The greatest gift I’ve received wasn’t under the Christmas tree

What is your earliest memory of the holidays? Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or another occasion, do you have memories of these holidays from your youth? How do they differ from more recent years?

My earliest memories of Christmas are associated with gifts, such as acoustic and electric guitars, two-way radios that introduced me to ham radio, and a camera. These items were important at one point in my life. However, I no longer play the guitar, and my son Christopher now has my acoustic guitar. I still love to take pictures, but the camera that made me love photography is gone. I am a licensed ham radio operator, and I still have my original shortwave radio.

Today, my memories of Christmas don’t focus on physical gifts.

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The gift of life

When I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in January 2017, life seemed relatively normal. I had started my diagnostic journey late in 2016, and I wasn’t that concerned at the time. Just weeks earlier, my wife, Susan, and I had returned from an amazing vacation in France.

We spent Christmas 2016 through the early days of 2017 at La Peetch, the home built by Julia and Paul Child in the south of France. When we returned to the U.S. on Jan. 3, 2017, we had no idea that our world was about to be turned upside down.

As my disease progressed, holidays and special events took on a greater meaning. My first granddaughter, Abigail, was born 49 weeks after my diagnosis, bringing joy to my world.

I completed pre-transplant testing, and my case was presented to the transplant committee in March 2020. I was approved for a transplant but deferred, as COVID-19 was quickly becoming an issue in the U.S. As 2020 progressed, so did my IPF. My need for supplemental oxygen increased to the point that I required 7 liters per minute to walk across the room.

As 2021 arrived, everything was becoming harder. Pulmonary rehabilitation had helped, but it was suspended due to COVID-19. I continued to walk every day, dragging oxygen tanks behind me. I was listed for transplant in March 2021. In a candid discussion with my care team, they explained they weren’t sure I would see that Christmas without a transplant.

Thankfully, I received a bilateral lung transplant in July 2021 and made it to the holidays. That Christmas, and every one since, has been extremely special. We now have three granddaughters with the births of Charlotte and Brooklyn. All three girls have us wrapped around their little fingers.

None of the Christmas gifts I’ve ever gotten can compare to the gift of life I received on July 10, 2021. Every Christmas since then has been possible because of that gift. I can watch my granddaughters grow up and see their personalities blossom.

This gift also allows me to pay it forward. When I received my lung transplant, I had already embraced a new role as an advocate for the pulmonary fibrosis community. I was driven to raise awareness, advance research, and share my experience to benefit others.

I have seen more than 1,600 new days since my transplant. That number will continue to grow. With each new day, I am determined to make every breath count.

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.