Surviving Parenthood

by Kirk Kraft

Kirk Kraft of Marysville is married and the father of four children, all under 8 years old, in whom he takes great delight. He believes parenting is a journey filled with joyous peaks and difficult valleys, but it is also the greatest privilege in the world. He can be reached at kraftka@verizon.net.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that my daughter had been diagnosed with biliary atresia, a liver disease. My family has been on a rollercoaster ride of frequent stays at Children's Hospital (52 of the past 61 days) as we waited and prayed for a new liver for Sarah Ann. Our prayers were answered last Tuesday night when we received "the call." That Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m., I handed my 7-month-old daughter to the doctors to prepare her for surgery. More than 9 hours later, the transplant was complete.

Since then we have been watching her remarkable recovery. With a fully functioning liver, the peripheral issues caused by the biliary atresia have disappeared or are quickly regressing. Her ever-sparkling personality returned shortly after surgery and remains intact. Barely ten days since she arrived for her liver transplant, Sarah Ann will be heading home for a happy reunion with three older siblings.

The overflowing joy we feel, knowing she has been given a second change at life, is difficult to put into words. We are grateful for all the prayers of faithful friends and family, and of people we have never met. We are grateful for the families we have met at Children's dealing with similar or more heart-wrenching health issues who have reached out to us. We are grateful for the time we will have with our daughter and the now promising life ahead of her. My family is truly blessed.

My reason for relaying our very personal story is to remind us all never to take our time on earth for granted.

None of us is guaranteed anything but this moment, and we need to take the time we have to love our husbands and wives selflessly. We need to take the time to hold our children tenderly, encouraging and instructing them as best we can, acknowledging how precious our loved ones are to us. You may not have a second chance to kiss your wife goodbye or give your child a hug.

Tomorrow holds an uncertain future. Don't let the opportunities of today pass.