When you can't say thank you enough

It's one of those memories that I will probably always remember. Part was that mom was crying - a pretty rare experience for my amazingly calm mama- another part was the shock and another part was the surprising calm that followed as soon as mom told me: Dad is in renal failure.

It was this past August. I was jabbering away to mom, sitting on her bed, and realized that she was only half following what I was saying. Our family had just all left from a long visit and I thought she was missing them.

"Are you sad?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Dad's sick. Really sick."

I didn't really know what to say as she explained how frighteningly low his hemoglobin count was, and the other unfamiliar side effects that come when your Kidneys decide to ditch out on their job. But I felt really peaceful. I felt like things would be okay. That was a pretty uncommon feeling for me at that point (the engagement ended just a month after that) and I was surprised to be feeling it.

Dad's first day of  dialysis

It's been a very interesting experience to see him go through this. Really humbling. He has always been so sturdy - I mean, yes, physically, but also in every other sense too. It was like it was the first time I realized my parents are mortal. 

But tomorrow my dad will get a new Kidney. 

He's been amazing to me. He's not a complainer. He's not lazy. Those are two really good attributes to have when you are really sick. 

And then there's my uncle Ron: the donator. I wanted to write a whole blog about how much this means to us all, but it just seemed so trite. There are some things that never enough gratitude could ever be shown for. 

So even though blogging about it seems so simple it's almost insulting: Thanks to Ron and to all those who would have been just as willing to make such a big sacrifice for my dad. I love you!

I'm a little obsessed with this picture. So cute.