As a part of his Foundation he has an annual lunch to honor mothers who spend countless hours at the area hospitals tending to their sick children. Charles spoke about his personal experience, learning and dealing with the news of his sick baby and need for a heart transplant. Two other mothers shared their stories and the room was then opened up for anyone who wished to share a story.
As I sat in the room listening to all these other moms talk in acronyms, throwing out medical jargon as if they all had an M.D. after their name,I was reminded I am not alone in this journey.
We all share this amazing bond,every single mother in the room was struck by some sort of tragedy surrounding their son or daughter. Some moms had healthy children up till a certain age, some knew of their troubles before they met their baby, and some have lost their child.
One mother spoke about how she could remember the street she was driving on, the clothes she was wearing and the song on the radio when she received the call stating her daughter had Leukemia. To this day she can barely drive down that street.
These words spoke to me, all the words today spoke to me and told me you are not alone. To know in a room of close to 100 women you could have a conversation with any one of them and they would truly get what you are feeling and have survived was pretty incredible.
What’s also incredible is how I found my way to this luncheon. Soon after Cameron was born I was dying to talk to anyone, and I mean anyone who had a child with special needs, so online I went. I felt so isolated in the first year, (and even today it still hits me) through a Mom’s Website I met a woman named Barb and we agreed to a “blind date” at the local Starbucks. It’s sounds like we met on eHarmony…ha ha!
Barb brought her son Johnny, and I, Cameron, we easily fell into conversation. Our two boys didn’t share any of the same diagnosis, but we still got each other.
John was born with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), somewhat ironic as it was suspected Cameron had this on day 4 of life at Prentice and thus the reason he was transported to Children’s.
I remember the day I met Barb and saw Johnny who at the time was on a ventilator, and he still is at night now at age 6. I saw calmness, strength and peace in this woman. She’s quite frankly incredible. Oh and she’s a Foster Mom, really this woman is amazing.
And so we’ve kept in touch, had an occasional play date with the boys, checked in with one another during the tough times. There have been unplanned meetings at Children’s on more than one occasion, both having been admitted for one reason or another.
Just last month as Cameron was heading into surgery, Johnny had been rushed to the ER, (he also suffers from seizures and they are often intractable). Barb and John were one floor below us, we were both tired, worried souls, but seeing her face and sharing a hug reminded me I am not alone.
Thank you Barb and Thank you Charles Tillman for the reminders today.
Oh and thanks for the NOOK! At the end Charles asked all the mothers to stand up, he announced all the Mothers would be getting a NOOK (e-reader) everyone cheered, Barb and I hugged, it was crazy and we all joked about how “Peanut” (Tillman’s nickname) had just staged his own version of the Oprah show.
A great day… now go hug, kiss, squeeze your healthy kids and count your blessings my friends. I just did.
XOXOX
1 comment:
I am so blessed to have met you!!! You are just as amazing Rory, don't forget that! I love how you write, our blind date does sound like an eharmony meet up! :-)))
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