Posted last night as a comment, and worth reading now!
Just a little note to say hello to my sisters! I am so proud of all that you are doing to make the Games a wonderful experience for the athletes, donor families and living donors. You are truly demonstrating your servant leadership. Thank you on behalf of all of us who couldn’t make it this year! Enjoy the experience, and keep posting…I’m enjoying “hearing” about all that’s going on. :)
Alicia Scott
Supreme Council Director
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Okay, so I'm home safe and sound now, but here's the blog I wrote right before I left... love to everyone still at the Games! I had an amazing time!
So here I am in the hotel room that has been my home for the last two and a half days. I just finished packing, and I'm sitting here with Dominiak as I type out this blog.
I can't believe Sunday came so quickly! It's been a whirlwind of activities, and my body would LOVE LOVE LOVE some Starbuck's right now to keep it going! That being said, being at the Transplant Games has been one of the most amazing experiences in my life - and I've done my fair share of living, so that's saying quite a bit!
At any rate, most of the highlights of my weekend relate to meeting many of the athletes and talking to them about their experiences and what brought them to this year's Transplant Games. It is inspirational to hear their stories of courage and perseverance, and it is a constant reminder to appreciate life in all of its multi-layered facets. I had the pleasure of working at the swimming events both days (my friend Joey Dykstra would be proud - he's a lifetime swimmer and is now the women's swimming and dive coach at the University of North Texas!), and getting to know some of the participants. During today's events, a number of the youngest transplant recipients competed, and it seemed especially poignant to see such dramatic scars on such young bodies. Despite what each child must have gone through to get to today's games - waiting, doctor's visits, stays at the hospital, and eventual surgery and recovery - it made my heart glad to see each kid behaving just like... a kid. How amazing is it to know that they are able to have a childhood through the grace and generosity of a living donor or donor family's gift? It made me laugh to see one young swimmer with "Eat My Bubbles" written on his back, and it made my eyes tear up to see another swimmer with "Thank you, Donor Family" written on his back. I commiserated with the young athletes who just DIDN'T want to get in the pool, and cheered on the ones who jumped in, water wings and all.
On the other end of the spectrum, we had swimmers all the way up in their 70s, poised on the starting blocks and raring to go. Imagine what a phenomenal place this world would be if we all dared to do what we didn't think was possible? Not only are some of these competitors grandmothers and grandfathers, they are also transplant recipients. So I guess any excuses I might have for not going to the gym just aren't going to cut it now, are they???
Of all the people I've met in the last two days, I'd have to say that Michael is the one that stands out in my mind. Michael is competing with Team Arizona this year, and has already done pretty well in two days' worth of competing, including earning a few medals and breaking some records! But for me, it's not about how fast he is, how many records he's broken, or the fact that he could probably kill me with just a thought, it's about the joy. (In case you're wondering, Michael just got his second black belt in Hapkido - apologies if I spelled that wrong - and apparently works as some super secret government agent; well, I'm not ENTIRELY sure about his occupation because as he says, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you.") If you don't know what I mean about that, you will in about sixty seconds - or longer, depending on how fast you read! Within minutes of my conversation with Michael, I found out that he had leukemia, and had received a bone marrow transplant from his older sister some years ago. For any of you that have ever kept up with my ramblings on MySpace, or just happen to know me, you know that not very long ago, the Phi Sig chapter I advise at the University of La Verne lost a sister to leukemia. Neddie Iniquez was just barely 21 when she passed away, but she remains in my heart and in my thoughts. When doctors told Neddie that there wasn't much left that they could do for her, a lesser person would have become bitter and angry about the hand that was dealt to her - but not Neddie. Neddie took it in stride. Sometimes, I think she worried more about how her friends, family, and sorority sisters would take the news than the reality of her own mortality. Neddie was about living in the NOW - savoring the good moments, forgetting the bad, and giving it everything she had. She chose to focus on the positive, and embrace the joy of life. Yes, she had her moments, but overwhelmingly, more often than not, she was the candle that lit up the darkness. When someone was having a bad day, Neddie would be the one to try to pick them up, give them a hug, and remind them that there was happiness to be had. Ironic, isn't it? That the person who would have had every right to be angry and frustrated and bitter would be the one that was busy comforting others, making them laugh, and bringing joy into their lives. Puts things into perspective, doesn't it?
Although I miss Neddie, the memory of her words, her actions, and her philosophy on life has carried me through some of my own darkest days. Most recently, I had hit some rough patches due to some personal issues, and I was about as bummed out as I've been in awhile. In fact, the day before I left to come out to the Transplant Games, I was feeling incredibly stressed out, and on edge. As I was driving home from work, I suddenly thought about Neddie. It was enough to wake me up and remind me to appreciate the blessings in my life. I know that sounds simplistic, but maybe you had to know Neddie to know why it works.
At any rate, Michael reminds me of Neddie - and no, it's not the fact that he had leukemia, although it does play a part. Michael reminds me of Neddie because he's energetic and full of life. He can talk your ear off (in a good way), he cracks random jokes, and he reminds me of how joyous life is, and can be. The timing couldn't be better. My immediate stress levels on Thursday were alleviated by thoughts of Neddie, the Transplant Games have been a celebration of life, and the end of my trip has been bookended by meeting Michael. Maybe it sounds silly, but I feel like it's one of those signs from the Universe confirming that everything is going to work out just right.
I agree with Alicia! Thank you, sisters, for all that you are doing to make a difference!
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