She has been staying with "Grandmapa" since Friday night, which has been a total God-send. I'm so thankful to not be worried or concerned about her, she couldn't be happier than to be with her doting Grandma and Grandpa right now (well, I guess I do have a concern...that she's not going to want to come home!). My parents dropped everything to scoop her up and acclimate their lives to her three year old whimsy needs (of which there are many). I am so incredibly grateful for my family...these are the times when we are reminded how blessed we are. And I feel almost guilty for having such amazing, supportive, loving, knowledgeable parents and siblings to gather my strength and support from, we are so blessed.
Alice has grown up knowing about "Daddy's machine," seeing the needles and tubes, knowing that blood goes through the machine to "be washed" and that..."noooo, we don't touch Daddy's machine...." She also knows about kidneys and that Mommy and Alice have two, but Daddy's kidneys broke. (Or, I should say, "kidanees.") She knows Daddy has needed a kidney to make him feel better, and has even offered up one of hers as a solution. (She did the math!) ;) So, all this to say, when we got the call about a possible match with the Transplant Coordinator on Friday...Alice squealed "Yiippppeeeee!"
In some respects she's got a good foundation for all of this, for seeing Darren in the hospital and understanding...as much as her brain will allow, that this is all good and temporary. She came to the hospital on Sunday, the day after his surgery, to visit with my parents. She was full of humor (as the photos can attest to), happiness and...of course...questions (but what 3 year old doesn't have questions, "why, why, why"). She wondered a little why she had to be so gentle with Daddy, he's usually the one she gets to run and jump at full steam...but she gets it.
Life will be different for a little while during Darren's recovery at home and our many many trips to the hospital in the next weeks and months, but if all goes well...life will be different in a much better way for all of us too.
Alice checking on Daddy and telling him about all her adventures with Grandmapa... And finding the hospital tape with Mom. ;)
Rock on, Alice :) Glad she's having fun with Grandmapa and hospital tape!!
ReplyDeleteI have always said that one of the toughest things for me after the kidney surgery was not being able to lift my kids (at the time they were 11 months old and 3 years old) but the truth is that was hard for ME, they weren't scarred by it at all :)
So great to see good news, Sara. Cynthia posted the link to the blog on Facebook, and I am so glad. Darren and his situation have been on my mind lately for a couple reasons. It's been five years since we lost our mutual friend, Bryan Blackwell, and so it's around this time that those mysterious connections in life get remembered. Also, I so vividly remember Cynthia's donation, which happened just a few weeks after I met her. One of those things I hope someday to be brave enough to do...especially since it hasn't slowed her down one bit! Also, because Ian and I caught a documentary on a musician waiting for a kidney the other night, and I thought, for about the 50th time, I really do need to look into this.... So happy for Darren and this new lease on life. Thank you for sharing your story and inspiring others to give what they can.
ReplyDeleteMany blessings,
Jen Hamilton