This is not the first time I have veered off the roof on this little spot on the blogosphere. April is National Donate Life Month.

This is not the first time I have veered off the roof on this little spot on the blogosphere. April is National Donate Life Month. Of course it is National Pecan Month and the month to celebrate about a hundred other causes, initiatives, and all other manners of special and interesting things. In our family, EVERY month is Donate Life Month.

Our son-in-law, Mark, has been waiting on a liver for three years. It is a long story but suffice it to say that he was stricken by liver disease in the prime of his life and nothing has been the same ever since. Mark was a small business owner, a dyed-in-the-wool entrepreneur. He and my daughter, Dana, operated a sports bar and grill. It worked them both very hard but they loved it.

These days Mark’s primary occupation is staying alive through the kind of medications that do not allow one to carry on a routine existence. Of course he still does a great job as “Dad” to our two beautiful grandchildren. But the wait is incredibly challenging, as you can imagine. Going from being in command of your own kingdom to “just getting by” is no easy trip.

I am exceedingly proud of my son-in-law and daughter. They have endured and are enduring what would have taken weaker folks down a long time ago. All we can do from the sidelines is hope and pray that Mark will receive a donated liver and a new lease on life soon. Come to think of it, today would be a very good day to get the call.

There is one more thing that we have done. We are organ donors. This may not help Mark directly, but we do encourage others to be organ donors as well. You can learn more and even sign up to be an organ donor online. Here are a couple of sites where you can go today:

http://donatelife.net/

http://organdonor.gov/

While I am on the topic of family, I should mention that April is also National Autism Awareness Month. There are several young ones in my extended family who live with Autism. I am proud of them and consider it a blessing to be their Uncle Rick. Learn more about Autism here: www.autism-society.org/about-us/national-autism-awareness-month/