If you need to, catch up on Day One, or Day Two so that you know exactly what I am attempting to do, and why. I must say that I have been so encouraged and excited by some of you who have pledged to join in and commit 31 random acts of kindness during the 31 days of October. I feel blessed by how many people remember Adam's life... not just his death.
For Day Three, I wanted to do something for the people who work so hard day in and day out to save the lives of children. I have brought my two youngest kids, Harper and London, to the emergency room for different reasons. Harper has pretty bad asthma and any germ he comes in contact with seems to turn into pneumonia within minutes. To the ER we go. London had to have a series of blood transfusions because she had acute anemia caused by a rare form of bone marrow failure. Again, to the ER. I know how fortunate I am to have been spared from the other possible outcomes if modern medicine had not been readily available when my kids needed life-saving medical intervention.
The doctors and nurses in the ER don't always save lives... but, they always try. When they can't save a child's life, they have to live with that heaviness. And when they do save a life, they will likely never get to see that child again... so, the way I see it is that they should probably have assorted pastries on hand.
Our act of kindness today was to take treats to the Pediatric Emergency Room staff at the hospital where both Harper and London could thank everyone and it would be a beautiful full-circle moment. I pictured some "yes! I remember you!" and maybe a little hugging, and definitely some high fives all around. That is not how it all went down.
Problem #1: London COULD ABSOLUTELY NOT GET PAST the fact that we had cookies in our vehicle. She wanted the cookies. Could she please have all those cookies? Will the "hostiple" ladies share those cookies? Will they take blood? And share those cookies?
Problem #2: I went to the wrong "hostiple." All the cookie passion was heating up and I got distracted and pushed the wrong button on the GPS and ended up at an ER that does not have a pediatric wing.
Problem #3: I was not smooth about this mix-up. I knew something felt "off" so I asked the security guard at the ER desk where the pediatric triage was. He said "We don't have a peds department here. You are thinking of Strong Memorial." I say "Oh, well I brought you all a little something." He calls my bluff, "Welll, you meant to bring them here or to Strong?" I mean, what does this guy care? So, I lie "Nope, these ones are for you guys here. Just for anyone saving lives, really. Lives of any age." Oh gracious... I just wanted to high tail it out there at that point but I couldn't because of...
Problem #4: London was face down on the ground sobbing "I will never have doze treats!"
She was right, she would never have those treats. And the people that saved my children's lives, they would also never have those treats. But, whatevs... the acts of kindness are supposed to be random right? How random to end up at the wrong hospital and give a huge bag of pastries to a security guard who knew I was fibbing about who those treats were for... all with a clinically depressed toddler who went boneless on me as I was trying to get off the premises.
Day #3 was probably mostly a fail. But, the peeps at Highland Hospital, I hope, would disagree.
