Bit by the Facebook bug

I’ll admit, I joined Facebook with some skepticism… convinced by my brothers and sister to join. Fine. I joined. And then, as I caught on to how it worked beyond its simple statement: “Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you” I’m a fan. Not only a fan, happy to belong, but rather a “you should really join!” kind of fan. Here are three reasons why you should join:

1. There is now a group on Facebook called “Hope for Sébastien”. For those already on Facebook, if you haven’t received my invitation, search Hope for Sébastien in the Groups section and join!
2. Planning events of any sort is much easier.
3. There’s an open forum in the Hope for Sébastien group and your input is more than welcome! You can even post pictures and videos.

If you need more compelling reasons here is a list:

• Social Signal has a post : Falling for Facebook with good general reasons to join.
• Facebook is everywhere!
• The Facebook blog keeps you abreast of what’s new on Facebook
• For fun… YouTube has the ultimate Facebook song

Koivu’s Story

Jasmina doesn’t write very often… but when she does, she does it well! On August 11th, during the festivities celebrating a year since Sébastien’s Gift of Life, Jasmina told this little known story…

Today a year ago, our dear son received his life saving small bowel and liver transplant. Let me take you on a little journey back to Winnipeg, Sébastien’s home city.

Sébastien was a very happy but very sick 18 month boy and lived with his Dad & Mom at the Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg were we were waiting and praying for a call to come to Toronto for a life saving transplant. Everyday we were hoping and praying we would get the call to come to Toronto, but the days were going by and no call, and Sébastien got sicker and sicker. Just a few weeks prior to his call to come to Toronto we spent some time with a very special family whose little boy Koivu was the same age as our little boy and was also fighting for his life. Koivu and Sébastien knew each other since they were born and we got to know his family and shared with them our hopes, pains and joys.

One morning my husband David ran into Koivu’s Grandpa. Koivu’s Grandpa informed David that Koivu wasn’t doing so well and that they could only see him lately every two weeks as they lived up in the northern town of Clear Lake, nine hours from Winnipeg. David asked Koivu’s Grandpa if it would be ok if we could keep Koivu company during the weeks they had to go back to Clear Lake. Koivu’s Grandpa was happy to hear that we could spent time with his grandson and he asked us to come and see him the same day. So we went to see Koivu and met his mom who was only 17, as well as his Grandma. They were reading and singing to their beloved child. Unexpectedly, Koivu’s Grandpa started talking and said: “You know David and Jasmina, the doctors want to take Koivu off life support and my daughter knows your special son Sébastien needs a liver and bowel transplant… sooo we would like to donate Koivu’s small bowel and liver to Sébastien. It would mean a lot to my Koivu’s mom to have her son live in Sébastien.”

I started crying… I did not know what to say… What would you say if someone offers their child to you? I was holding Koivu’s hand and I squeezed it harder as I tried to find the strength to say something. Different thoughts ran through my head. I wanted Koivu to live. God please make him live. I looked at David hoping he could say something. I started saying “we just have to hope and pray that he will be alright”, knowing in my head that you just can’t choose who you would like to donate your organs to as whoever needs it the most will receive it. I tried to explain to the family that maybe they need to talk to the doctors about their wishes. I hugged them and thanked them for their good intentions.

The weeks passed by and every day we tried us much as we could to spent time with Koivu praying that he would get better… Sébastien got sicker and sicker.

It was Thursday evening and David comes running to me with tears in his eyes… “Jasmina I received a call from Koivu’s Grandpa.” I was hoping David had good news to tell me… that Koivu would be alright as this would have just made my day. “Koivu will be taken off life support tomorrow morning and the family would like us to be there to support them, Koivu’s mom is very upset as Koivu’s organs can’t be donated anymore…” I broke down in tears, I couldn’t see another child die… Please God help us!

Next morning David and I decided to support the family, so we went to Koivu’s room and everyone was there except Koivu’s mom and dad. We waited and waited and as hours passed by we prayed and cried… Koivu’s mom and dad still hadn’d arrived. What a horrible moment.

At 11:00 o’clock David had to leave to work and I had to go back to be with Sébastien as he could only stay with the nurses for a little while and he was so sick that he would bleed every four hours. We told the grandparents to call us as soon as Koivu’s mom and Dad would come.

