18 Comments

Cassandra, your story resonates with me, and I'm thanking you for your bravery throughout your journey and now the courage to take stock of everything and share it in this post.

I grew up sickly and as a child I kept thinking I wouldn't see my adulthood but God gave me time and it's honouring all the grace that I keep sharing my story shamelessly, because I believe it can warm at least one person's heart, same like how you touched many more than just one person with this story. Perhaps it's in my genetic makeup, with this kind of childhood memory to boot, that my anxiety is geared towards my health condition. But I keep growing new neural pathways, telling myself that this is my blessing so that I could learn from it and share it with the world.

Choose the bigger life, aye! Chin up, and be in the present moment.

Thank you again, Cass, and wishing you the best for your life!

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Thank you so much for sharing, Sekar! I'm so touched that this post resonated with you. And it sounds like you've been able to find the lessons and positives in dealing with your health as well. ☺️

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Now if this isn’t the kick in the pants I need to choose the bigger life…I don’t know what is. ❤️🥹 Cass, your experience is so unique and so exceptionally challenging that you somehow get to see through more BS than most of us. Keep cutting through. We need less BS. Love ya, my beautiful writer little sister!

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Thank you! ❤️ Here's to less BS! 👏

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It helps gift so much perspective when you hear the journey of another and their lived experience of the great unknown. Thanks for taking the time to write and share it🙏🦋

Choose the bigger life. I love that💛 a message we could all take so much from💡

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I'm so glad this resonated with you, Amber! I love when something I read gives me a new perspective so I was hoping to be able to do the same with this piece. Thank you for taking the time to read. 😊

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Well, you nailed it. I’m so happy that you get to live a life you enjoy with that view. If a little (ok a lot!) envious. Life can be so cruel and then so bloody marvellous all at the same time 😘

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How true that statement is!

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Thank you for sharing your story with us!

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Thank you for taking the time to read! (I recognize that it's a big long-ish. 😅)

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What a beautiful example of strength, inspiration and gratitude. Your story and perspective is an important one to honour, celebrate and share. So glad you are here and choosing your bigger life.

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Thank you, Michelle. It's hard to share the most vulnerable bits, but that's often where the magic is. ❤️

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Thank you for your post. It's rare for me to read someone else's words that express my own feelings. I was born with a congenital heart defect, and my mother was told that I would be dead by the age of 30. I spent my early years racing against an invisible clock. I ended up getting a heart transplant in January of 2006. That allowed me to return to the life I loved. I spent 11 years working and raising two stepsons with my husband. Then that heart failed, and I was lucky enough to receive a second heart transplant in October 2018. This time around, I feel the ticking of the clock so much louder because I know how easy it is to lose my gifted heart.

Because of my two wonderful donors, I've gotten to live much longer than I otherwise would have, and I've experienced so many joys I would never have known. Every day, I'm grateful to be here, to be alive.

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Wow, thank you so much for sharing your experience, Dawn! It sounds like we have a lot in common. I love the feeling of reading something that reflects so well how I feel so I'm honoured that I could give that to you, too. ❤️

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I am moved deeply by your story Cassandra. Honoring your donor by choosing the bigger life. Whoa! Thank you for sharing this with us

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Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to read! ❤️

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Cass - what a beautifully written, profound rumination on your life and transplant experience. I will reread and sit with this wisdom today and going forward. A thousand thanks for sharing this very personal piece of writing. Glorie Tebbutt

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Thank you, Glorie! Your taking the time to read and comment means a lot. I'm never quite satisfied that I've captured things in just the right way when writing a piece like this, but I think we're always our own worst critic when it comes to writing or other creative endeavors, and I'm sure you can relate!

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