Hospital Christmas

While most of us are enjoying the holidays at home with our families, there are many people who are not as lucky and are having to be in the hospital for Christmas. Particularly in my thoughts today are those pregnant mammas that are on bedrest - and the parents of new babies who are in NICU. Holidays spent in the hospital are no fun...and quite depressing frankly. For anyone who has had to spend the holiday there, you can attest. Many of them had grand visions of what their 2008 holidays would be like while they were happy, beautiful pregnant people...unfortunately, somewhere along the line, that changed and they are unexpectedly stuck in the hospital incubating their fragile babies, or visiting their fragile babies bedside as they cling to life in NICU.

This is just a shout out to those people to let you know that you hold a special place for me today while you are spending your time within closed walls of AAMC (or elsewhere). It's not easy - and you'll have a different appreciation for holidays from here on out, I assure you.

Our NICU parent support group has set up a breakfast for the NICU parents this morning. We are hopeful that we have a good turn out - as many of our volunteers have had to spend holidays on bedrest and/or in NICU at some point. It's certainly not the same as enjoying your family and friends, wonderful food, festive music, christmas smells of candles and pine, and all of the other good parts about the holidays. At the very least, we hope to allow the current NICU families to feel a little bit of Christmas and some parental support from those who have 'been there and done that'.

Although I won't be attending due to this cold and cough I acquired this week, I know that my fellow volunteer families will offer a wonderful support day for these parents, with lots of hope for a bright future for their children and families. Next years Christmas will be much different for them once their miracle babies have been released from the hospital and grow into such special kids. You all are very close to my heart today! Merry Christmas to you - even though it isn't really what you had planned for your 2008 holiday season, you are watching miracles happen within those walls every minute you are there....hang in there.