And tonight’s Power Ball numbers are…..

Remember when I told you about having certain people who youcan really rely on? Well, today’s post was inspired by Theresa Defosse! She reached out to me to share what she would do with the money if she won the huge Powerball jackpot.

As of yesterday, the jackpot was up to $1.5 billion. BILLION! You could buy a few private islands and still have enough left over to get each Children’s Specialized Hospital employee a new car.

Theresa – who has a heart of gold – shared that she would use the money to help others and to change the world in a positive way.

“Personally, I would focus on accessible housing. I would start by building a community for kids and families who can’t go home after hospitalization. Then, I would try to expand the vision and promote accessible housing communities. I would want more medical group homes, so kids like Poppy could live with a family.”

So, it got me to thinking. What would I do if I won the Powerball jackpot (or even a portion of it). 

I just have to say that part of me feels like I’ve already won the lottery with the big Alabama win on Monday. Roll tide!!!!

I was on a golf course once with some colleagues. Instead of paying attention to the game, I started a conversation about what we would do if we won the lottery.

The woman I was playing with said she would set aside money for her nieces and nephews to pay for college.

I had just finished chairing the Capitol campaign for my church and said that I would pay off the mortgage so that it wouldn’t be such a burden for us. I would also pay off my Children’s Specialized Hospital pledge.

The woman’s husband was also playing with us and he said, “What is wrong with you two?! You are supposed to buy a jet and spend the money crazily so you end up bankrupt! You will never ‘win’ with those kinds of ‘wants’!”

Well, I still play occasionally hoping to pay off the church mortgage and my Children’s Specialized pledge, but it was still one of the funniest conversations I have ever had.

Now I want to know, what would YOU do with the money if you won? And if you’re playing tonight, “may the odds forever be in your favor.”

When life hands you lemons…

So you may recall from previous blog posts that my Dad and I have a daily exercise date at 4:30 a.m. We meet five days a week and I get my running fix in.

Running helps me clear my head and makes everything better for me. It’s very therapeutic.

Between Christmas and New Year's I got a rude awakening. Literally! I was awoken in the middle of the night by what I can only describe as a feeling like if someone was sticking pins in a voodoo doll's hip. A voodoo doll that was supposed to be me!

Literally out of a dead sleep my hip locked up and I screamed out loud.

After four days of dragging my leg behind me in pain while I walked and relying on a combination of Icy Hot, massages, Advil, and a healthy dose of self-pity, I emailed Pattie Foley (VP, Outpatient Services) for a consult.

 

It turns out that I have something called Iliotibial Band Syndrome (or ITBs). While it has a long, fancy name it just means I strained the muscle between my hip and knee. 

And guess what the fix is? Rest and stretching. It has now been over a week of trying to fix this and I have to say that I have been miserable. Actually, that is an understatement.

You know I am addicted to my FitBit, so reaching my daily goal is basically out of the question. Plus, my running has been completely sidelined, eliminating all opportunities for me to clear my head!

Are you enjoying my pity party yet?

This whole inconvenience has forced me to try other ways to heal, such as deep cleansing breaths. But, it has also been a stark reminder of just how hard it is for our kids and their parents who are recovering from what they are dealing with.

Yes, there are signs of life and healing, but I have to keep reminding myself that it is a process and no amount of gnashing of teeth or rushing will replace the hard work and time. Patience is key.

I’m curious – do you have a story similar to mine where you had to work through something challenging that tested your patience? Or do you have advice for me – besides put my big girl pants on and stop whining – to help me through my challenge?

A blessing from Fanwood

We have so many amazing employees to spotlight that it’s usually hard to pick which example to share each month! Today I wanted to share a parent’s email about Rachel De Lara (Service Coordinator, Case Management – Fanwood Plaza) and the Early Intervention Program as a whole.

“This email is to express my sincere gratitude for the excellent service my family has received through Early Intervention, all coordinated by Rachel De Lara. Having Rachel as our son’s case manager has been both a pleasure and a blessing. He will be turning 3 years this weekend and ageing out of the program. I cannot let this time pass without expressing how pleased we were not only with our case manager assignment, but with our therapists and the program itself.

Working with Rachel was both a gift and a blessing. She was very approachable and performed well above and beyond her responsibilities. She went out of her way to accommodate my needs as a working parent, responded to all inquiries with equal attention, and far exceeded my hopes and expectations as our case manager. Her dedication to what she does truly shows in her work, with excellent attention to detail, and professionalism from start to finish.”