The day went on and I attend to Sébastien’s bleed, we cried and continued praying for Koivu in our room. All of a sudden the nurse ran into our room: “You got the call! You have to be in Toronto in a few hours.” Ohhhhhh my God, our dear son Sébastien is receiving his chance! But we needed to support Sebastien’s best friend Koivu and family…

David arrived from work and we got everything ready as we were leaving in 30 minutes to the airport to catch our air ambulance. I said to David: “David, you need to go and see Koivu’s family to tell them we have to leave for Toronto and that we will pray for Koivu.” So David went to see Koivu…There was Koivu, his mom and dad had come and they took him off life support…David got to hold him. He looked so peaceful and had nothing attached. Koivu’s Grandpa took David aside and said: “We are so happy you received the call and we will pray that Sébastien will be the one to be chosen to receive this transplant. In my aboriginal culture I smoked today this big pipe and I had a big talk with my Creator… If it is for my grandson to die today, I want Sébastien to live…” What a courageous Grandfather filled with love for his grandson but blessed with soooo much more.

They hugged each other and David ensured Koivu’s Grandpa that we would pray, that Koivu would be alright and that we would call them as soon as we got some news. Off we went praying for Koivu to get better and praying for our sick son Sébastien to receive his transplant… Endless tests followed throughout the night… Exhausted we fell asleep at 6:30 in the morning.

All of a sudden I felt someone touching me gently: “Good morning Mrs. Forest it’s Dr. Greg it is 7:00 o’clock…” I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or if it was the team coming to tell us their decision. “Sébastien is the one chosen.” We were sooo happy and tears rolled down my cheeks.

A few minutes later the phone rang. A call from Winnipeg. “Grandma & Grandpa here… How are you …… we just want to call to tell you that we just received the news that Koivu passed away a few minutes ago.” I couldn’t answer. More tears were running down my cheek. I looked at our son and David and we started praying for Sébastien’s best friend Koivu and his family. The same time as we get the ok that Sebastien is the one chosen, his best friend passes away.

Coincident maybe? But for me it is more than that… deep down in my heart and soul it seemed that it was our son Sébastien’s best friend Koivu that held on to his life until he knew his friend received from someone else a Gift of Life. Every day Sébastien prays with us: “Oh God less my donor and family bless my guardian angel Koivu”.

A few weeks ago as Sebastien was in CCU with  major bleeds in his head, I received an e-mail: “Hi, it’s me, Koivu’s mom. I visit your web site a lot and I love the pictures. Sébastien looks sooo good… I know my boy Koivu is watching over Sébastien and he will be better soon. Love, Koivu’s mom”

I started crying reading this  letter. We never talked about Koivu watching out for Sébastien and it just confirmed for me all the more that Koivu really watches out for his friend Sébastien… Today, this afternoon in Clear Lake, Manitoba, Koivu’s family is having a memorial service and a special aboriginal ceremony and Sébastien was invited to be there. As this was not possible we would like to remember Sébastien’s best friend Koivu today with this special celebration.

“The love of a single heart can make a world of difference”

The quote comes from a book entitled “Left to Tell” by Immaculée Ilibagiza and has the sub-title “Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust”. Why talk about this on Sébastien’s blog? Because, I think that quotes from the book, like the one in the title, are inspiring and help us give meaning to the life we live, and to live it better. After all, it would be hard to ignore the hope and courage that animate Sébastien’s family.

The book in itself is beautiful and speaks often of love, forgiveness, prayer and positive thinking. A survivor of the holocaust, Immaculée writes:

I was living proof of the power of prayer and positive thinking, which really are almost the same thing. God is the source of all positive energy, and prayer is the best way to tap in to His power.

The other quote I also love concerns how we worry about the future… She writes:

I was certain that God had a greater purpose for me, and I prayed every day for Him to reveal it to me. At first I was expecting Him to show me my entire future all at once-maybe with a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder thrown in for good measure. But I came to learn that God never shows us something we aren’t ready to understand. Instead, He lets us see what we need to see, when we need to see it. He’ll wait until our eyes and hearts are open to Him, and then when we’re ready, He will plant our feet on the path that’s best for us… but it’s up to us to do the walking.

If you want a good read this summer, I highly recommend “Left to Tell”. My husband and I read it on a trip to the Peace Garden yesterday, and the time flew by.

Letter to Sébastien

Dear Sébastien,

We are so happy to hear how you are doing well… You have 235 platelets already since the last time we talked to your mom and dad, when it was 167 last Friday. And, you’re making them all by yourself! Hooray! We saw pictures of you last night… you look so happy at your one year post-transplant party! Excited to see Dora, smiling in the company of your parents, grand-parents and friends from the hospital. And you’re growing! You weigh 21 pounds, and your vocabulary grows steadily. We pretended to be Dora on the phone, and you decided to talk a bit, although you seemed to want to play instead… we imagine you in your high chair, with your new toys. Your mama says that you are also doing well in physiotherapy. Perhaps the next time we see you, you’ll be on your feet!

