I'm Still Here

Hey bloggers! Long time, no see! Life is crazy hectic as always. The rare free moments that I have are spent either eating or sleeping. And these lovely moments are few and far in between. But, life is beautiful and I am reminded every day. A longer update is soon to come. I have been given an awesome opportunity to be the example in my cousin Jimmy's up coming sermon. He asked me to write a piece on these past three years. When I finish it, I will post it on here. Hope you are getting ready for a great week. Take a second every night to reflect. And please please please don't forget to count your blessings. Until later.....

With Love,
Sarah

The Gift of Life

The Red Cross was at our school today taking donations. I watched as my classmates, one by one, left class and went out to the trailers. They came back a few minutes later, some looking white and flushed, some looking just as they did before. To some this is just a compensatory or kind act, others just a few sweet minutes out of class. But, to me this is a beautiful thing. This is my life. Some people don't realize just how important it is. It is rare for a cancer patient to escape treatment without some sort of transfusion, whether it be blood or platelets. It is so important for these kids. It is often the reason we are able to make it through the harsh chemotherapy. I know from experience how it feels to have low hemoglobin. Fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, paleness. You name it, I felt it. A blood transfusion is a beautiful thing. It is excrutiatingly long process, depending on how many units you get. It usually takes four to six hours to infuse, not including hydration and pre medication. The positive thing is that your energy is almost instantly returned and you can literally watch the color return to your face. It's the best energy drink you will ever have. I am writing this because if I can help even just one person realize how important it is to donate, I will feel I have done my job.
Being on the recieving end of a blood product is an incredibly humbling experience. I do not belong to just myself anymore. A small part of me belongs to every person who has ever given a pint of blood. A huge part of me belongs to the people who so selflessly donated and whose blood now coarses through my veins every day. I will never know whose blood I recieved. Life is not racist or sexist, it doesn't care about intellectual levels or social statuses. I can only be thankful for the kindness of complete strangers who will never know how much their gift of life means to kids like me. I can only live this life that they have played a part in saving to make a difference, to raise awareness, and to be someone's miracle like they have been to me.