Remembering Baby Brook-a-lee.

Who would have thought that a tiny baby I never met, born to a friend I've also never met could have such a profound impact on my life that I would be moved, inspired, propelled, and motivated to give a pint of my own blood to whomever needed it.


To understand how truly miraculous this is, you must first understand that I don't "do" blood. Once upon a time I thought it was a fear of needles that kept me out of the donor's chair. But in my many, many years of infertility I have gotten over that fear. It's the blood. I was the person that had to exit health class the day we were talking about the circulatory system. It was leave or pass out. I can't stand the thought of blood. I can't watch movies with blood. I can't talk about blood. And seeing blood, my blood, escaping my body, this is enough to put me over the edge. (I'm getting queasy just typing this!)

But then there's Brooklyn. Brooklyn was a twin IVF baby, born to an IVF mom that supported me through my IVF, miscarriages and even my surprise miracle baby. Brooklyn's mom cheered for me, and I cheered for her. We were brought together by the internet through circumstances that, frankly, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Though we've never met in person, we're friends, we're family, we're sisters.

When baby Brooklyn and her sister Aubrey were born at 29 weeks, I was stunned. I prayed. Brooklyn, we knew, had a heart defect that would require surgery, but it would have been much better for her to be born later. We prayed for Brooklyn to be stable enough to receive the needed surgery and for weeks we prayed for her recovery after the surgery. She struggled and she fought hard all the obstacles that were in her way, but it wasn't enough. I don't know how a mom survives that kind of loss. It strikes a chord in me so deep that I ache for my friend. So, here, one year later if there's one thing I can do for my friend, one thing to give her precious daughter's life meaning and purpose, one thing that will help bring healing to her forever-aching heart, one thing that could selflessly change another life and even give life, then for Brooklyn, I will do it. For Brooklyn, I DID IT!