Anna's Struggles

a response to My Sister’s Keeper

Every night I wonder What if Kate died? I am sure my whole family is thinking that but for me it means a lot, because I am the reason Kate is alive today, I am her protector, I give her life, but my family doesn’t recognize me as much as they should. Not only is Kate at risk of dieing so am I.

My life has probably been the craziest out of everyone in the world, I was born for one reason, and one reason only that is to give my sister what she needs when she needs it. Kate has leukemia and I am the recognized donor, but now besides donating blood and cells I am being forced into donating one of my kidneys. It’s one thing to find out that you were born for one reason, and now I am being held to donating organs to my sister. One minute it’s a kidney, what’s next?

I had to take a stand, stand up for what I believe in, I must fight back. It’s not that I don’t love my sister, it’s that I should have a choice on if I want to keep donating to her. Sara, my mother, would not listen to me she would not understand my reasoning, saying that people might actually realize why I had to get help, from a lawyer.

My case must’ve been a weird one for my lawyer, I don’t think he knew what to say. He probably thought Oh look it’s just another kid wanting to sue their parents, but he was wrong I just wanted a right to my own body. Kate was devastated that I made my choice, she told me that I was her only friend. I worried that she would die every night and that my choice could impact her disease. Of course I felt bad and didn’t know if I should go through with my decision, but what I needed was for someone to support me, to comfort me, so I moved in with my Dad at the fire station.

Sara is furious with my choice to move in with my father down at the station, but he will not tell me that what I believe in is wrong or that I should be ashamed of my self for choosing to kill my sister. I wish they would just give me a choice. I don’t want to kill my sister, but I need to do what my gut is telling me.