THOUGHTS

As we marvel at Emma’s swift progress and are overwhelmed with appreciation, I cannot stop thinking about those we met at Children’s whose progress was not swift or positive.

My thoughts are with the Amish parents who have been staying at the hospital with their one-year old since December.  While they reject most modern conveniences, they are desperate for a cure for their precious baby and shower her with love as she is hooked up to a myriad of tubes and monitors. 

My thoughts are with the parents who were with us in the waiting room during surgery whose tiny infant was undergoing open-heart surgery. 

My thoughts are with the boy next to Emma in the recovery room who did not wake smoothly from anesthesia after routine surgery.  A huge team of doctors and nurses worked on him for 45 minutes until he was whisked away to the ICU.

My thoughts are with the donor and recipient of the organ that passed us in a cooler in the hallway. 

I also think about the fact that if Emma happened to be born in a less-developed country, it is likely that she would not have been able to get the tumors removed and would be unable to walk.  Our access to superior care has made this ordeal so manageable and yet such care is out of reach for so many in this world. 

Experiences such as this provide strong reminders that while we live our day-to-day normal lives, so many are dealing with struggles beyond our comprehension.  Of course, we all know that – it’s just that sometimes it really hits us so hard it hurts.