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Family
( A Poem by Terry Hammonds written during
Symposium 2007)
We haven’t seen each other in a year
some even longer.
Hugs, laughter & love all around.
Some are just getting to know another,
But still…..we are family.
Our children are precious
affected or not.
Each one is adored & loved.
I’m looking at a miracle,
transplanted from birth.
Some are not so lucky.
Such joy to see everyone
From Canada to the Midwest, the south & the
U.K.
Fighting over children to hold & love
Such pure joy
Ah….family.
Papa Bear uplifts us through his own sorrow
What a beautiful family.
Hearing all the angels names, is very, very
sad.
It makes me cry.
But then I see a transplant kid,
And all is laughter once again.
Ah we
miss Mathew….
Planes trains & Automobiles,
boy are we tired.
The next day begins the meat & potatoes
Newborn screening, therapies, ALD & family
support.
Everything happens the way it’s supposed to
for this I am learning is true
We are about to jump the bilingual barrier
Our family continues to grow…
Music from days gone by play over the
speakers
There is a beautiful green mountain view in
front of me.
The sun feels good
It’s time to nap
It’s been a full day but more is still to
come.
Zoey, mom & grandma are off to an interview.
A family photo by the clock tower is taken
A family rushes off in emergency
Fever of 104.
So we embarrassed ourselves during Karaoke.
Are we over it yet?
Others were beautiful
And the kids are a God-send.
Now my bubble is bursted
Not everyone has felt like “family”
How do we change that?
We all are human, coming from different
paths
Our needs are different
Each and every one.
How do you not offend?
Or pass a judgment?
As we are all human…
Each decision that is made
To transplant, not transplant or abort
Belongs solely to that family
No one should comment.
Walk one
day in their shoes….
We have a common thread
It’s one itty bitty thread
A partial size of a head of a pin
It’s that world called “enzyme”
You either have it, a bit of it or none at
all
We come in many forms
Short, tall, big or small.
We fight so other children
Will have a better chance.
This is the common thread
The one that makes us family.
Unite together
Because divided we fall.
We are here to fight for the freedom of our
children
And this is what makes us family.
Brody what a great gift you have.
Some of us don’t have family portraits.
We thought we had all the time.
The variety show…
What a blast!
Young and old alike,
Teamwork and competition
Dalton & Elijah are winning.
Gina is kicking butt too.
What a great feeling.
Everyone is normal.
Sitting around the campfire
On a cool starry night
The innocence of laughter
It’s been such a long time!
Not having to explain
Those age old questions
“How many children do you have?”
No need to explain here.
It’s family.
I had always thought that I was born in the
wrong century.
I had always wanted to be a pioneer on the
western frontier.
Little did I know until today,
That we are all pioneers, on all frontiers.
My dream has been complete.
Oh how we cry when our balloons go off.
We do this every year
It doesn’t get any easier…..
What a great tribute!
I look forward to Laura every Laps for Life
What a great inspiration!
She has been training most of the year.
Dancing with Sandrine…
Not only did you show me a glimpse of your
beautiful soul,
You gave me a beautiful gift…
I got to dance with my Liam once again.
Oh how I cried.
Mama Bear and Papa Bear have invited us up
for the evening.
I am so happy!
Seeing children playing pool.
Adults are at the bar (ok...kids too)
Music is playing.
We are all so happy and once again….
We are all so very normal.
(A rainy day here is still better than a
sunny day in Chicago.)
Taking as many pictures as we can,
to catch each waking moment.
We really don’t want to say “goodbye”…..
Ah… the dreaded Sunday has arrived,
It takes forever to say goodbye.
We hug & kiss then hug again.
We drive away in the car….
Such a somber feeling
Extremely tired but overjoyed.
What a great week we just spent
We spent it with our family…..
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