Message of Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  I know our family has so much to be thankful for this year and if you’re reading this-that includes You!

First and foremost, our family thanks our Mighty Lord for watching over us and guiding us down His path rather than our own.  He has been forever faithful to us throughout so many circumstances.

We thank the multitude of people who have kept us in their prayers and thoughts since this journey began in July 2015.  It’s been encouraging and humbling to see the number of people who have come together and surrounded our family with not only love, but their time.

We want to thank our caregivers that took the time out of their busy lives to help Scott and I out. 

We’d first like to thank Chris & Rene for taking such good care of Leah and Nolan.  I know staying there on the property helped them feel like they were still “home”.  You eased a burden from our minds knowing that they were in good hands and well taken care of.  Thanks for the hard work and effort you put in to help them with their homework and school projects.  Thanks for running them to their various activities and play-dates with friends.  Though we know they missed Mom and Dad, you helped them continue their lives as usual the best you could with us out of the picture since August.

We’d like to thank my sister Lisa, who has traveled out here numerous times since July 2015 to be here for us.  This thank you would also need to include her family who went without a wife and mom for a time, so she could be here in California.  Some of those visits were for fun pre-transplant:  Spa Resort, Beach House, Christmas, Hot Air Balloon ride adventure.  The other visits were moral support for Scott and the kids during the transplant while I was out of it, and two care-giving visits.  Each one very different from the other, as she was one of the early caregivers when I needed lots of help.  Lisa and family, we can never show how much gratitude we have for the generosity you’ve bestowed on us.

We’d like to thank my mom, who has been through so much with me already.  Thank you for once again jumping on this transplant train with us and hanging out at the hospital during the transplant and the days following.  I think it helped Scott and the kids to have a “posse” of people there to distract them.   Thanks for coming down and helping me out so Scott could get home.  We also thank Bob for taking time out his day to bring you down to Foster City and pick you up. Thank you for taking the kids for the weekends when you could, I know it was helpful for Chris to have a little break, and the kids as well. We really appreciate all you’ve done for us.

We’d like to thank those who volunteered as caregivers for me specifically, so Scott could squeeze a day or two in Rescue to visit the kids, attempt to get some of our home renovation project completed, and get caught up with his employees and business. 

We’d like to thank my friend Robin, who signed up as my very first caregiver and came only days after my release from the hospital.  Her tasks were a little more challenging, as those early days I needed LOTS of help.  Those early days must not have scared her away, as she signed up again and helped us out immensely two more times; once in caregiving duties and then bringing Nolan to us so he could spend some one on one time with mom.  Our family is so grateful for your friendship and your willingness to help us out when you can. 

We’d like to thank my Dad and Louise for driving down during a stormy weekend to take care of me.  Thank you for your willingness to leave your “fur babies” and help our family out.  We appreciate it so much and even though I don’t “remember”, I am pleased you were there during the transplant for additional moral support for Scott and the kids. 

We’d like to thank Tatjana and her willingness to travel down to the bay area for a weekend.   It was extremely helpful to have someone down here to give Scott a peace of mind that I was being taken care of, even if the caregiver duties were not as numerous as in the earlier days.  There’s still quite a bit I wasn’t (and still can’t) accomplish and to have someone volunteer to care for me was quite helpful to both of us.

We’d like to thank our friend Heather.  Heather not only drove me home from bible study every Tuesday last year from September to May, she also came down here for a weekend to care for me.  She left her little ones, with the youngest being 14 months, and signed up to help us out.  Even though my needs were dwindling, her visit was extremely helpful.  We also must thank her husband, Mark for his part in being willing to be a single dad for the weekend with all three little ones.

We’d like to thank my last caregiver here in Foster City.  My Aunt Joanne had signed up for an earlier “time slot”, but arrived the day I was re-admitted to the hospital for the pneumonia.  She and my Uncle Don had also been down here several times to visit-at the hospital and the condo.  She finally became my caregiver this past weekend.  As my final caregiver before going home, she thought she had it pretty easy.  We’d also like to thank her for hosting the kids for an evening and making sure they made it to our friend’s house for their first day of school.  We really appreciate all you do for our family.

We’d also like to take the time to thank those “almost” caregivers who were willing to drive down or fly up to help us out.  For various reasons and circumstances, it wasn’t in God’s plan for you to visit those weekends, but we are still grateful for your friendship and willingness to take time from your own families to be with ours.  My friend Chandra who was exposed to a sick kiddo and decided to not expose me to germs.  And later my dear friends Susie, Chandra and Roxy who were thwarted by my re-admission to the hospital.  Then my sweet long-time friend Kimi and her Mom, who were also exposed to sick kiddos and their travel plans had to be cancelled.  We are still so appreciative that you were going to take the time from your family and bestow it upon ours.

We would also like to thank our family friends; the Scarrs.  They hosted our kids several times for over night stays and fun activities.   They made sure Leah and Nolan were able to enjoy themselves under the circumstances and made their transition to their first day of school easier.  We are so grateful for their friendship.

We want to thank all of those who sent cards, gifts, and donated to the Go Fund Me account.  The generosity of family, friends and strangers is humbling and inspiring.  The account has helped immensely with the medical bills and with our stay in the bay area.  We only hope to someday pay it forward to others in the future.

We would also like to thank all of you who came to visit me in the hospital.  It was a welcome break from the monotony of hospital life, even in the early days when I was pretty drugged up.  It really meant a great deal to me that you would drive all the way to the bay area to visit me.   Thank you.

And last but certainly not least our family thanks my donor family; who gave so generously in their hour of despair.  To be able to even think about others when you are in the midst of a great loss has to be one of the bravest things one could do.  This Thanksgiving we will honor both my donor families; and say a special prayer for all the donor families out there who suffered a loss this year. 

May God bless you all and your Thanksgiving be meaningful!

Jill, Scott, Leah and Nolan

This goes out to all of you!  Thank you for "Raising Me Up"

You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban