As much as I can go on and on about my Israel trip and how much more we did and got out of our time together I can’t help but wonder if taking prayers directly to the wall that those prayers were heard.
On Tuesday, while Daniel was comfortably halfway through his D[P]R show I received an email that made my heart stop. The request to find out who Daniel’s Bone Marrow donor was answered. There it was Name, address, phone number, email. All of it. Right there. It wasn’t anything more than ink and scribbles on a faxed and scanned page but all of a sudden it was such a beautiful piece of our puzzle handed to us. I was jumping out of my skin waiting for Daniel’s show to wrap up. I couldn’t hardly listen to the end of it. As soon as it did I was so excited to tell Daniel. I cried and we talked about it all the way home. We had a name now and a place and it seemed so much more real. Immediately I started to think-what now, what next???? I couldn’t wait to think about planning for the introduction. My heart started racing as fast as my mind.
After the reality sunk in and I had a few minutes to prorecess the information I had realized that our angel now was a real person. That person had a name and by name alone it was obvious that he was Christian. Knowing that Christmas is coming and that he is our angel it instinctively came to me to go buy an angel to send to him immediately. That is not true my first thought now that I had an address was to buy an airplane ticket and be in New York in 4 hours and on his door step to give him a hug but this was going to have to do as a slightly subtler second approach. After all I didn’t want to scare him off to quickly. Within hours my head was swirling with ideas of words and emotions all over the place. I have been thinking of the right words since we knew we would need a donor. What are the right words to say thank you right? If you have read these blogs you know I have always been thankful and grateful to our angel every day every moment but now… NOW! Now it was time. Time to say those words. I wanted Daniel to have a chance to write or call or email too and he was planning to do this. I was so excited I got to work composing my thoughts and having Daniel do the same. I had chosen the perfect angel and we would send our package tomorrow or maybe email it, I hadn’t yet decided. I was almost too excited to sleep but jet lag was still kicking our butts. The next day we were busy with our day and I was still in haze of happiness with our great news. As I was getting ready to walk out the door to a birthday celebration for great friend (surprise party so it was a timing thing too) my phone rang. The unknown number came from a NY area code and again my heart stopped. Could it be? I was completely caught off guard. I quickly answered and it was him. Our angel. He said “Nadine, This is Pablo, your son’s bone marrow donor.” Oh My G-d, Oh My G-d, my hands were shaking, my voice was trembling. I was so caught off guard. My tears started flowing and I peaked around the corner to tell Daniel, it’s him it’s him!!! I went on and on how I was so excited to hear from him and how I was just getting ready to send him a package and a letter to introduce ourselves and then he told me why he couldn’t wait to call us.
I don’t know how the whole thing usually works. After a year through the National Bone Marrow Registry the recipient fills out a form to request that the donor release their information to the recipient. If they do then they can release as much info as they want name, phone number, address, whatever and go from there. They give all the warnings that contact may be made. Publicity may be made blah blah blah. Knowing as much or as little will be pursued. Anyway, as I am explaining that we couldn’t wait to know who our donor was to be able to thank them, he started to explain a little bit about his situation. I couldn’t believe it. As if I didn’t think our story was amazing enough, I hope you are sitting down as you read this. This angel begins to tell me of his own son. At two years old needed a bone marrow transplant. Yep, I am not kidding you. His son had a very rare genetic disorder that effected his platelets and the best treatment was a bone marrow transplant. His donor was from the U.K. but they unfortunately never found out who their donor was. Thank G-d their beautiful son is now healthy and well and they have a daughter and are expecting their third child now, but because they never found out who their life saving angel was Pablo was so happy when we requested to find out who ours was his heart couldn’t wait to for us to contact him he said he had to pick up the phone as soon as he could. I was speechless (which I rarely am). Since I was 1. Caught off guard and 2. In a rush to leave the house for the party I felt I had so much more to say. When I hung up I was regretful how I ended and left the call. When I finished the call Daniel was very angry with me that I didn’t let him talk to his donor. He distinctly yelled at me “Was he your donor?” I left the house feeling terrible about how things went on all fronts. Within an hour had made up with Daniel by apologizing, knowing he was 100% right. He should have had first shot at speaking with his donor and I let him know that. Although Pablo and I spoke as parents of course there is no way I can ever understand Daniel’s perspective and he continues to make me take a step back and reevaluate myself. As well I got a chance to text with Pablo and apologize for rushing and just being grateful for being able to get the opportunity to take my time to introduce myself properly the way I intended and I look forward to beginning our new relationship with each other. This dear man is already so much a part of our lives it will just be a matter of time before we see how we meet one day. He is aware that we may need another transplant (of sorts) at some point and is more than willing to help with that. From everything I know of this lovely man so far he is a saint in my eyes. He and Daniel have already spoken and I hope they will continue to communicate. I have sent him my formal introduction letter and I now feel it will only be a matter of self discipline to not purchase that plane ticket to New York.