This parent even went on to tell us how the Early Intervention Program has improved since her other child had been in the program!

“Our older son also came through Early Intervention in 2008-2009. Our recent experience with the program from then to the current program now, is truly night and day. I have to say the therapists provided for both of my boys were very good; the dramatic difference was in the case coordination. And it made every difference!

The changes made to EI since our first experience are very apparent in terms of increased and better communication, responsiveness to parent requests, qualifications of the coordinator, and the level of service provided. So I must congratulate you on both the very pronounced strides of improvement that have evolved within the program, as well as retaining a case manager like Rachel, with superior communication, organization, and interpersonal skills that were consistently demonstrated.”

Not only does this show how valued Rachel proved to be for this family, but the Early Intervention Program as a whole has proven to be so crucial in helping this family and other families in their services.

‘Tis the season for getting what you want

It is always interesting to me to see what “THE” gift of the season will be. I have overheard people basically negotiating their first born for one of those hoverboards. One set of parents gave their kids one for Hanukkah and already returned it after their son broke his wrists — 15 minutes after getting it!

Every one of my friends who has a child that is 10 years or under is asking for their own iPhone. Can you believe that?! The Hess truck craze was hot for a while, and they are still selling (and donating) those trucks like crazy. 

And I bet many of you remember the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, and anything Star Wars has continued to be a big hit.

The only thing I really remember coveting as a child for Christmas was this doll. Isn’t she beautiful? 

Of course that was 46 years ago, but when I found this photo on google, she is just as beautiful as I recall her to be!  

So, I wanted to know, what was your most coveted gift as a child for the holidays?

Happy Holidays everyone!

Our kids have different abilities, not disabilities.

One of the greatest gifts we can give to the kids that we serve is showing them that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. With a little hard work and some motivation from their loved ones, the sky is really the limit.

So when I got word that one of our patients, Ali Stroker, was making headlines on BROADWAY with her acting and singing I couldn’t wait to share the news with you all! She is staring in the Deaf West Theater production of Spring Awakening.

Ali is paralyzed from the chest down from a car accident when she was 2 years of age. She came to us for therapy and has been a shining star in her wheelchair ever since. But that didn’t stop her from pursuing her goals.

 

Here is Nichole Turmelle and her daughter, Zee, with Ali.

She has appeared on TV in “Glee,” “The Glee Project,” and onstage in “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at the Paper Mill Playhouse – just to name a few of her projects.

So, let’s tie this back to us and why I wanted to share this with you guys. Our kids sometimes need a little extra boost of confidence to tackle that hurdle during their therapy sessions. And each one of you help to give that to them, encouraging them to push harder and give it all they can.

The holiday season is a time for us all to think back on our blessings throughout the year and show thanks. So as we enter this holiday season, I want you all to know that its stories like this – about our kids and how well they are growing after they’ve left us – that make me thankful to work alongside each of you.

You do amazing things here at Children’s Specialized Hospital. You help our patients reach their wildest dreams.

And like Ali shared in the article written about her, our kids don’t have disabilities – they have different abilities. 

RWJ/Barnabas – The Rumor Mill

So, since my email last week with the update to the Robert Wood Johnson and Barnabas merger I’ve gotten A LOT of questions. I answered some of them during my State of the State meeting last week, but in case some of you didn’t attend I wanted to make sure I clear up any questions here on the blog.

You all know it is my preference to deal with the issues directly, so I will continue to share the rumors I have heard and ask that if there are others – please post them in the comments below and/or email them to me. If I have the answers and can address them, I’ll do so here on the blog.

So, let’s get started.

Rumor: Amy was fired from Children’s Specialized Hospital and they moved her out.

I was not fired. Although being President of Children’s Specialized Hospital is the best job in the world because of both the work we do and each of you, this is a promotion for me. My mother even joked that I’ll really have no life now because I’ll be so busy.

Rumor: Joe Dobosh is retiring.

I am not even sure where this came from but No is the answer. Joe Dobosh is not retiring. Eventually he probably will, but not at this time.

Question: Where will your office be?

I will have an office in Plum Street in New Brunswick, but most of my time will be spent on the road working with the hospitals in the Southern region of RWJ Barnabas.

Question: Will Warren take your office in New Brunswick?

Yes, when the time comes to make the transition I will move my things out of my office at our New Brunswick Somerset Street office and Warren will move in. I’ve already given him some tips on how to rearrange the furniture!

