Meditation 4.29.19 - A Pen and Ink Tangle
I have heard some fabulous news - medical science has printed a fully functioning heart with a 3D printer.
Although the heart that was printed wasn't human-sized, it was made with human cells and the process has provided a breakthrough that will soon enable medical teams to print hearts as needed.
I think this is good news and not only because there is a shortage of donated organs. (Side note - Have you signed up for organ donation yet?)
I have been following the story of a British woman named Katie, who five years ago, due to an infection, required a heart transplant. In addition to the struggles in finding a donor, Katie routinely struggles with the side effects of anti-rejection medication and a deep, bittersweet feeling of knowing that she is still alive only because someone else had died.
I truly admire the strength she has shown on this journey and I wish that it wasn't so hard for her and I am glad that this technology will be coming online soon.
If we could manufacture faulty organs, not only would the waiting lists become a thing of the past, so will anti-rejection medications and their horrible, horrible, side effects. I think this will also help ease the survivor's guilt that transplant patients experience.
xoxo a.d.
