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When I was sure Krissy was no longer breathing and her heart no longer beating, and her eyes no longer reactive to a flashlight, I called two numbers. First, the funeral home. Then, the Mayo Clinic donation hotline. The two of them coordinated getting the body into surgery and back to the mortician in time for an open casket funeral.
Krissy chose the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL because we were impressed by the world class people who gave us unusual service. Instead of the patient going to the doctor, we stayed in a room with the main ALS doctor, and whenever we asked a question, he would call the proper specialist to pop in and explain stuff to us. We got the impression that their workload, their talent, and the money behind them would allow them to make the most of any donated body parts.
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