Question: Will you still do your blog and the weekly wrap up?

This is a tricky one. No, I will not be in charge of the blog and the weekly wrap up anymore. Will Warren take over? That hasn’t been decided yet. Of course you’ll still be kept updated on what’s going on around the hospital, so much of what you’d normally share in the wrap up you should send to Megan Muller so we can share it in the Daily Huddles.

Question: Will Warren give us jean days?

I have no idea! This is something you’ll have to ask him about.

Question: Will you ever come back to see us?

You’ll still see me from time to time. I will attend events in my new role at all the hospitals and I will still be in New Brunswick (remember, I’ll have an office at Plum Street!). You may not see me as often, but I’ll still be around for sure.

Question: When is this going to happen?

The timing is dependent on when the Attorney General of New Jersey approves the merger. It could be a month or it could be a year. We don’t know the answer to this one yet, but I will share when I can. We are trying to be as proactive as we can so there are no surprises when this happens. That is why all three hospitals and our board have begun to discuss the movement of positions.

Question: Once Warren moves up, who will move into his role?

This is a great question, and from what I’ve heard some of you have already started to get some ideas on restructure! Warren will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to determine this new structure. Most likely that wouldn’t occur until after I move into my new role.

Question: Are you still CEO now?

Yes! Until the day that this transition takes place, I will continue to be the CEO of Children’s Specialized Hospital and continue on with my responsibilities in this position. Consider it business as usual until you hear otherwise.

Question: Will Children's Specialized Hospital be remaining an affiliate of the merged hospital, or will we become the children's hospital within the new organizational structure?

We will remain as an affiliate of the hospital.

Question: There's the RWJ University Hospital Foundation, Saint Barnabas Medical Center Foundation, and Children's Specialized Hospital Foundation. Will these stay intact or be combined?

The Children's Specialized Hospital Foundation is free standing, and not part of this merger.

Question from the comments: Can we see a picture of Warren, have never actually met him!!!
Warren's photo is listed in his contact in the phone directory. A simple search would have brought him up for you! It's also listed under his Give a WOW! profile. But, to save you the hassle, here is one from us today.

I am aware that this announcement of my departure and Warren's promotion may have come as a surprise to some of you. But I want to assure you all that you’re in good hands here. Warren and I have worked closely for many years at Children’s Specialized. I have no doubt that he’ll continue to lead you all to reach new heights and accomplish even more than I have.

I know that as time goes on, there may be other rumors or questions that come about. I will continue to update you all when I have more information that I can share, but I would appreciate if there are other things out there that you are curious about, please let me know so I can put them to bed.

So, what else do you want to know?

I didn’t mean it like that…

If you watch the news, you may have seen a recent story about National Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio and the interaction that took place between a registration person and a 4-year-old girl and her mom. When mom began telling the registration person that the reason they were at the hospital was because a 4-year-old boy hit her daughter on the playground, resulting in her requiring stitches, the person (in an effort to make the child feel better) said, “I bet he likes you.”

Now, I can’t speak for this person but I think he probably meant to say, “I am sure he didn’t mean to hurt you…” But, after 35,000 shares of the Instagram picture of the child, this story took a like of its own that no matter how young the parties involved, violence is unacceptable and condoning it – especially when you are in a children’s hospital – it is can never happen. 

There is a question in Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In book that asks, “Where do you sit when you walk into an empty room?” Always, my first instinct is to think about who else will be in the room and whether there will be enough chairs for everyone.

Whether intentional or not, if you invite people to a meeting and don’t account for everyone, when someone walks in without a seat – regardless of who they are or what position they hold – they feel like the outsider; forgotten, maybe even unvalued. No one would ever intentionally devalue a colleague, but the perception is much stronger than the intent. Once you start down the path of having to explain, you have already lost.

We have power every day. I’m not talking about power because of your title. We have the power to influence in ways that we don’t think about frequently.

A kind word or a harsh word; a smile versus a sneer.

Every interaction with someone else is a chance to show who you are and what you stand for. We are flawed people and we do occasionally make thoughtless comments. Sometimes, like in my case, your mouth works faster than your head. At the end of those times, it is what you do next that matters.

National Children’s Hospital publicly and privately thanked the Mom for coming forward with the issue and allowed them to improve her experience with them.

For us, when those moments happen, we need remember to pause, go back, and make it better – whether with a parent or a colleague. The silence, before it is remedied, tends to be the the thing that eats away at you, causing unnecessary stress and pain. Let’s proactively avoid that.