A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

"The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together."

Saadi.

Welcome to Sunday afternoon in my little corner of the world, where the sky is very overcast and a storm is promised in spite of the heat.

I spent a lovely Sunday Morning in the Gardens not very far from my home where I attended the Donate Life Week Rose planting ceremony.  This was the launch event for Donate Life Week and there will be many functions and much publicity during the coming week promoting the issue of Organ and Tissue donation ~ an issue very close to my heart.

This morning I joined with Donor families, Recipients and their families and friends, Medical Staff and those who work very closely with Donor Families, to give thanks for the gift of life.

We were addressed by several Members of Parliament, a Donor Family representative and a Recipient and it was a lovely time - very emotional and many tears were shed.   I thought the quote above about the rose and the thorn was most appropriate for this blog post.  

I was able to sit with the husband of a newly transplanted lady who just wasn't up to being there and was able to give him support and introduce him to several people.   We caught up with our special Transplant Coordinator from Flinders Medical Centre, and it was nice to chat a while.

This is my third year of attending and this time was extra special to me because of the friendships and associations I have made during this last year with the Transplant community and to be greeted warmly when I arrived was very special.

Warmly is right - a very hot day, but arrangements had been made for there to be a Marquee with open sides for the wind to blow through, but everyone was able to be in the shade.  The arranging of this event and the catering was first class and it was delightful to be there.

I had the opportunity to speak with the Donor Family representative and to share their grief at the loss of their son and yet to rejoice with them in the celebration of life right in this lovely Garden of Remembrance.    The Garden is right on the fringe of the City Centre and is very close to a busy road where trams, cars, buses, trucks and cyclists pass every minute of the day, and it is right on a flight path for Adelaide Airport.   

The placing of this Garden in this situation is very special to me because it is the Garden of Life and it situated right in the middle of where life is happening and I feel it most appropriate.  A Children's "Road Safety" area has been placed close by - and there will be laughter and children's noises often near the garden - and on the other side a big playground is under construction.   All of these things represent "Life" and the roses growing there represent life too with the blossoms of joy for the recipients and the thorns of grief and sadness for the Donor families.   To me it all meshes together beautifully and I hope to attend many many more of these events.

Thank you for sharing my joy at my presence there - I visited the rose that was planted for my year of 2009 "Gift of Grace"  and it will grow beautifully alongside this year's "Spirit of Peace", last year's "Thank You" and other roses with beautiful names ~ Memory Rose, Close to You, Remember Me,  Joy of Life, Joy of Health, Reflection and In Appreciation.   Many different colours - representing the many and varied Donors and Recipients..

I spent some time in quiet reflection and took time to honour my Donor and his family and the Donor and family of my dearest friend , and thought of all those I now know who have been touched by Organ and Tissue Donation.

Thank you for visiting the Musings of My Heart - today a heart filled with gratitude for the selfless gift of life given to me and so many and a heart that supports Donor Families.

"Oliver" -( my new liver ) and I are doing very well and I live daily with a thankful heart.

Love and hugs,

THE DAY THAT THE RAINS CAME DOWN

Good evening from a very wet city of Adelaide - the day that the rains came down - it has been wet, wet, wet - and did I tell you it was raining.

Much needed and wanted rains and hopefully in the catchment areas and hopefully on the farmlands that need it so much.

No matter how much we water by hand there is nothing like a good soaking rain to nourish, nurture and encourage our gardens (and weeds) to grow and gardens all over the world benefit from the "soft refreshing rain" - although listening to the noise on my roof right now - there is nothing soft about this lot of rain.

We were on the road this afternoon to Flinders for my Dermatology appointment and boy oh boy were the roads busy and hectic - visibility was very low, lights were on and traffic was slow.   We are home safely and for that I give thanks.

