Guest guest Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 doug, i can't think of a better call to receive on Christmas eve, much less a better present (save for the original "Christmas present," i.e., why Christmas is celebrated in the first place) to receive on Christmas day. and whether or not you happen to be someone who celebrates Christmas, i bet Christmas has taken on an entirely new meaning for you & your loved ones! oh, how your post brings up memories of our "Christmas Present" in 2001. my husband's transplant took place on 12/7/01 (pearl harbor day, a day that will "live in infamy" in our house/family!). our then 23-year-old son was his dad's donor, & he's just recently become engaged to a wonderful girl who is just as loved among her family members & friends as jason is by his. they make a beautiful couple, inside & out. because of the timing of the tx in los angeles, & having no idea how everything would go (whether or not there would be complications, nor when the doctors would allow us to return home to san diego), we prepared ourselves for the likelihood of spending our Christmas in a extended-stay place near the hospital... we kept things simple, but from home, we brought up Christmas carols, strings of Christmas lights... and many of our "decorations" were actually the Christmas and get-well cards sent from all the wonderful people in this support group! jason was discharged 1st, & his sisters took turns caring for him. after jim was discharged, i drove away from the hospital with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" playing on the car's cd player. as we were pulling onto the freeway, right as the song neared its end, we heard the words "born to give them second birth...." jim & i looked at each other. we were holding hands, and our grip tightened. and then, we both both just lost it. wow, what a moment. and what an apropos Christmas carol for such a unique life-saving surgery. anyway, welcome to this awesome support group!!! we're very glad you're here. it is especially heartening how you are so young, doing so great, and have your whole life ahead of you, to thoroughly enjoy. for starters, i hope you are having a fun weekend! maureen (wife of jim, UC '84, PSC '96, LRLTx # 36 @ USC in los angeles, california, 12/7/01, thanks to our living donor son, jason, but jim has post-tx skin cancer/melanoma issues, et.al., '03 - present); happy empty-nesters & delighted 1st-time grandparents to stryder aaron brown. all in all, life is bee-yoo-tee-ful :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.