A Recipient Story: Linda

After having her daughter at Mayo Clinic in 1976, Linda Olson felt different than she did after having her first child. “I was in recovery and had called my mother to let her know the baby was healthy and I was with my husband. Hours later he had gone home for the night, and I had begun to feel sick. I decided to hit my call button and have the nurse come in,” recalls Linda. Shortly after the nurse arrived, the night took a turn for the worse when Linda began to hemorrhage. In an instant, Linda was in a fight for her life.

“I can remember sitting there as this was all going on thinking, I can’t die, I have a 5-year-old and a baby! I recall hearing them talk about how they didn’t think I would make it through the night. When I was being pushed to the operating room with my mother on one side and my husband on the other, I couldn’t see much as my vision was blurry. The only thing I could see was the pin my mother was wearing that day. After her passing, I was able to get this pin and it remains very special to me.” During her emergency surgery, Linda received 13 units of life-saving blood!

“Every time I give blood, I like to think that I am helping save someone’s life in the same way they helped save mine. My daughter has become a blood donor as well, and with three kids of her own, I hope they decide to donate as well if they are able. I hope someone can benefit from the story and is inspired to help others.”