Giving Back

When Pete was born she had some serious medical issues. There were several scary moments, but one of the more pervasive memories I have is being separated from my family. I saw my husband and son maybe three times in 7 weeks, it seems. It was probably more but so much of that time is lost in murky memories when everything was the same- feed the baby, weigh the baby, take her blood pressure, fix the j-tube, give her meds, don't pull too hard on her IV's. I think it forever warped how my son would look at his sister, but even so they have a decent enough relationship.
Anyway, one day he came to visit her in the hospital. Not musc to do for an 8 year old boy in the ICU, and the game we bought just for that occasion was pretty noisy. But the nurses (may wonderful things happen to those men and women ever day of their lives!) brought out a "fun center" and let him play with it in one of the isolation rooms. Basically it was a big TV with a gaming center attached. He had a ball.

I have often said that if I ever won any money a big chunk of it will go to Scottish Rite Hospital (Now Children's Healthcare) in honor of Dr. Donald Schaffner, the surgeon responsible for saving my daughter's life. This man is incredible. In a really shitty twist of fate, he fell ill to a degenerative disease, but I'm not sure which one. Last time I heard he was in pretty rough shape. It makes me so damn mad thinking about that happening to him.

Back to my post: Colgate has recently given several major hospitals a Fun Center and is having a contest of sorts to see who gets another one, based on votes. So, I'm asking you, go over to this website, Bookmark it, and vote every day, for the hospital of your choice (Atlanta, please!). It's only for a few more days, so help!!!!

Thank you