Gratitude

November 4, 2015

Written by Marykate O’Malley, mother of three wonderful children Gladwyne PA 

 

Halloween didn’t go as expected. Instead of hosting the class party I found myself snapping a few hurried pictures of my youngest in her costume, thrusting a granola bar at her for breakfast, throwing the games and crafts for my son’s class party into a bag, and sending her off to deliver it to his classroom. Instead of being at school for the parties and festivities I found myself in the ER with my son who was in tremendous pain. And the following evening, instead of going to the Block Party, and carving pumpkins, and making treats to bring with my children, I found myself awake for over 41 hours and then back home via cab to gather a robe, and slippers, stuffed animals and a favorite blanket for my son. And to catch my daughters in their costumes before I headed back to the hospital.

While home for a hurried hour Halloween night, one time I opened the door to welcome trick or treaters, I heard a boy off in the darkness laughing, a rich and generous laugh that sounded just like my son’s. And for a moment, I felt a wave of happiness, looking out into the darkness and thinking of him. And then remembered that he was in a hospital room, with IVs, and terrible pain, and medicine, and not home in his big blue blob blow up costume he was so excited to wear, making his way from house to house with his friends.

I can take 41 hours without sleep. I can take that on the same ill fated Friday morning a laptop and other items were stolen from my car. I can take knowing we were at the doctors a week before and sent home, and then at the ER in the morning and sent home, before going back to the ER a second time when I had to carry him like a baby cradled in my arms out of bed, down the stairs, out of the house to the car, and place him in wheelchair demanding – Help Him.  I can take all of that. But hearing that laugh almost killed me.

But here is the rub. Being in the hospital for 5 days you see things you never want to see again. And overhear mothers talking about being there for months. And then hear some stay for a year or longer. And then a little girl in a hospital gown asks your youngest, where are you going. And when she says we are leaving, the little girl replies, you mean you get to go home? And your daughter says, that made me so sad Mom. And your mother stays with your girls, and doesn’t miss a beat, and makes the treats for the Block Party with them, and friends come and visit, your sister from Long Island comes to get you back on your feet, gifts and well wishes are dropped off and all these people rally around. Friends and family check in, help out, deliver food, and most importantly prayers. And your son knows this and feels the love. His friends collect and drop off candy and cards to him, his sisters brought around his treat bag Halloween night and made a Welcome Home poster for his friends to sign.

And then, neighbors, with a kindness unimaginable offer for my son to trick or treat when he is home and well enough, so he can wear his big blue blow up blob costume and go from house to house. And this kindness, this compassion, this gracious and beautiful gesture almost kills me. In the best way imaginable. And I feel a tremendous wave of gratitude for Philadelphia’s world renowned hospitals, the amazing doctors and nurses who helped him heal, for health, for family, for friends, for gorgeous ordinary non-eventful days and seeing my son run around the neighborhood with his pals again. And for the “second Halloween” as my son calls it. Gratitude. Overwhelming gratitude.

 

 

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Category: Random and Fun
Tags: doctors, family, friends, gratitude, Halloween, heath, kindness, love |