Had an amazing experience recently during a family outing. Was conversing with a vivacious elder woman, and my being on dialysis came up in the conversation. Her  husband has Alzheimer's and she's his primary caretaker. She openly shared her journey through that and I mentioned how my husband (who was present) is compassionately caring for me during the disease I'm enduring - renal failure/dialysis.

Meanwhile, this other woman overheard us and chimed in, and fortunately she did. Turns out, she's on her second kidney transplant and experienced dialysis (peritoneal). She was young, in her thirties. Beautiful. Vibrant. Sweet. Instantly, I loved her. This stranger, perhaps I'll never see again ~ yet she enriched my day, my life. That what may seem, rude intrusion, was the best.

I told her about just in the previous week, I overheard someone mentioning dialysis and I resisted chiming in on their personal conversation. Now I wished I  did. I'll see them again and maybe then, I can share. See, when you are going through something like this, something where there is life or death, it gives you hope knowing you're not alone.

The  young transplant recipient I met made my day (which was already great), it became even brighter as she shared "her story". I was amazed. Looking at a HEALTHY-looking person. She wasn't bloated from the medication (I dread) you have to take for life after transplant. She didn't look frail or fatigued. I was so happy to meet her. As it is, there is only a few dialysis patients that I see or encounter that I can relate. Those that are reasonably vibrant, somewhat fit, active, youthful, optimistic, cheery... This motivates me even more to be of hope or encouragement or of "health & happiness" to someone who may be silently observing "me".