Our family, in the eyes of most people, would appear to be going through a lot. Our youngest daughter has sickle cell and has been in and out of the hospital since she was 4 months old. She’s had three operations, 12 blood transfusions, and was once on a feeding tube because we were told it was too dangerous for her to eat, she was even coded once where 20 – 30 doctors flooded the room, crash cart and all.
Needless to say, we have been through a lot in her short 4 years of life.
Last year at this time, we finally decided to move forward to find out if any of our other three daughters were a match for her and see if any of them could be a bone marrow donor for her. After about a month of waiting, right before Christmas, we were told that TWO of our three daughters were a match and we could move forward with making plans for a bone marrow transplant.
Be thankful for being here one more day, one more year and the opportunity to make one more memory.
Fast forward one year later, we are at the beginning stages of my daughter’s transplant. She was admitted on November 16th to the hospital and we were prepared to stay there for 4-6 weeks, then another 2 months in the Ronald McDonald House while she recuperated. All of this would mean that we would not be able to spend Thanksgiving together as a family nor Christmas because my two younger daughters are not old enough to visit her on the Bone Marrow Transplant floor.
As our luck would have it, the day that my four year old was to begin her chemotherapy to prepare her body for the transplant, the transplant was postponed for 3 weeks. I could not be more thankful.
Why you ask?
I am thankful because we now get to spend and appreciate one more holiday, one more moment together. We get to create one more happy family memory for our children. I am thankful because we truly get to celebrate what Thanksgiving is all about, being thankful.
No, it may not be the traditional reason to be thankful, but I am thankful for the new life that my child will be given through the transplant, thankful for being all together for another holiday, thankful that my daughters get to play with their sister for three more weeks before they’re separated for 2 months. I am thankful for the many people who have volunteered in so many capacities to help our family while we’re going through this transition. I am thankful for the overwhelming support, love and practical gifts given already and that we continue to receive. I am thankful to God for continuing to bless my family even in times when we may feel helpless.
This Thursday is Thanksgiving and so many people are focused on the turkey, the sides and the desserts, the relative they don’t want to see, the stress or even the sadness that the holidays may bring. Everyone is moving so fast and some are moving right on past into Christmas. However, I’m asking as a gift in honor of my daughter, slow down, appreciate what you do have, calm down and work through the stress, be present in the moment and be thankful for one more year of Thanksgiving with your family, friends and loved ones, no matter what it looks like. Be thankful for being here one more day, one more year and the opportunity to make one more memory.
BMWK, I would love to hear about your new way of being thankful in the comments below. Happy Thanksgiving!