If you read past blog posts you will see the story of how I was turned down for milk donation due to a false positive test result. I made the most of it by contacting the Medical Director and asking her to look at my case and change future policy. This is my hope, that other mothers wanting to give will be better informed and do the required blood tests no sooner than 6 weeks after giving birth. No need for scary false positives that ruin donation chances and scare grieving moms to death!
The medical director shared my story with the Austin milk bank. Turns out, they were DESPERATE for milk! Huge shortage. They said, "hey, if you send me the confirmatory test showing that you don't have the virus we will take your milk!" That's what I did.
My deepest desire was for babies in the same NICU Claire was born in to get my milk. But there are no milk banks in Az. Austin babies would have to do, I thought. Their lives are just as valuable.
Blue and I met with Claire's doctor one Saterday morning to go over all her medical records. He told me his patients haven't been getting their needed milk because his bank, the Austin Milk Bank, was in some kind of crisis. How could I but sit there on his couch and smile...my milk was indeed going to Claire's NICU. It may take a pit stop in Austin for processing, but it's coming back home to Az.
Thank you for that, God.
I can't have all that I wanted. But this is a small, healing gift that I can and do take with me. It teaches me to keep pressing on when doors close. The journey's not over.
Maybe you too will get your wish one day, after all.
