Overwhelming. It’s the only word that comes close to capturing the inspiration I felt reading all of the #31forSam posts. From Alaska to Wisconsin, New York to Idaho -- from skiing to meditating, walking to giving blood -- from family to complete strangers (by the way: Nice to meet you & thank you!). So many of you got out and did the things that are important to me in life -- being outside and enjoying the present.
And this high dose of inspiration came at the perfect time. Going to the clinic day-after-day to undergo tests and procedures to try to get me ready for a transplant that doctors say is highly unlikely to work can be depressing. No matter how hard one tries to stay positive, it can be easy to get sucked into a psychological abyss and feel like giving up. If I’m honest, that’s where I was two weeks ago. I woke up on my birthday only to throw my back out in the process of choking on a giant pill. I crawled my way to bed and lay flat on my back, trying to catch my breath as the pain knocked the wind out of me. Then something special happened. I picked up my phone and started looking through the #31forSam posts. Seeing so many of the people and places I love, hearing from old friends I haven’t seen in years, warmed my heart. Your posts reminded me how lucky Jenny and I are to have such an amazing community around us. You renewed my inspiration to fight -- to swing for a cure no matter how low the chances are and to fight for each day. To have Shawshank Redemption-like hope. To get outside and walk with Jenny and Birkie whether that means going half a block from the apartment or two miles through the woods. I am beyond grateful, and, despite my attempts to respond individually, I became overwhelmed and fell short. So whether or not I’ve gotten around to replying to your texts, emails and posts, know that I appreciate it more than you know. This world is an amazing place. Take some time tonight to breathe fresh, cold air and look up at the stars. Be present with someone you love, make a stupid joke, and remember that every moment we’re given is a gift. And when you do, please know that I am forever grateful to share my time on this planet with amazing people like you.
Danielle Schroder
1/26/2017 05:20:16 pm
This is beautiful, Sam. You are loved by so many. Comments are closed.
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