give of their time and their “lifeblood”.

When those fatal 37 seconds occurred, and I started hemorrhaging, complete strangers had already taken 37 minutes out of their busy days to donate blood that would be available for ME on that fateful day!

I am a universal donor with my O Negative blood type, but I can only receive O Negative.  Less than 7% of the population has that type of blood.  Just to put it in perspective, your normal blood supply in your entire body is 20 units. It took 3 times my body’s capacity for blood to save my life.  60 strangers with O Negative blood to be precise. Without each and every one of them, I wouldn’t be alive.

And as I sit here today, contemplating the impact of families without moms due to Amniotic Fluid Embolisms and other unforeseeable catastrophes, I am acutely aware that I am one of the lucky ones.  That because of strangers, doctors, family and friends, I am still here, to be a wife for my sweetheart and a mom for our children.

In honor of mothers and caregivers of children, LifeSource is celebrating with their Mothers of May (M.O.M.) campaign.  The campaign recognizes “moms who have personally been impacted by the gift of life, or who have supported a loved one impacted by the gift of life, and shown exemplary strength, hope and courage through the process.” I am honored to be a part of this campaign today. I regularly donate blood, because I know that with my O Negative blood type,  I am part the population whose blood can be used to treat patients with suppressed immune systems, premature infants and newborns.  What a gift I, personally, can give my lifeblood to another mother.

Yes, my blood type is rare, but the rarest blood is the one that isn’t there when you need it!

Life Source is asking you to share stories about mothers to bring awareness to the importance of blood donation. Click here to learn how to donate and share your story. Happy Mother’s Day.  www.lifesource.org/37seconds