Dear Readers,

I like to think I’m not a materialistic person.  I have all that I need and too much of what I don’t.  I have my health (yes… the “Making life better through Chemistry” people have my thanks) and really, when it comes down to it, physically I can do whatever I choose to do.  Believe me, I may not think that “Jesus is the reason for the season”, but I do believe in “good will toward men”, compassion, generosity and The Golden Rule.

I believe that when you “give” to others, it comes back to you in more ways than you can count.

With that, I’m not a praying person per se, but sometimes when there is something really important, usually involving myself or someone I know battling something medically that could be life-or-death, you’ll find me talking to “the great Unknown” for whatever divine intervention that they can throw in the direction of whomever is in need.

I reconnected with a relative who I hadn’t seen for over twenty years, my cousin, Shannon.  Shannon was born with Cystic Fibrosis and has been very lucky that she’s lived far beyond what Actuaries say she should.  She received a lung transplant within the last two years, but unfortunately after the wildfires out west this year, things went downhill.  You can read about what CF is here, but what it comes down to is that Shannon was supposed to get another set of lungs this winter, but started to lose weight and if she’s too much underweight, no “shiny new set of lungs”.  That’s where things are at right now.

I realize how odd it may seem to feel such a connection to a relative I’d lost touch with for over two decades, but I haven’t talked that many hours and laughed that much with someone who was a “stranger”, yet not, in a very long time.  Shannon loves glitter, Hello! Kitty and Irish Whiskey!  She has a tattoo of a mustache on her finger and a really great sense of humor (like me!) and lots of Irish Stubborness (family trait).  She also has a “thing” for the Bullet and Nutri-bullet blenders – yes, the infomercials sucked her in like they do me.

She was told last week to think about her “end of life options”.  I can’t imagine the weight that must put on someones shoulders, especially at 31 years of age.  So, Santa, Jesus, Vishnu, Buddha, Thor, Zeus and whomever else is listening…

All I really want for Christmas is for my cousin to gain the weight she needs so she can get her “shiny new pair of lungs”.