Parallel Universe – 8/7/11

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
- Anais Nin

I have been waiting for tomorrow night for months! Tomorrow night I will go out with one of my dearest friends and celebrate life, freedom, being a mom, being strong and being single. Tomorrow night a hotel room is booked, the party is on, the drinks will be poured and it will be time to toast strength and solidarity!

This may seem odd but my friend and I have only met once in person in the EEG wing of the hospital. However, she has taught me strength, resilience and courage. Her daughter has given me endless amounts of hope as she has shown me and many of those I love, the unbreakable determination of a child. This woman has been an angel for me and I am so excited to finally spend some time with a friend that has been an incredible support for more than 3 years.

I met my friend when I was first told that my son had a severe, degenerative form of epilepsy. In my online search for information, I stumbled across her blog and discovered a parallel universe of sorts. Married also to a "superhero", she was already weaving her way through the jumbled neurology department of our local children's hospital. Through years of emails, both sad and joyous, we shared fears, heart break and celebration. She taught me how to navigate the medical system and be the best advocate possible for my son. Her daughter showed me what an unbreakable spirt was capable of and gave me so much hope as I watched my son fight for his life.

Many of my friends looked the other way when my son got sick but she was always there and honestly, only she could understand the devastation, anxiety and pain I felt. She scraped my sorry butt off the floor more than once and then pointed me in the right direction. She made me a stronger woman and more knowledgeable woman. I am a fighter and I strive to pass on, what she gave to me.

Our lives have taken similar turns and we have both had to embark on our journeys as single woman. While both of us have been knocked down, it has made our friendship that much stronger as we both fight forward, for the lives we and our children deserve. She has shown me that it is possible to make it through anything and still remain strong, even when feeling weak.  Every phone call or text message conversation with her leaves me with something to think about. Not always profound and often humorous, we laugh at some of the shit that has been handed to us.

So tomorrow, I will be partying with someone I consider a very important and integral part of my life, someone I am so thankful to have met. I am so excited to cut loose and enjoy life with her for one debaucherous night! Good friends make the hurtful, useless people in our lives bearable! Best friends are not always the ones we see all the time but they are the ones that are there for us no matter what, even when their world is falling apart too. They are the ones that pick us up, dust us off and kick us in the ass to get us going again.

I know you read this...  Thank you and I love ya lots!!!! XO