A year ago my donor (still anonymous), spent several hours in a hospital bed, letting blood and marrow aphoerese into a bag. Technicians prepped the marrow (it was in a very large bag) to deliver to me on the eighth.
I've yet to meet or thank my donor, but upon my next visit to HUMC, I will try to find out his/her identity. He/she has given me another year of life to be with my family and friends, and hopefully many years to come. I owe this person more than I could possibly give for donating life to me.
I am extremely humbled by acts of gratitude such as this and I need to be more mindful of such gifts. It has been a long year from last December 7th and 8th, when I received my final chemotherapy and the ATG (rabbit serum) that sent me into shock. Recovery has gone well physically, but emotionally and mentally, I'm not quite on track.
I consider December 8th my new birthday, or re-birthday, as it has given me yet another chance to keep living disease free. I get to spend a lot more time with my wife, my son, and very soon two more sons. It really is a blessing to have such thoughtfulness and giving around you, even without getting into any religious mumbo-jumbo, and I will always be thankful for what I have. While I may wish for more, I know how much less there could be. I may be financially strapped, but I have learned to live richly, and to live well with what I have.
I want to extend a thank you to all of you, my "real" firends and my "Electronic" friends, for the support, encouragement, and laughs at my bad jokes over the past year. I could not have gotten through it without you.
So, here's to another journey to another December 8th; may we all be healthy and happy for those passing and packed 366 days.
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