Little did we know back in 2007 that we would be the recipients of a Make-A-Wish. We found out Amelia was in kidney failure and was permanently in ESRD or End Stage Renal Disease, needing a transplant and extended dialysis. A few days into dialysis, and during the process to figure out what was going on with our lives, the social worker told us, almost in passing, that Amelia would be eligible for a Make-A-Wish.
Brenda and I must have looked startled because she was quick to assure us that a Make-A-Wish was not for dying kids, but any with chronic diseases. A good thing she said that because we had to explain to both Grandmothers more than once that it was not just for terminal kids. For the next two years we didn’t think much about the Make-A-Wish.
We were told that she could go any time and we had planned on waiting until she was about 8 so that she could really appreciate it. Finally, in 2011 the Make-A-Wish people changed some of the rules and now they want all of the transplant kids to have their wish within a year of their transplant. We were beyond that by now but they would still honor us with the Wish, but we had to get it taken care of.
So we began the process. We received a call and gave some information and set up an appointment for Amelia to formally declare her wish. The next post is about that process.
-Justin
Related articles
- The Make A Wish Journey Begins. (ameliasmakeawish.com)
