This Thanksgiving is unlike any other.
Not long ago I was tethered to a kidney dialysis machine, drained by exhaustion and uncertainty.
Today, I woke up with strength, purpose, and hope because someone chose to give me the gift of life. A kidney. A second chance. A better quality of life.
I am overflowing with gratitude for my parents whose steady love anchored me, for my sister whose fierce advocacy carried me, for Jeff (including his family) whose courage ensured I would not walk this road alone and would not be left standing. And for the donor whose selfless act I can’t wait to meet and thank face-to-face.
I am thankful for doctors and nurses who helped from diagnosis through recovery, for friends and family who prayed, for every card and message that reminded me I was not walking this journey alone.
This 2-year kidney journey has taught me that gratitude is more than words. It is a way of living. It is laughter restored, dreams reimagined, and my faith renewed.
So this Thanksgiving I give endless thanks for life and for grace.