Pride and Joy

Last weekend, I traveled back to college for the Alabama LSU football game. It seems like a lifetime ago since 1987, when I left Tuscaloosa Alabama. Coming back 25 plus years later, I was asked a lot about each of you and the work that we do. Every time I spoke about the opportunity we have been given to care for these amazing children, they saw the sparkle in my eye and the pride of being let into families lives when they need us most. 

I told the story about our patient who literally asked a Congressman after his visit "where's the cash?" Because I had told her he was giving us money after he read us a story. Or the look on the face of a young man after he rode a horse for the first time after suffering a TBI, or watching graduates of Friday Night Fever taking on the role of leader or the many times we stood together at viewings and funerals to grieve the loss of a colleague or their loss of a loved one. Each and every story showed the love in my heart and the privilege I feel in being part of this organization.

I often receive little notes, or emails, or are stopped in the hallway by many of you telling me stories about how working at Children’s Specialized has truly changed your life for the better. We often share inspirational stories about our patient success, I thought I might ask each of you to share your stories about the children and families you have worked with or even your colleagues who you have seen extend themselves.  Our “average length of stay” here with our staff is not that average.  Our staff tends to stick around, and for good reason!  I’m sure you all have some great stories. 

Let’s hear about making life long friends or even finding love here at work; or how you grew your career here – starting in dietary and moving up to nurse manager? How about a personal story about how employees truly supported you during a crisis?  Superstorm Sandy is a great example of how we rallied around each other.

The joy of telling our story over and over last weekend brought me such joy; I thought I would create the opportunity for each of you to share the great things that happen here, with our employees!

Through It All

This has been an awful eight days. I know for many, you still have no power and are just beginning to figure out how to rebuild your lives. I don’t want this blog to diminish any of the pain you are going through. I want to provide an opportunity for people to share what they have been part of or have seen given during these last eight days.

Having a bird's eye view in the command center, I saw more than I wanted to at times! I saw amazing acts of generosity - Bobbi Jo Pansier organizing work crews at the homes of two staff members to pull out their carpets and get their stuff out of their homes before the mold set in.

I saw people take coworker’s cars to go sit in gas lines so they would have gas to get home. I saw Phd trained professionals vacuumed floors and clean bathrooms because it needed to be done. I saw people bring in food from home for our inpatient staff, so they didn’t have to eat sandwiches one more day. I saw people who stayed 48 hours straight, sleeping at the hospital so kids would have care. In the devastation we had some fun. Every baby they gave me to feed, I put to sleep before they finished their bottles! I saw Pastor Baker walk in to Stevens Road and then a miracle - the power came back on! Beth Anne M. Dobosh showed up on Halloween with the best looking witch hat I have ever seen!

And in it all, I saw love. Love for our children. Love for each other and a desire to give and do more. Please share you stories about what you experienced and how you are feeling through it all.