There have been many, many moments in my life that have taken my breath away. I personally prefer those moments to the ones that stop my heart. There have been too many of those as well. Finding out that Babygirl needed dialysis and a kidney was a heart-stopper. Hearing that there was a donor that matched was absolutely breathtaking.
Babygirl has two donor kidneys in her belly, and her two native kidneys are still living there as well. We know the name of her first donor, Jorge. 14 years ago today he died, and his gift to her gave her 10 years of at least some semblance of childhood. No dialysis, no nightly pain. Freedom. His family, 14 years later, undoubtedly struggles with this anniversary, and will forever.
The death of that kidney in 2022 was...another heart stopper. But my grief over that loss and the struggles Babygirl has had since then pale in comparison to their loss.
I was up at 3 AM to take her to the airport so she could fly to California to visit Citygirl. That freedom was a gift from another unknown donor, their family dealing with their loss in a different place and time. Those gifts give me the freedom to SEE the breathtaking; to live the joyful moments. Freedom to enjoy simple things like the Farmer's Market on Saturdays, hikes in the Glen, and the idiocy of our dogs.
Our freedom, like all freedoms, has come at a very high price. I think the best we can do with that is to LIVE. Really, truly live. Let the grief flow when it must, and feel the joy when it comes: See the beauty of every sunrise, sunset, and moonlight sparkle.
Prayers, as always, for Jorge's family.
DeeDee
