Blessed by a stranger...

Well, not a complete stranger I guess. More like a distant acquaintance. I received a friend request on Facebook from a girl I went to high school with. She was a year older and a lot more popular and, quite frankly, I didn't even know that she knew who I was. So kind of like a stranger. After I accepted her friend request I started looking at her profile. I saw a link to a website for her daughter and clicked on it. Over the next half hour, as I continuously sobbed, I got caught up on this girl's life and what she has been through the past couple of years. Her daughter, who was Hayden's age, passed away last month from a disease affecting the mitochonria. I also found out through her profile that they had adopted a baby boy only to have the birth mother change her mind and take him back. In a matter of two months they went from a family of four to a family of two. The thing is, I never saw once anywhere on her profile or website a complaint. She talked about the blessings of her daughter and, as people were writing in with their prayers at the news of the failed adoption, she told them thank you but please pray for the little boy instead...that he was the one who needed them. She and her husband continue on in their fight to raise awareness and money for the disease that took their baby girl. I think that when you have a child sick with a disease it is easy to think it is the only disease in the world. Our lives revolve around Hayden's CF. Taking care of it, fighting it, raising money to cure it, etc. It was almost as if I had forgotten somehow that there are other moms doing everything they can to raise money and awareness for their child's disease too. It hit me like a ton of bricks that I need to do more. I shouldn't only be reaching out and supporting other CF moms but all moms who are terrified for their child's lives. Even though the diseases are different, I believe the fear and feelings of hopelessness are the same. I sent her a message asking her to let me know of any fundraisers I could attend of volunteer to help for. I know how much it means to me when someone signs up to help or donates to CF. To me, it is the same as them looking me in the eye and saying "I am going to help you save your daughter's life." We are blessed that Hayden's health is strong right now. So maybe I need to be saying that to someone else right now. Maybe that has been part of God's plan in giving me Hayden. That I would not only get involved with saving Hayden but help others try to save their children as well. All I know is I can't read something like that and walk away. Not when I've partly been there myself. I don't think she will ever know how she blessed me tonight with her outlook and her courage. If she can have that strength and spirit after losing two children, I certainly can.