David and I are both Catholic and we were married via the Catholic Church in Gregory, Texas by Father Robert Dunn. I met my husband, David E. Rangel, on Memorial Day weekend in May 1991. We knew that day that we were soul mates. We were married in January 1995.
In the summer of 1996, David was diagnosed with kidney failure. He did not want to discuss dialysis. The physicians explained that dialysis would be the best option, it was going to make him feel better, and so he consented. Dialysis began on October 1996, and so the battle began.
David was put on the organ transplant waiting-list a year later. The doctors had wanted to make sure he was going to cooperate with his health and diet to be a positive recipient.
In January 1998, I began the test phase, and by Valentine’s Day—of all days—we were notified that I was his perfect match. Talk about being soul mates. On July 30, 1998, David received my kidney. David’s new kidney began to work independently on August 11, 1998, which meant no more dialysis after almost two years.
In 2005, David became very ill and he suffered complications from an unrelated illness and on Nov. 14, 2005 David passed away. My husband was now in a position to save other persons’ lives, and I knew that as a caring and loving person, and a recipient of such a precious gift, David would also want to give life to others.
David now was going to save another husband, father, son, grandson, child, grandmother, sister, brother, a perfect stranger and so he did. And so I then became a donor’s wife.
I continue my husband’s legacy through my dedication of volunteering as often as I can, focusing not only on our story of perseverance, but also on educating the public about the need to register as an organ, tissue and eye donor on the Texas Donor Registry (www.donatelilfetexas.org).
I want to thank all of the doctors and nurses who played a role in my husband’s care, for continuing the gift the Lord gave them to save lives through donation.