The Possibilities Are So Amazing

Note: photos shown are of Sara swimming. I do not have digital photos of Anna swimming....

Got an email yesterday that the swim team in our former neighborhood won its league championship for the first time in 22 years. Such a poignant time to remind us of that day 22 years ago that was so very special. It also gives me an entree into telling you a bit about Anna's childhood.

Anna discovered swimming when she was 5 years old. I will never forget when she first learned to put her head under water. Once she did, her curly top would surface only as air was needed. She fell in love with the water. Not only that, on that first night of head bobbing, she slept all night for the first time ever. I had never had a full night's sleep with Anna until swimming came into our life. Anna would waken every night coughing. I had to get up with her, do a percussion treatment and serve milk and cookies before returning to bed. We both also napped every day to make up for lost sleep at night. Swimming changed that and helped her lungs to get clear of the mucus, thus also improving her health.

We moved into a new neighborhood that had a community pool down the street and Anna's childhood consisted of her "pool rat" activities, silly antics and her deep love of of our community and swim team. 22 years ago not only marks the anniversary of the last championship for the team but it also marks a miraculous time in our family's life. The day before the meet Anna's dream of having a baby sister came true, Sara was born. Because I had just given birth, no trivial event, I and Sara did not attend the all day swim meet with Anna and her team mates. Doug went with Anna and has a video to prove his pride. Moving video shots show Anna's skill as a little whipper snapper swimmer and the sound is filled with a father's screams of encouragement and delight at her winnings. Anna won the championship high point in her age group along with the team winning the total championship after many years of defeat. It was thrilling to say the least.

Only a handful of people really knew the miracle that that day was for Doug and I. Five and a half years before Anna lay in the ICU at Stanford Hospital for 5 weeks on a ventilator. That is when she was diagnosed with CF. We could have easily lost her at that time but she survived. It was not clear what course her disease would take especially with such a serious presentation of pneumonia. As she grew into her young life we learned the ropes of CF and she recovered from her serious acute event. When she discovered swimming we recognized that she was a natural and beautiful swimmer and fast. The record for the 6 and under girls butterfly at the pool is still held by Anna. She is very proud of that.

Growing up around that pool was the best and healthiest antidote for CF that she could have had. When Anna was about 11 her desire to compete waned. She could no longer keep up with the other kids her age because of CF. After being such a powerhouse it was hard to fall behind so she stopped swim team but continued loving the pool and later became a lifeguard.

Memories of the gift of swimming for Anna and her miraculous spirit and athletic ability fill the pages of her history. The joy associated with our connection with the pool and swim team fills my heart with so much gratitude. Our life was filled with the worry, constant treatments, days of illness, pills, Dr. visits, and all of that but it was also filled with hope and fun and a community center for Anna and Sara to grow up in. (Sara also won a championship herself at the time of the blog photos!)

And, now Anna is in a new race. This is not the butterfly this time. This is a race where patience, tenacity, will power, modern medicine, courage, karmic confluence, and miracles are needed to win. Anna is poised on the starting block still waiting for the final word that she is listed so that when the gun goes off she can dive into a new life.

And, Anna talks about swimming again with her new lungs. This week is the U.S. Transplant Games. Some of Anna's friends with transplanted lungs are going to be there to compete. It is an event filled with the miraculous stories of transplant recipients and new lives. What a day that will be if Anna decides to take up her form and try butterfly at this event in the future. Wow, what a day that will be if she chooses to go and to kick butt! You bet we will all be there screaming as she swims down the lane just like when she was a young girl winning and swimming her heart out on Greenmeadow Swim Team. The possibilities are so amazing.........
No wonder Anna chose to have this tattoo!