Recently FaceBook notified me that I had one of the “Friendiversary” videos to view. I apparently have been FaceBook friends with one of the sweetest women I know for eight years. Well our friendship had started long before that in 2003 when we first met, which is surprising because we went to a really small school. Anyway I started thinking about all we had been through, all the times we had supported one another. She had come to my mom’s funeral and I went to her dad’s. We helped each other with homework and supported each other in FFA competitions and on officer teams.
The first time I ever remember interacting with Pink is when I came back to school after an extended period after my first shunt revision when I was 13. She had come up to me after our first hour class and welcomed me back. She was very warm and friendly we definitely clicked. As the rest of the year moved on we became closer visiting each other and you know doing what all JH girls do. Pink and I both ended up joining the National FFA Organization, which later on definitely played a big part in our friendship.
For the most part I was still a normal pre-teen/teen for a little while at least. In looking back I think one reason Pink was so kind toward me and so understanding is because one of her younger sisters S. is a spoonie. S. is a Type one Diabetic so like me she has restrictions and all that fun stuff, though I do think S. has it worse than me, I hate needles I couldn’t stick myself every day, several times a day. Then again S. may say the same about me and all my surgeries.
I remember one particularly bad argument Pink and I had. One that ended when we were escorted with our lunches to a room and told to talk, that we were going to work out our stuff and be friends. Thanks to our FFA Advisor doing that Pink and I “got over our stuff” and became stronger friends than ever. Even though that was years ago, at this point, I still look back and wonder what would I have missed out on if we hadn’t been “forced” to talk it out? I’m so blessed to have Pink in my life.
Graduation came in 2008 after countless FFA trips, conferences, conventions, and competitions. We started our separate journeys to college, marriage, motherhood, and the single life. Despite going to different schools and living in different places we still kept in touch. I knew I could lean on Pink if I needed support and I hope she knew and still knows she can lean on me.
Eight years after graduation Pink is happily married with two lovely daughters, one is her husbands from a previous marriage, but she is no less Pinks daughter. Even though we don’t live in the same town I know she is only a call or text away. We share the happy and the sad and those times we do get together it’s like no time has passed at all. I’m very grateful to have Pink and her happy family in my life, her acceptance and friendship means the world to me. True she never came to see me in hospital, but I’ve never needed/or wanted that from her. I needed someone who saw the beautifully broken and yet majestically whole being that is me. I’m thankful to her for seeing more then the chronically ill me, she has been a lifesaver and a gem. I cannot imagine my life without her friendship. I hope everyone can find/or has a normie friend who can see past the chronically ill part of them and help them feel normal for a while.
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