Becky Appelman, Donor

She was proud to be an organ donor...

My twin sister, Becky Appelman, passed away two months ago from a major stroke (blood filled half the brain). She was an organ donor. She was alive and great one moment, and I got to talk to her that morning, and she had a massive stroke that Sunday afternoon. My brother-in-law called 911, the ambulance was here in three minutes and she was on life support right then. She was very proud to be a donor. Indiana Donor Society and Bloomington Hospital kept her alive for three days: on Wednesday, after a wonderful hospital ceremony (husband got a white flag with all the hospital staff signatures. The two young adults, ages 45 and 48, each received a cuddles bear with Becky’s heartbeat in them). Then the memorial tribute walk through the hospital where there were 50 hospital staff on one aisle, and then up the elevator to the operating room, and another 50 people lined both sides of the hall. David shook everyone’s hand. This experience made her passing so much easier. She donated two kidneys, one liver and lots of skin and tissue. Her husband, Bob, told the whole story at Becky’s celebration of life in a chapel. I am Lizzie, her twin sister. That very day, a man in his 70s received her liver. Two days later, a 70-year-old man received a kidney. One kidney had to be used for research. I asked for a cuddles teddy bear too, from the Indiana Donor Society. I have the teddy bear, and Bob, my brother-in-law says there’s a way to get Becky’s heartbeat into my bear (there is a recording machine already in the bear). I am indeed sad, yet so happy she could make a difference in several people’s lives. You are never too old to donate. We were both 74 years “young.”