Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Personal Tsunami.....

Usually I am glib, sarcastic, perhaps a bit irreverent.

Today I am none of those things. Today I am praying that God or whomever controls our universe has one more miracle. A dear friend of mine is in hospital 50 miles away, trying to find the reserves to come back from a liver transplant that was done a week ago. Naively I thought she would be coherent and aware by now. She is not, a three day stay in ICU has turned into a week, without any end in sight. Her kidneys have taken a vacation, she now has daily dialysis. She has not woken up for the last 24 hours. Her body chemistry is going in the wrong direction.

We knew of each other in college, when I was undergrad theatre major and she was getting her masters in theatre. But, we really connected when a few years later we both had daughters a year apart in age, and we both were struggling to gain our footing. She was a single mom from the outset, but her devotion and determination to raise Annie as strong woman was/is inspiring. She followed her dreams before Annie to New York, and then came back home to Nebraska when life threw her a curve ball. She worked three jobs, and eventually got a job as theatre instructor at a local university. She met her soul mate there, I call him her Peanut butter, without him she is just jelly. She thrived, Annie thrived.

5 years ago her spleen went wonky. She had major surgery, they fixed her plumbing, and all seemed better. Until 2009 when she became tired all the time, her skin turned yellow, as did her eyes., her liver was failing. Last June they decided to put her on the transplant list, and she waited. Her cousin at Christmas time offered to be tested, and he was match. What none of us realized is that she had so much toxin built up in her that her tiny half liver is having a hell of a time getting rid of them, and also trying to grow. They told her husband yesterday that they might have to put her on back on the national registry as this "baby" liver may not be able to handle it all. Her husband has not left her side, has slept in a chair every night, and learned the machines and to read the lab results.

Her name is Joan.

To Joan, please know that I can't imagine Annie & Jack without you. I love your high cheekbones. Your perfect teeth. I love your laugh. I love your flour frosting, and the fact that you make it just to eat without a cake being in the way. Your commitment, and tenacity have always amazed me. We need you. Please keep fighting. We have many things to giggle over. You promised to be my room mate in the nursing home, we even have our outfits planned. You get me, off kilter humor and all. Joan, I love you, don't leave.


3 comments:

jadedj said...

She is not going to. Believe that.

Anonymous said...

Your post has made me cry. And very few things do that. It is so heartfelt and sincere. Keep the faith, lady. Here's hoping and praying that Joan will make it through this difficult time. Stay strong!

Minx's Den said...

Oh Georgia, your post gave me tears, I feel for you, your pain, and your pain is so strong, I can sense it in your post. All I can say is leave it to a higher power, if you believe in God, then leave it up to him to lay his hand onto your friend and give her the strength to survive. I am indeed a christian and believe that beyond the 21st century modern medicine, prayers can heal too. I will keep you and your dear friend in my thoughts and prayers, sometimes faith can be very difficult to grasp in our hands and hold onto, but with a good grip, faith will stay in your hands and never slip and fall to the ground, remember that, Georgia. Faith is only slippery only if you let it be that way.

-Lauren
xoxo :)