My Hero

Before our story wraps up and before I am under the influence of any drugs I feel like my blogging requires a dedication to my hero. While everyone is busy telling me how brave I am and what a great sacrifice I am giving.....while everyone is saying prayers for me and Nathanial and trying to do all they can to help us out during the next couple of weeks.....while everyone hugs me and says 'bless your heart', a silent hero has been standing in the shadows supporting me throughout this entire process.

My hero just cleaned out the guest room last week so that my granny would have a room to sleep in when she comes to stay with us. My hero has been to almost every doctor appointment with me regarding the transplant. My hero put money in all the kids' lunch accounts so I don't have to worry about packing lunches every morning after surgery. My hero has been there to hold my hand and rub my back for all of my tests and proceedures. My hero, well, he's really the reason I'm able to do this. He is my rock.

I'm emotional today. I know the stress is starting to get to me. I keep doing that thing where I think "next week right now I will be....." and then I get weak feeling and anxious. Its dumb, I know. This is the week we have been waiting on for months!! And now, NOW I decide to get weirded out?! It doesn't make sense.

Last night, Geoff just lay beside me in bed listening to me talk about the things I was excited about and the things I was scared about and all the things I laugh about. He rubbed my back and listened, really listened, to all that was on my mind and all that was troubling me so that I could go to sleep. How selfless is that? And then, he cracked a joke about how funny it would be if, when I was coming out of the anesthsia, he put on a white owl mask. (have you seen the trailer for the new movie "The Fourth Kind"? Where people are abducted by aliens and every night they see a white owl outside their window prior to the abduction? FREAKY!!!!) I love how he listens, but then knows just the right time to make me crack up and forget all my troubles. Its hard to find a more genuine soul in this world. Someone who always places your needs before their own. Thank you, Geoff, for being my all. Thank you for being there even when I'm bitchy (and Lord knows, those days are many). Thank you for buying me pudding when I want pudding and for getting me a tanning package because I wanted to be tan for surgery. Thank you for listening to me sing all around the house because I sing like a musical when I'm stressed. Thank you for not throwing out my favorite old pair of green sweat pants that you detest (they're going to be SO comfy after surgery!) And thank you for listening to me and really hearing what I say. I love you.

~Hilary

Footnote: Dad, don't even THINK about getting a white owl mask. I know this is what you are thinking and it would NOT be funny to anyone. This would be like when you and Nathanial came over to watch BlairWitch at my house and left little piles of rocks on my porch in the dark that night after you left.