My appointment was good news too - it seems I am in "particularly good shape for the skin I'm in - it is damaged from the Stevens Johnson, but is functioning very well.   I had the reminders about sunblock, hats and long sleeves but all in all it was a wonderful appointment.   Spent some time chatting to a young Doctor from Southern California - who shared her delight that she is "going home for Christmas" with me.

I have some pictures to share with you of gardens on both sides of the world.

A beautiful rose growing in USA 

I hope you can see the butterfly in this picture

These photographs of my precious daffodils have brought much sunshine and pleasure to a winter day - I hope you can see the raindrops on them.

So as I sit in the warmth of a winter evening writing to you - I am very aware of the beauty that is in my world - no matter which side of the globe.

There is beauty in nature - in bugs, birds and my beloved butterflies, there is beauty in the raindrops that glisten like diamonds.

There is beauty in the silver bead curtain of rain that falls from a pewter coloured sky.

There is much beauty to be found all around us and in every situation ~ there is the beauty of friendship and the beauty of knowing we are loved and cared for.

There is beauty in good reports from medical appointments - beauty in the conversations with a total stranger ~ the sharing of hopes and dreams for the coming year -and while it seems strange to talk about 2013 - it is on it's way and I have an appointment already for August 14th. 2013.

I took my Diary down for the year of my transplant 2009 and there are many appointments and hospital stays mentioned in there - 2010 also holds many appointments and less hospital stays, and 2011 and 2012 hold even less - I am blessed indeed to have made such immense progress and to be as well as I am.

I am thankful to my Donor and his family, to the Donors of those I love and care for - and with a very thankful heart I am happy to enjoy the winter season and the rain - because it means I am alive and another spring is mine - heralded by these beautiful daffodils.

I wake each day with a thankful heart and actively try to find something beautiful to photograph each day - I took this photograph on Tuesday in a shopping centre car park - a miniature bottle brush.

There is beauty all around us if we but look and see - and I wish you a day in which you can find beauty, can enjoy the flutter of a butterfly's wing, and express disappointment when she flies away.   I have found beauty today in the diamond raindrops on my daffodils.

I wish you shelter from the storms of life, a calm and peaceful place to read or rest, a comfortable bed and a soft and downy pillow on which to lay your head.   A good book to read, coffee you didn't have to make yourself and green lights in traffic and fair winds to fill your sails as you navigate the sea of your life.

May there be beautiful music to stir your soul and bring joy to your heart.

Thank you for visiting the musings of this thankful heart - I give thanks for all who visit here and may blessings abound for you.

Love and hugs,

Linda. 

FRIDAY EVENING - TIRED, HOME AND SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoygmylt2iM

Josh Groban - Thankful

"There's so much to be thankful for"


Hi there on Friday evening - been a busy day and the sun has shone for most of the day despite the wind being chilly.


We did a morning run to the Airport with our younger daughter who has a weekend of work in Sydney - it was lovely to see her striding so confidently into the Terminal and to know that she is comfortable with the travel and time away.  


Then not much done at home and off to Flinders this afternoon and there is so much to be thankful for.   My blood results told us that my liver function is excellent and kidney function is doing well.
Level of one drug a little high but apparently that fluctuates from test to test.    Tall this means that there is no change with medication and my next appointment is October 14th. but in between there is the September ERCP so this means I will be checked monthly for a little while and that's fine.


The traffic was dreadful - Friday afternoon late and a busy arterial road and lots of police about - everyone seemed in a hurry to get home.   I know I was glad to get home and am now ready for bed.   I have eaten, am in my dressing gown and warm and safe.


I offer my thanks to the Staff who greeted me so cheerfully and helpfully, Doctors and those who have shown interest in how things were going.   The answer is - they are going very well and there is so much to be thankful for.


As you face your weekend - I hope the sun shines for you, you have time to relax and spend time with family and friends, your work colleagues are cheerful and co-operative.   I wish you clear roads and safe journeys, laughter and love and hope that for you too there is so much to be thankful for.


Love and hugs,
Linda.