It must be nice for you to be sleeping away from the hospital. Your mama says that the hospital is even talking of discharge… You’re a few steps closer to home little one! We’re proud of your progress! We send you our love…

Your godparents

After the party…

“How is Sébastien?” I ask David’s mother, after a choir practice. “Really well!” She tells me. She’s wearing his t-shirt, the latest version, with Sébastien in a blue-hawaiin t-shirt and the words: liver and bowel transplant written on top.

“How did the party go? Were there lots of people? I’ve tried contacting Jasmina, but she hasn’t been able to reply…”
“They’re quite busy, after the party and all of that… It went really well. In the morning, there were 30 children and in the afternoon there were 60 people.”

A little circle of people form around us, everyone interested in Sébastien’s progress and latest developments. “On Sunday they opened the gifts… He would open gifts and then set them aside and say ‘All done’! And you know how you fold socks? I would fold them loosely and give them to Sébastien and he’d pull them apart. We’d exclaim: ‘Sébastien!’ and he would laugh, throwing them behind him.”

Already back from their quick visit, Sébastien’s grandma was nonetheless delighted to see him so well. The other times they’d gone, he was usually very sick, but this time, he was himself: a happy and active “little monkey” as Jasmina would say.

Marking a year since Sébastien’s transplant, a power point was prepared and you can see it here: Gift of life The event was filmed, and when we receive the dvds, we’ll be posting some clips on YouTube… so keep posted!

A month ago…

Sébastien is doing very well. He’s moving as much as ever, understanding as much as before, surprising doctors and nurses alike. Jasmina called to tell me. And David told us again during his visit to Winnipeg. Sébastien has even spent nights away from the hospital, “he massages my back when he lies beside me!” Jasmina tells me, her voice betraying so much delight for Sébastien’s gentle affection. We breathe a sigh of relief… A month ago, hope was like a rope, taught with near desperation, and now, it lies slack, confident of cheery tomorrows. The hospital even talks of future discharge…

Blessings…

Just to say…

There are new pictures of Sébastien on Flickr. Click on the link on the right side menu to have a peek at his most recent adventures! A wonderful long weekend to all!

La Marraine

Blessed under the stars with the gift of life

A note from Jasmina reminds me my favorite assignment as updater-of-the-blog…

Hello Jacinta,

Hope you are having a wonderful day…. Sébastien is doing amazing…. he is just blooming with sooo many new things he does etc….. hope your visit with P. Michel is great and with P. Samuel…. please say hi to them for us…….

Would you please do me a favor…. would you be able to put on the web site the invitation for the celebration on August 11th…. that would be great….

‘Tis true, all this visiting has gotten almost out of hand, as my pile of ironing can attest. In fact, I’m almost begging for one early evening that resembles a bit more our normal routine… that is, the ironing board in front of the t.v. downstairs for the duration of shirts, skirts and pants to be ironed – once a week. Not that I don’t love our extended-family evenings, with their scrumptious diners, three-desert menus, and promise of evenings of laughter, but I’ve noticed the flowers need tending, and my closet is more hangers than clothes. In case my elaborate excuse doesn’t interest you, some details of Sébastien’s upcoming party should…

All readers of the blog who are eager to visit Toronto are warmly invited to attend Sébastien’s Celebration of Life party, August 11th, commemorating one year since his liver and bowel transplant at SickKids. It even has a theme: Blessed under the stars with the gift of life (hence the star bedecked cupcake). It’s not a little party… no, no, they’re going all out! And Jasmina, creative as she always is, is decorating with butterflies, fish, stars… as colorful as you can imagine. The event will go something like this:

Between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Dora will come by for a visit. They’ll be a show, crafts and a treasure hunt for the kids. In the afternoon on the Garden Patio, there will be a Mass celebrated by Fr. Peter at 3:00 p.m. in remembrance of the donor and the donor’s family and in thanksgiving. They’ll also be a balloon ceremony… people can purchase balloons with all proceeds going to 6A. Jasmina hopes to raise $250.00 for a stroller for the ward… allowing families who don’t have a stroller for their child to borrow the ward’s instead. Later, the balloons will be released. During a buffet style diner, Linda Rumble will speak about organ donation.

I hope I didn’t miss anything. For those who can’t attend… they’ll be taking video clips during the day, and we’ll be able to post a new video on YouTube. Send them your best wishes in the comments below!