Use it as a platform to educate the public about living donation if or when you can. You'd be surprised how few people know about it, and as you can see by the way people react, it's still a Big Deal out there.
You should go receive the medal, it's another opportunity to say "Look, people, I appreciate this and all, but the true heros are the people who made any of this even possible. If you have been inspired, I urge you to look further into donating yourselves."
Most people, I have found, just will not understand how we think and how it seemed like a good idea to give up an organ.
On Sunday I'll be reading a script in front of I don't know how many people at the National Kidney Foundation Great Chefs of Minnesota fundraiser because I was the non directed donor that started the first ever kidney chain in the midwest. It's nerve wracking, but it's just another chance to say "Hey, I'm a mom with 4 kids. If I can, you can. If you can't, there are other things you CAN do. Maybe not for this cause, but for whatever moves you. DO IT."
I get to be with the whole magnificent kidney chain of brilliant souls again on Sunday too. Can't wait!
Probably one of the all time best aspects of donating for me was that the people closest to me who couldn't understand or believe I would do something like this came to understand...as soon as the nurse told me that the kidney was working well and peeing up a storm a state over, there were happy tears all over the place, like they finally saw the Whole Picture. And it's not EVEN the whole picture- there are entire families affected by your donation...the waves of it are never ending. It's a good thing.
Show the world what is possible. Sometimes it just doesn't occur to a person that that is something they can do until they meet someone who has done it.
XO
Nicki