And hoping something better comes tomorrow
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness
I know that better things are on their way. *
This past week my mind has been on the most beautiful, precious little girl in the whole, wide world – a lot of minds are. Her name is Annika.
Today is Annika's eight birthday – she had her first liver transplant when she was 12 months old and her second one three months after that. She was waiting for a third liver transplant.
I said was because they got the call for her third liver in the early morning of October 8th and she was transplanted. She's been having a tough journey – but she's a tough little girl.
Anni's Mom, Moreena, writes a beautiful blog titled "Falling down is also a gift"... Hundreds of us have been following Anni and her family over the past years – and through this part of her journey over the past week...
I'm only guessing here – but it sounds like liver transplant can sometimes involve a lot of blood loss – particularly a third transplant. At one point, only two days after her transplant, Moreena mentioned that Anni has received 24 units of blood. And the beautiful and amazing thing is the response from the people following Anni's story... I scrolled through a few days of responses – 18 people said they were donating blood on Anni's behalf – 6 more people tried, or wanted to but couldn't. And one Autumn Blaze Maple tree is being planted in the corner of Anni's yard for her.
Anyhoo – a precious little girl can use your thoughts and prayers right about now... After a lot of bleeding, extra trips to the O.R., days in the PICU with her surgical site open to relieve pressure, a collapsed lung that came back after another trip to the O.R., by last accounts, she's doing better...
Her Mom made this beautiful video two years ago to support another friend, whose daughter had been transplanted in 2006. She made it to remind her friend that better things were on the way. It stars Anni, and her little sister Frankie.
It's a beautiful video, to a beautiful song – and I do wish Anni the bluest skies, and I do know something better will come tomorrow...
Didja smile? Didja cry? I did both… I don't know how long I'll live, or if I'll ever get to see it – but I hope one day, a long ways from now, that Moreena will be posting a video of Anni going to her senior prom, graduating college – getting married... If I was in charge of the world, that's one of the things I would make happen...
Can you imagine saving a precious life like Anni’s? Some family did that. Actually, three families have done that. You can do that someday. This is what organ donation does for people, and for families. If you haven’t already, please register to be an organ donor.
* “Better things” by Dar Williams…
