A Donor’s Mother

This post has taken me all day to write.  I’ve been full of so many emotions.  The day started very early, 4:00am to be exact. We woke up, and started the drive from Qualicum Beach to Victoria.  Christina wasn’t feeling great, so she slept off and on most of the drive.  I was very nervous about today, and so I was driving a little slower than usual.

As we drove, Leanne Womak’s song I Hope You Dance came on the radio. This song is special for Christina and I, as she had a class performance in Grade three to the song. It has always reminded me of her. Christina has always been one to dance through life, enjoying and living every moment to its fullest. At one point, the lyrics say “I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean”.  Today it was so hard to see her as small.  She was my beautiful girl, all grown up, giving this beautiful gift. She was so brave.

As we walked into the procedure room, we joked and had our usual banter. She was excited and not nervous. It was amazing. I have been an egg donor a few times, and I certainly was never as graceful, that’s for sure. She had lots of eggs, and 22 that looked great!  Dr Graham did a great job, as did the nurses assisting. I was shocked at how quickly she bounced back after. Within an hour, we were on our way back to the hotel to rest.  When we finally got settled, she started to feel unwell.  It’s so hard to see her in pain, but she’s been good about it all.

The nurse suggested salty food, so it’s a Sushi, and salt and vinegar chips kind of evening, while we snuggle in and watch TV. This was a known donation so we’ll have some news in the coming months, and whether the outcome is positive, or negative, it’s been such a wonderful experience for Christina this week, and as a journey we shared together, something I won’t soon forget. Thanks so much to all of our friends and family who have been a huge support as Christina went through this beautiful process.