So Lucky

I've made quite a few friends through the various outlets I've found for parents of CHD kids, one of which posts frequent updates of her daughter, who suffers the same defect (and more) that Sadie has. While she is in a much more serious situation with her child than I am with Sadie, I felt that her post read a portion of my heart, a part that I'm unable to verbalize as eloquently (if at all). I'm posting a portion here:

I can’t describe what it’s like to be a part of this new world. Things that I never once thought about, are a part of my daily life now. As parents – no matter how old your children are – you never want to think about losing them. Unfortunately, when given the very special honor of raising a medically fragile child – those thoughts never go away. They are literally in my mind all the time – lurking in the background on a good day, and more obvious on the bad days. We have certainly had more close calls than I care to remember!

So many parents and children I have read about and couldn’t help but cry – even though I have never met them and never will. Even though I have not lost a child – my imagination of those feelings are very real. Especially when these parents have worked SO hard to do everything to keep their children alive and healthy. It just seems so unfair!

But one thing I’ve started to notice more and more – is that the ones that have been honored to raise these special children feel so lucky, so blessed. How can that be? We deserve to feel cheated and bitter and angry! Well, okay, we do feel those feelings. But, more than that, we feel blessed and grateful. I find that so amazing. Those that have never spent one night in the hospital with a child recovering from life-saving surgery should feel like that. Those that have never had to learn about a rare medical condition, surgery, birth defect, how to be a nurse for their child, etc. should feel like the luckiest people on earth.

I am incredibly thankful. (Even though I am very bummed that the Packers lost tonight.) Every single day completely amazes me. Now isn’t that something?