Giving a priceless gift … sister to sister

When you hear the word sister, what description – or who – comes to mind? Generally, sisters are two females sharing one or both parents. A sister can be non-family, too, someone with whom we share a common allegiance, bond, character, ancestry or purpose.

Whomever our sisters may be, it makes me wonder how some people make it through life without a sister, or even a friend or cousin like a sister.

Especially between two women, sisterhood can be a precious attachment incomparable to other relationships. We “get” each other, we are bonded as women, and we are easily able to discuss trivial and serious stuff, bouncing between a pretty nail polish color to sharing emotions … chatting about the challenges of marriage or a cute pair of shoes.

Sisters are one of life’s constants. I feel sad when I hear women say they are not close to their sister(s), since I can think of no better relationship with which to be blessed. I adore my two sisters! Do we always get along? No way. We insult, tease, display impatience with each other, and roll our eyes – yet two minutes later we’re back to normal without a grudge in mind. We feel like kids together, often recounting tales of growing up. We are a good trio, my sisters and I, a team that includes our brother Danny. (Poor guy with three sisters! He has no chance to speak.)

I would like to tell you about two exceptional sisters at the top of my prayer list – my sweet friends, Michele Fuller Smidt and Megan Fuller Gardner.

On Jan. 8, Megan donated one of her kidneys to Michele at a crucial time when Michele needed a healthy one. Battling ill health since college when she suffered a lung infection and was the first to be diagnosed with a rare immune disease, Michele’s kidneys were badly damaged from the necessary medications to heal the lung.

With the kidney donation over two years in the making – Megan’s first blood test to determine viability was November 2016 – the girls were given back-to-back kidney surgeries. On the way to the hospital Meg posted on Facebook: “I’m just a little shaky with all that’s about to happen. But I’m trying to focus on the one important goal here – get my sister better. That’s all that really matters.”

WOW!! I will say that again – WOW. What could be a greater example of sisterly love than donating a part of your body?

“No more tests, no more appointments or updates, no more countdowns,” Meg continued. “Today is the day, and with what feels like a beautiful army of support, love and faith, we know that all will be good.”

Michele was feeling grateful pre-surgery as she posted: “… my amazing, unselfish, brave, strong, healthy sister will gift to me my favorite present – one of her kidneys. She is giving me the gift of life. I can never thank her enough for her generosity. We were very fortunate she is a match.”

Over three weeks later, Meg is home, sore and feeling emotional about her sister’s healing, while her kidney is functioning well in Michele’s body. That’s the best report to hear. She has done everything she could – and more than is asked of a sister – to improve Michele’s health. Now it is essential the kidney will work. It must be okay … it’s her sister!

Michele’s hospital stay was longer. Now back home, she is “trying really hard to get better and work through the pain,” she said. “I had a small setback but getting back on the road to recovery! Thank you, everyone, for your prayers … there is certainly power in prayer! It’s going to take some time, but we are on our way. We are truly blessed!”

Michele and Megan were already close in their large, blessed Italian family. They, their husbands and kids travel together, celebrate birthdays and holidays together, cook and bake traditional Italian dishes and cookies together, and gather often for general family time. They are cherished aunts to each other’s kids. They are both parishioners of St. Mark in Fallston and live near one another.

Can you imagine how much closer this gift of a kidney has brought them?

“It has bonded us so much closer,” said Michele post-surgery. “It was so unselfishly done. I feel badly because my sister is healing just as much as me. I feel very close to her.”

The girls’ uncle, John Liberto, said he saw a miracle on the day of their surgeries. He could not believe how much better Michele looked when she came out. “She needed this kidney more than we knew.” And Michele told her Uncle John she could not believe how much better her body felt already.

“To see Michele’s face for the first time the day after surgery made me stop in my grippy brown hospital socks and cry,” said Megan. “It was just that her face was so bright and full of color that had returned to fill her cheeks! And she had the biggest smile waiting for me. It was all completely worth it.”

Since being home to recuperate, the sisters have called and texted each other daily. “Michele’s voice sounds the most clear and loud that it has for years!” said Megan. “And my niece, Holly, (Michele’s daughter), said the same of my voice when she called to check on me. It is instances like that which make me laugh in terms of how connected we’ve been on this journey!”

Megan said having her kidney inside of her sister’s body feels surreal, even though they have the scars to prove it.

“I think perhaps at some point, who knows exactly when, it will hit me that this really happened and we’re on the other side now – forever grateful and happy. The beauty here is seeing Michele’s quality of life improved – so noticeably,” she said.

Such a marvelous story of gift giving, a spectacular account of unselfishness, and a splendid example of sisterhood … a story that the entire family will recap and enjoy forever. It is a story that has bonded Michele and Megan physically – as immense as having been born from the same mother’s body.

“This is the best gift a person can give,” Michele said. “Megan never even thought about it. As soon as she was a match, she was in for the transplant. It actually made me wonder sometimes, would I be so quick to react like she did, if the tables were turned? I now know that I could. I would not think twice. It’s a precious thing to give another person life. Sisters forever!”

 

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