What my wish meant to me…
It is truly unnerving to have a life-threatening illness. Having to worry about the next time I’ll be in the hospital or the next life experience I will miss out on. It can get difficult to bring the optimism back, but I work to make sure that there is always optimism. Over the summer, I found out that I was going to have my deepest desire granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and I did not have to fight to be extremely excited. I have always wanted to go to Italy so that was the first thing that I thought of as my wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation really helped me believe that everything does happen for a reason. All of the other things I had to miss out on because I was sick somehow no longer mattered. I was going to Italy!
Over the holiday break, my wish to go to Rome, Italy was granted. It was the most incredible and magical experience that I have ever had. My family and I were picked up to go to the airport in a limousine and from that moment I knew that this would be the trip of a lifetime. As we landed in Rome, we were able to look out the window and see a beautiful countryside with beautiful architecture. We spent the next week in a four star-hotel in the middle of Rome. We explored the entire city and saw the most famous sites. My family and I got to go shopping, to the Colosseum, Vatican City, the Pantheon, and so much more! We experienced the culture, the cuisine, the language, and the people of Rome. It was the most incredible vacation I have ever had, and the best part was: that it felt like a vacation. Everything was amazing. From the food to the architecture, from the shopping to the people we met along the way. I couldn’t have even begun to imagine how this trip would affect me.
I was able to completely forget my problems and stop worrying about my disease for a whole eight days and just have fun. This trip meant more to me than anyone could ever know. I couldn’t have asked for more, and I definitely didn’t expect as much as I got. It is amazing what the Make-A-Wish Foundation does, and I am thoroughly honored to be one of the wish kids. They made my dream come true, and for that, I cannot possibly thank them enough.
Always,
Tiffany
