Update 12/05/15:
When divine intervention just smacks you in the face and you realize how small this big, big world we live in truly is…
Harper and I were invited out to join a group of Moms and kids for a playdate. It was a group we didn’t know very well, however most everyone there was/is part of the BGVTribe and had been following our story – true BGVTers.
Upon our entrance mostly everyone gave me hugs and love out of the gates. After the excitement had died down – I sat down and struck up a conversation with a Mom sitting next to me. She asked about what was going on in my world as she wasn’t familiar with what we were talking about.
I began to give a brief overview of our story and said – “Well my son and I just went through a successful liver transplant about 5 weeks ago.”
Her face was unsettled and looked a little surprised (as most people do when you drop the bombshell of a transplant. I mean in reality most people are talking about flus and colds – the last thing you expect someone to say is a baby needed a new organ)
So I tried to comfort her and I said “I know it is a lot – but we are doing really good.”
And she still stared at me.
Slowly she said – “My son had a liver transplant as well.”
"WHAT. I mean WHAT??" And now it was me who had shock on my face
I blubber out – instant tears in my eyes. “What do you mean?”
I am sure at this point I looked like a complete hotmess-goof. I think I repeated something like – “Ummm you mean liver? A liver transplant? Like your son got a new liver?”
Her response “Yes.”
My world. Rocked.
You see I have been wondering, reflecting, praying, thinking about what life is going to hold for little Brodie.
How will he grow? What he will be like? How will life be like for him? What will life be like for him?
Thank God for social media because there have been some amazing Mommas that have reached out to me to share with me the success and the beautiful little babes who now are big babes – that went through transplant and are years out that are absolutely loving and living life. It has been so comforting knowing “the life after part.”
But this was different. This was in person. Right in front of me. There was something that was so amazing about the shock. I mean what were the chances. What were the chances that someone who had gone through a different diagnosis and had a transplant – a LIVER transplant with their child sitting right next to me. In a group of 7 Moms. I am not a statistician but I can promise you the odds are bananas that this would ever happen.
We sat there and told our stories. She shared with me how great her little guy has been doing and what their life is like. How they recovered and got through the stage that we are at now. I sat there dumbfounded still on how this could be possibly happening. He wandered in the room with the rest of the crew of rugrats 100% undetectable that at a small age he too had an incredible life test. Eyes sparkling, handsome, little guy just having fun playing Legos.
My friend Shannon who has been one of my number one supporters throughout all of this sat there with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes – I looked at her and said “Is this real life? I mean seriously? Is this really happening right now? Can you believe this?”
She looked at me and said “If you would have asked me if this would have been possible two months ago I would have said - No Way. But this. But now. Through all of this. I have learned that anything is possible.”
See this little journey is teaching me and others about POSSIBILITIES and GOOD – not just about the journey of transplant world. But paying it forwards and taking care of others and compassion and love – is there. It exists. I don’t know why it stays hidden. It is under our noses – we can choose to share, to laugh, to love, to spread hope, to be who and what we want to be.
This world. This world. Is so sad lately. It is so harsh. It is so mean. It is so confusing for us all. It is a world of hate – where our commonality is to worry and commiserate. We are constantly beat up by others, exposed to others negative thoughts, by what media and social media puts in front of us.
It is hard to believe in good any more. But there is SO much good. There are so many good things that are happening.
Did you hear the story of the couple who grew up in poverty and just gave $500K to the Salvation Army – to make their deceased Dad proud? What about the CAVS who just stopped in at the Cleveland Clinic to say hi to Pediatric patients? What about the church congregation that just tipped a pizza guy $700 – just because? Have you seen my BGVT stories about Kroger and American Greetings? Do you watch Ellen? If you don’t – start – as much as you can. She is always sharing the good. There is an amazing story of a Toledo teen who is kicking Cancer in the tail feathers right now – she is winning (I will share the video).
People. Organizations. Humans doing great things.
We can be what we want the world to be. We can be the news we want to hear. We can be the good. We just need to choose to.
Be the start of good. Choose to help others. The possibilities are endless and it starts with you.
Who knows? It could be possible that you are just sitting next to someone who needs to hear exactly what you have to say.
Let your light shine bright.
Sending love and light to you all.
XO - TT
#brodiesgoodvibetribe #sliverofliver #tiguetough #thegoodstuff