My 2nd Mom

Can I take your picture and interview you for my blip?

Oh well sure......

Okay, I've got two different avenues that we could go down. One being your life as a Flower Child in the 60's and 70's.

(laughter and a lot of it)

Ooooh, I can tell you've got some good stories there....

Oh yes. Oh yes I have many. (still laughing)

Or, I wondered if you might like to talk about your lung transplant.

Well, I think that the lung transplant is most fitting for where I am in my life. If I can share my story and all of the emotions involved, then I be might be able to benefit someone who might read this.

If you feel comfortable sharing, I'd love to write about your lung transplant. You know me, I like to dig deep.

Oh I know. I just feel like I've got some important things to say.

Cool. Let me go grab my tablet.
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Okay, where would you like to start?

When I was faced with death, I had to make some important choices. Knowing that I was in a situation where I could lose my life and the people that I love, I went into a higher state of my senses. I was frightened. Because being scared is a significant human feeling. But preparing for the surgery, I knew that I need to push my fear aside. I knew deep down that I was going to survive the surgery because of the extensive testing and the confidence that I received from my doctors. Before the surgery, I doubted my strength but when it came time to have the surgery that would save my life, I knew that I had the strength to get through it.

The hardest thing about my recovery was patience. I had to be patient with myself. And I had to be patient with others. Without patience, you can't survive something like this. I will never forget the words of advice that my son gave me shortly after my surgery. He said, "This is a process Mom. Only part of the process. It will change." He was right. The hard days made me feel stuck but when I realized that it was all a process, it helped. I was forced to think through things. I had to realize that the intense recovery period would pass. It would take time but every day would be different. I had to look at the big picture. My friends and my family helped me to see the big picture.

As a Grandmother for the very first time, I knew that my Grandson had instantly made my life all the more important. To see him in utero and being born was something special that I got to experience. I didn't want to miss out on all of the special little moments with him. Special moments that can only being experienced when living in the moment. I have a very special bond with him. I really feel that children operate on vibrations and on the intensity of human emotion. More so than adults because they haven't yet been desensitized by the stimulus of life. They are more in tune with their primal feelings. I really feel to this day that he understands the depth of what I have been through by the connection that we have. Our emotional connection. The eye contact that he gives me tells me that he can connect with the depth of my feelings for him.

This whole experience has made me dig deep into my emotions and my being. I have realized that I can always do more than I think I can. That things are never as bad as they are initially perceived. Your imagination can be daunting. I realized that I could change the course of my own outcome by changing my mindset. I really believe that. And I whole heartily believe that all of the energy that my friends and family sent to me through thought and prayer really did help. But that's not a new thought. I've always thought that.

I am glad that I talked about this versus my Flower Child days because I just think that this is good for me to talk about. So many of your fellow photographer friends sent well wishes and prayers my way and they followed my story. Right now, I am focusing on the things that I would have missed if my life had ended. You never think about that when life is going well. I don't ever want to be distracted from what is truly important. Living in the moment will continue to add a special quality to my life.