(Before I get into the main story of this post, I have to say thank you to all of you who have emailed, tweeted or called to show your concern or offer help during the ice storm and the resulting power outage. Your kindness is beautiful! We do have power again, and the National Post did a good story if you’d like to know more. I also want to add that, as always, the greatness of the NICU team knocked my socks off! Nurses cheerfully gave up holiday plans to cover for colleagues who couldn’t travel safely, staff members turned up on their days off to help out and to bring much-needed coffee, and overall everyone pulled together in an amazing display of teamwork. I love these people and am honoured to work with them.)
So you might think that now that Santa has visited, and all the beautiful hand-made items have arrived, and all the carols have been sung, that we’re slowing down for the holidays. NOPE! Our wonderful breastfeeding resource nurse had one more big event up her sleeve. We have many great bakers on staff, and she asked them to bake cookies and squares to give to our families.
Well, they came through. Big time!
One view of the counter in our parent room, laden with goodies.
Another tray-full of deliciousness.
Even more sweetness! To all of you wonderful people who baked for our families … THANK YOU! And to Luisa, who puts so much time and effort into making things special for families … we love you!
We also had a couple of super-special donations to help families via our Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic. Creations for Charity is a group that donates LEGO sets to families in need. Simon Liu, the Canadian rep, arranged for a MASSIVE drop-off (pictured above), and we’ve been happily giving them out to our families who need a bit of help with holiday gifts. A hearty thank you to Simon and Creations for Charity – what a wonderful program, and we are so honoured that you thought of us!
We also want to thank one of our dieticians, her child and her child’s school, who did a toy drive for us this year. We are so grateful! And to all of you who brought gift baskets, candy, teddy bears for babies, photos, cards, and more … thank you! The fact that you took time to think of us moves us immensely.
One final note: we were talking in a parent group about the season, and how it can be burdensome when you’re in the hospital. You might feel forced into good cheer when it’s the last way you want to feel. Or you don’t celebrate the holidays that people around you are celebrating, and that might make you feel isolated. So we were talking about that in our group, and one of our mothers who does not celebrate Christmas said, “I don’t really mind. It’s a story about a baby, and how the whole world stopped for that baby. The world should treat every baby like that.” We thought that was a beautiful sentiment, and wanted to close on that note. We celebrate every baby in our unit, and recognize each one, and each family, as a miracle.
Happy holidays to you all! Stay warm, stay safe, be merry. Or, as one mom said in her card to us, “Merry Always! Happy Everything!”
