The Butterfly Effect

In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state

--Wikipedia

Whoah…. Somebody was certainly paying attention during vocabulary class!

Are you familiar with the theory of The Butterfly Effect? In simpler terms, The Butterfly Effect is how the small and slight actions of one circumstance effect great change on some other action to follow. Think of a butterfly flapping its wings in Japan contributing to a cool coastal breeze in California. Everything we do has an influence on the people, places, and things that we interact with each day. I would like to tell you the story of how my donor’s experience as she gave to me had a Butterfly Effect that, in some small way, contributed to another family’s receipt of such a precious gift.

My donor is a teacher, in service and gifting of herself to so many every day. She has a servant’s heart, and she is just as proud to have given to me as I am to have received from her. We did not know each other prior to the transplant surgery, meeting a day or so following the surgery. She simply wanted to help someone, somewhere with the gift of life. We hit it off, and we stay in touch through a text or a phone call. She sent me a message the other night, and it really touched my heart. She teaches with a woman named Ashley. Tomorrow morning Ashley is giving someone a kidney.

Ashley’s husband has a friend from High School with a wife who is in need of a transplant. Watching and hearing firsthand about our experiences, and how life-changing it was for me led Ashley to consider becoming a donor. She flew to Texas to be tested and was delighted to learn that she was a match. She and her family flew out last week for pre-op and to spend some time with their friends. Tomorrow morning, her gift will change her own friend’s life. While this does not qualify or count as a part of the “chain” of donors and recipients that came together to transform three lives as a part of my transplant, our experience influenced this one, and I find myself emotionally invested in their story.

I don’t know the families, but I know their challenges well. I know intimately what their next few weeks look like, and I remember how our friends and family came together to help us through the difficult days. So many things about my experience worked out perfectly, one of which as that my donor was somewhat local and the timing of the surgery in early summer allowed her to take some time over the summer to recover. Ashley and her family must travel to Texas for surgery and follow-up visits, and while she has the blessings of her principal and fellow teachers, she will be taking unpaid time from work for her recovery.

We normally have no measure or are not cognizant of how our actions and activities can affect others. If you are able, and if you feel led, please consider creating your own Butterfly Effect, https://www.gofundme.com/j2n78-kidney-transplant-assistance, keep these families in your thoughts, and remember them in your prayers.