In the process, I lost my uterus and was suddenly thrown into surgical menopause. Everything changed in a matter of hours. I will never forget lying in that hospital bed, knowing that my life had come dangerously close to ending while my newborn baby was waiting for me. My family was terrified. I was terrified. I had to fight my way back physically and emotionally while learning how to live in a body and life that no longer felt like the one I knew. There are parts of that experience that I will carry with me forever - the trauma, the grief, the fear, and the realization that I was given another chance to be here for my children. 

That is why blood donation means so much to me. I know firsthand that blood donors can make the difference between life and death. I may never know the names of the people whose donations helped save my life, but I will forever be grateful to them. Because of blood donors, I am here today. I am here to raise my children, love my family, and watch my children grow. My story is a reminder that behind every blood donation is a person, a family, and sometimes, an entire lifetime that gets to continue.