Thursday, May 03, 2012

Joy and Friendship

The past few days were an emotional roller coaster. I have a neighbor who has become a good friend over the years, Stacey. She has a really soft heart and several years ago she learned that her father had another daughter after his break up with her mother. For years she knew this girl as the daughter of her father's girlfriend but didn't know it was her half sister. When her Dad told her that Megan was her half sister she embraced her. She took time to really know her and made her part of her family. I applaud her for that. I have heard stories where people have approached biological family members and been rejected by them. A few months ago Megan became quite ill. They thought at first she had the flu but after several trips to the emergency room she was admitted and they quickly found she was in heart failure. Since she was only 24 years old and in otherwise good health it was shocking. They got her stable enough to go home after a few weeks and things seemed to be alright until a few days ago. She went downhill so quickly and had two emergency surgeries on Tuesday. During the last surgery they could not remove her from life support and said they would have to leave her on it hoping to find a heart for her. The family were besides themselves. Yesterday about four p.m. the call came. Stacey was just getting home from the hospital when she got it. She told her husband then ran across the street to tell me. We cried. We jumped up and down. We couldn't stop hugging. It was a beautiful moment. Stacey told me about the 21 year old who had died suddenly just hours earlier. We both discussed how generous and caring it was for them to share their beloved's heart and give Megan a second chance. I am so grateful and someday Stacey hopes to meet them and thank them in person. At 11 p.m. the surgery began last night. No updates yet but I have spent a restless night praying for and sending positive thoughts to Megan. I told Stacey that Megan is truly lucky. She will never know what her family went through while she remained unconscious. She will wake up in some pain, but no doubt feeling oh so much better with that new heart beating. I cannot tell you the joy I feel right now. Last night Stacey kept thanking me for being there for her. I told her that this is what friends are for. When my Dad died she hugged me as I cried the morning of his funeral. Real friends share tears of sorrow and tears of joy. We have shared both and it was just a beautiful thing to share in her joy. Maybe the most valuable thing I have learned is that no matter how old we get, we can still make new friends that we know we will always be connected with. There are good people we haven't met out there, we just have to be open to giving them a chance.

2 comments:

alphawoman said...

I always have thought that we live on in some way if we give away as a gift any of our organs that could help others. We don't need them any longer and what joy they can bring others. Better to make the decision to give in advance rather than leave it to a distraught family. So happy for your friend. Keeping my fingers crossed for her sister.

TARYTERRE said...

We all live on borrowed time. To have a second chance is a miracle indeed. I am glad you were there for your friend Stacey to lean on as she worried about her sister. The two of them are blessed to have found one another. Thank you for telling Megan's Story. Take care, Nelle.PS) Thank you for all your encouragement.