I'm purely exhausted.
The Gala went well and the trip was productive. We are now driving back to San Fran and will probably arrive at 1am.
Jason and my eyes are closing, so we stopped for one of those energy shots so we can do the drive. I'm typing on my iPhone, so this won't be a long post.
It's hard enough dealing with a condition that keeps progressing, but then going after your own cure, dealing with a small organization that receives little donations due to the disease not being popular enough, the struggle, the politics and all the frustrations. I give the Darvish family (founders of ARM) alot of credit for not giving up. There are very few that make up ARM and at times it becomes easy to lose faith, because of the lack of help or interest. We are not wealthy, of status or of name, just a few that can see what is and what can be achieved; a cure.
I'm a patient, but also a friend to the Darvishes and I observe their most intimate day to day life. Everything to them is ARM/HRG (non profit molecular lab), getting to the finish line of the cure at hand and there is NO break.
I see the pure physical and emotional exhaustion, their dedication and their sincere hope that one day people will follow their example, step in, give a hand, in whichever way they can, and be a part of it. It's not enough for me to give a pat on the back and say, "Good job, I appreciate all your hard work...", so that is why I try and help as much as I can, because all their hopes are my hopes.
This is not a hobby or me "giving back", but life. I believe that you can't wait for hope, but you have to make it happen and be an example before expecting others to care.
Nothing is free in life. It's not physically and emotionally easy for me to "care", but I know it's not easy for them, too.
Later, I'll post a gala album later and share how the event went. :)