I have been feeling pretty nostalgic these days! I remain in my home trying to get used to my new chair, (my knee STILL hurts by the way!)
But, I have a memory that for probably the past12 or 13 years has completely warmed my heart! My Mom will constantly remind me of it and make me laugh now that she knows the story. My heart is warmed every time I think about it and I am very grateful to have had the experience!
It was just months after my diagnosis and I was at Farmer Jack’s for some reason. I don’t even remember why I was there! So here I am, walking around the grocery store, newly diagnosed with MS, and pregnant. Not even all of my family knew that I was pregnant yet! I don’t remember which aisle I was in but l I ran into my oldest brother. He knew I was pregnant. We stood in the aisle and talked because as a 19-year-old, unwed, college student, this news was pretty shocking!
As we were talking, pretty solemnly, because my life was REALLY about to change; his friend, Rich, walked up to us. I had known Rich for probably the last five years and he and my brother were pretty good friends. He walked up to us and as he was almost to us, when he smiled broadly at me and told me that he heard I was pregnant. When I nodded, he threw his hands into the air and with full, “Jazz hands” shook them and said loudly, “Congratulations!”
He was the ONLY person to say that to me! He is STILL the ONLY person to have said that to me when I was pregnant. Now, 16 years later, I am very grateful to have had this experience. I looked at him when he did this and told him that he was the ONLY person to say that to me. My brother and I just kind of chuckled with the silent rise of your chest and shrug of your shoulders when you hear something like that.
I hold the memory of this day dearly and very clearly in my heart and mind! I am so grateful that he told me this!
How life works out, Sean is the only child I have had and after a premature birth (8 weeks early) and a 31 day stay in NICU after he was born, I am grateful that SOMEONE was happy that I was pregnant! I often think about the fact that I don’t know pure joy when finding out that I was pregnant. There have proved to be many obstacles but Sean and I are alright, I think.
Thanks for letting me have that memory of pure joy with my pregnancy, Rich! I LOVE that so much!