[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

My dear friend, BigWaveBetty, asked me to explain why I am passionate about organ donation.

First of all, I have always been a donor and encouraged donation. You never know who's life you may save, and heck, you're dead, you aren't using your stuff anyway.

Secondly, you never know if you might need a donation. I live by the motto of: There for the grace of God go I.

Well Guilders, this summer I need a donation. I got the final diagnosis on my eyes and I need at least one new cornea. I had a very bad infection and it spread to both eyes. I have been on an aggressive cycle of steroids and all sorts of junk, and the left eye looks like it will be saved, but the right eye has a huge scar and I will never be able to see through it unless I get a cornea transplant.

So there for the grace of God go I. Someone is going to have to die so that I may see.

So I ask you to please think about giving up your guts when you die, you never know who it might help.

[MaeWest]

HLL, I admire your grace and courage through all of this.

From The Gift of Life Donor Program:

The cornea is the clear "window" in front of the eye, which allows light to enter. Disease or injury may cause it to become cloudy, decreasing vision or causing blindness. The first cornea transplant was performed in 1905. More than 700,000 people have received cornea transplants since 1961. Corneas can be preserved for up to 10 days before transplant. The body does not reject a transplanted cornea. The condition of the donor's vision does not impact donation.

So most of us would qualify as cornea donors - and one last opportunity to truly help someone else.