I recently saw an ad on Côte-des-Neiges that said:
Derrière chaque grand moment, il y a le travail de plusieurs gens. In other words:
Behind every significant moment is a group of people behind the scenes helping to make it happen.
Yesterday was the fateful June 2nd. Four years since my stem cell transplant, and another opportunity to express my gratitude to my A team: April Shamy, the MUHC, my sister Donna, Keena and Hal. The cash register bells went off when William Ashby Hall agreed to give his stem cells.
I’m flooded with other memories. Dawn Doherty sent me Here Comes The Sun for my transplant playlist. I wore earphones from the Staff at RSGC to better hear the music. My sister taught me that every ugly hair and face moment was just a photo op for the best laugh of your life. Maria Guzzo washed and peeled 10 kiwis, which I ate all at once. (Bad, bad, bad idea.)
Claudine Martel’s grade one class made me a card glued with feathers, and rocks and leaves, all things dear to a six-year-old.
Aunt Stephanie mailed me a purple blanket knitted by her church group. Purple, as everyone knows, represents the future. Knowing you will have a future is a survival tool. Alisse once convinced the security guard to let her into the hospital late one night when I couldn’t stop crying. Daughters have the power to save the day or night. Reid sat in a chair next to me for days on end as a sort of human porch light. Lori Schubert made my grandmother’s chocolate pudding and delivered it warm. Jacqueline McClaran gave me a Dallas Cheerleader wig, which I mailed to Brian Pichette when he underwent chemotherapy.
I wasn’t allowed flowers, but they came anyway and I could give them to other people. Mario, the floor cleaner, washed my little spin bike like I was his own daughter, stood by my bed the morning after a catastrophic nose bleed, and a midnight transfusion to say: “It could be worse. They didn’t move your bed to the south side, which means they still have hope for you.”
People have said, Susan, you’re so resilient. NO. One thousand hands have lifted me up to where I am now. Thank you again and again. Thank you.
And of course, Hal is still bringing me the cinnamon lattes.