On Tuesday, while Daniel was comfortably halfway through his D[P]R show I received an email that made my heart stop. The request to find out who Daniel’s Bone Marrow donor was answered. There it was Name, address, phone number, email. All of it. Right there. It wasn’t anything more than ink and scribbles on a faxed and scanned page but all of a sudden it was such a beautiful piece of our puzzle handed to us. I was jumping out of my skin waiting for Daniel’s show to wrap up. I couldn’t hardly listen to the end of it. As soon as it did I was so excited to tell Daniel. I cried and we talked about it all the way home. We had a name now and a place and it seemed so much more real. Immediately I started to think-what now, what next???? I couldn’t wait to think about planning for the introduction. My heart started racing as fast as my mind.
After the reality sunk in and I had a few minutes to prorecess the information I had realized that our angel now was a real person. That person had a name and by name alone it was obvious that he was Christian. Knowing that Christmas is coming and that he is our angel it instinctively came to me to go buy an angel to send to him immediately. That is not true my first thought now that I had an address was to buy an airplane ticket and be in New York in 4 hours and on his door step to give him a hug but this was going to have to do as a slightly subtler second approach. After all I didn’t want to scare him off to quickly. Within hours my head was swirling with ideas of words and emotions all over the place. I have been thinking of the right words since we knew we would need a donor. What are the right words to say thank you right? If you have read these blogs you know I have always been thankful and grateful to our angel every day every moment but now… NOW! Now it was time. Time to say those words. I wanted Daniel to have a chance to write or call or email too and he was planning to do this. I was so excited I got to work composing my thoughts and having Daniel do the same. I had chosen the perfect angel and we would send our package tomorrow or maybe email it, I hadn’t yet decided. I was almost too excited to sleep but jet lag was still kicking our butts. The next day we were busy with our day and I was still in haze of happiness with our great news. As I was getting ready to walk out the door to a birthday celebration for great friend (surprise party so it was a timing thing too) my phone rang. The unknown number came from a NY area code and again my heart stopped. Could it be? I was completely caught off guard. I quickly answered and it was him. Our angel. He said “Nadine, This is Pablo, your son’s bone marrow donor.” Oh My G-d, Oh My G-d, my hands were shaking, my voice was trembling. I was so caught off guard. My tears started flowing and I peaked around the corner to tell Daniel, it’s him it’s him!!! I went on and on how I was so excited to hear from him and how I was just getting ready to send him a package and a letter to introduce ourselves and then he told me why he couldn’t wait to call us.
I don’t know how the whole thing usually works. After a year through the National Bone Marrow Registry the recipient fills out a form to request that the donor release their information to the recipient. If they do then they can release as much info as they want name, phone number, address, whatever and go from there. They give all the warnings that contact may be made. Publicity may be made blah blah blah. Knowing as much or as little will be pursued. Anyway, as I am explaining that we couldn’t wait to know who our donor was to be able to thank them, he started to explain a little bit about his situation. I couldn’t believe it. As if I didn’t think our story was amazing enough, I hope you are sitting down as you read this. This angel begins to tell me of his own son. At two years old needed a bone marrow transplant. Yep, I am not kidding you. His son had a very rare genetic disorder that effected his platelets and the best treatment was a bone marrow transplant. His donor was from the U.K. but they unfortunately never found out who their donor was. Thank G-d their beautiful son is now healthy and well and they have a daughter and are expecting their third child now, but because they never found out who their life saving angel was Pablo was so happy when we requested to find out who ours was his heart couldn’t wait to for us to contact him he said he had to pick up the phone as soon as he could. I was speechless (which I rarely am). Since I was 1. Caught off guard and 2. In a rush to leave the house for the party I felt I had so much more to say. When I hung up I was regretful how I ended and left the call. When I finished the call Daniel was very angry with me that I didn’t let him talk to his donor. He distinctly yelled at me “Was he your donor?” I left the house feeling terrible about how things went on all fronts. Within an hour had made up with Daniel by apologizing, knowing he was 100% right. He should have had first shot at speaking with his donor and I let him know that. Although Pablo and I spoke as parents of course there is no way I can ever understand Daniel’s perspective and he continues to make me take a step back and reevaluate myself. As well I got a chance to text with Pablo and apologize for rushing and just being grateful for being able to get the opportunity to take my time to introduce myself properly the way I intended and I look forward to beginning our new relationship with each other. This dear man is already so much a part of our lives it will just be a matter of time before we see how we meet one day. He is aware that we may need another transplant (of sorts) at some point and is more than willing to help with that. From everything I know of this lovely man so far he is a saint in my eyes. He and Daniel have already spoken and I hope they will continue to communicate. I have sent him my formal introduction letter and I now feel it will only be a matter of self discipline to not purchase that plane ticket to New York.