Grits should hear beating of drum

What a weekend — I got mad at a bunch of politicians, heard the beating of the drum and let a tear fall.
The provincial Liberal government ticked me off when it refused to pause for a few minutes and vote on the new organ donor bill Oak Ridges MPP Frank Klees has had on the books for 18 long months.
Actually, the issue of trying to secure more organs for transplant has been on Ontario's mind for about 40 years.
Thornhill MPP Mario Racco thinks we need to continue to talk about it. Doesn't Mr. Racco know some people die waiting? On the other hand, Mr. Klees thinks it's time to stop the talk and put some measures in place to increase the availability of organs.
I'm with Mr. Klees on this one. 
If Mr. Klees' bill had passed, we'd be required by law to answer "yes" or "no" on the organ-donation question when getting a new driver's licence or health card.
I'd have preferred it if Mr. Klees had gone one giant step further and called for an opting-out organ donor bill to make us sign the organ donor question only if we don't want to be part of saving another life once we're dead. In other words, unless there's  a "no - don't take" message on your licence or health card, your body belongs to all of us.
If we had a provincial government with an ounce of courage, we'd have a procedure in place where, at the time of death, a medical team comes in, harvests suitable organs and releases the body to the family. Amen. 
Still, Mr. Klees' efforts indicate a willingness to start to save more lives.
Too bad Mr. Racco doesn't understand putting some people on hold, while he gives the matter more lip service, is an absolute death sentence.
Some people simply don't have the time for politicians to keep yapping. 
Life can be eerie - I read about the death of Mr. Klees' life-saving bill a few minutes before I heard the beating of a drum.
The sound came from outdoors. I stepped out on the deck of my Musselman's Lake cottage and looked straight ahead at the water as a row of dragon boats swept by. Some of the racers in one boat were organ transplant patients, while others were live donors.
Team Transplant demonstrated strength, courage, generosity, being alive and giving life. Team Transplant raced like there's no tomorrow. At one point, I let a tear fall. 
To my knowledge, my brother, Don, is the longest living kidney transplant patient in the world. His next birthday cake will hold 60 candles.
Don got his new lease on life in 1968. At 21, disease had destroyed his healthy organs. Although it was a faint-hope move on the part of those involved in the pioneer medical procedure, Don's health was so far down, he was up for it.
A kidney became available;  my brother said "yes" in a flash and he has never looked back. If I was to compare my brother to Mr. Racco, I'd says there's no comparison. Don didn't say, "Let's talk about it" for 40 years. 
Don's much-needed kidney came from a young man who was brain dead after a car accident. Without being asked and with little talk, the young man's grieving mother, a nurse, and his father, a high school principal, stepped up to the plate and offered their only child's organs to help a total of five people, Don included.
Had it not been for these selfless parents who understood the time-sensitive issue, I wouldn't be part of planning my brother's 60th birthday. There'd be no party — my brother would be long dead.
It must also be pointed out although there was no nod from the spineless people in the provincial government back in 1968, doctors at two Toronto hospitals forged ahead and developed life-saving surgical techniques that went on to save this farm kid from rural Ontario.
Doctors have more patience then I do. They keep reminding whichever government increasing the number of available organs for transplant purposes is critical.
When it comes to organ donor bills getting passed or shelved, I have a bias.
I've had it for 39 years. 
Too bad all the MPPs at Queens Park can't hear the beating of the drum.