What I did differently to support my child in hospital?

Heartfelt Reflection

I want to start this blog post with a big thank you and a sprinkle of fun. 😊

I’m really grateful for the people who push you to step out of your comfort zone, ask tough questions, and genuinely want to hear your story. I say this with a laugh and some honesty because without my business friends, you might not be reading this. As for putting it on video, given my go-to response, that won’t be happening today. This girl (that's me!) has her boundaries!

Thank you for the nudge, everyone! I hope this helps someone out there.

Here We Go

“What I did differently to support my child in hospital?”

Telling you I did something different would be hard to do because I can't say for certain if I did something different however I can tell you what I did for my child in hospital and hopefully, that will work.

I Slept in Her Hospital Bed for Weeks: 

She might jokingly claim I used the side bed, but the nurses and I know the truth. It wasn't easy! My back ached, and I constantly worried about bumping into or pulling on something I shouldn't. Yet, I was her devoted little buddy in my own way, just like many of you parents are. So yes, I spent weeks sleeping in a child’s hospital bed.

Played Silly Tricks on Her and the Staff: 

This was easy! We had fun scaring nurses who weren’t great at night rounds. If you put a flashlight in our eyes all the time, we put bugs on the hand sanitizers to get you back! And, perhaps we just wanted a laugh! Sorry Andrea, Heather and everyone else we got - though, let's be honest, you enjoyed it too!

Made Friends with Patients, Staff, and Other Parents: 

Hospitals are full of secrets, and kids notice. It's a place with lots of time, trauma, and loneliness. I am a social person and I love connecting with others. When I cried, someone always seemed to be there with a hug. Thank you, you know who you are. On the flip side, when someone else needed a hug sometimes it was me giving the support  - I think this is really where the term #MedicallFamily comes from - we relate and support one another on a whole other level!

Encouraged Her to Visit the Fish Tank: 

Why? I have a passion for psychology and understand the significance of focus. That fish tank was our lighthouse and so happened to be the first place a boy gave her a cookie making her blush, her of course "claiming she wasn't red, she was blue instead!". Just in case I lost you, covid, remember when everyone had to wear a mask - ours, they were blue. Oh, the laughs. I'm pretty sure we trained that resident neurologist to be what we think is going to be one of the best neurologists in the world.  

Shaved My Head: 

When I went back to work, I had half my head shaved and a bob cut. Surprise! Not many knew what I was up to. I even started a couple of companies to fill a gap. Thanks to those who complimented my look and my girlfriend Tanya for grounding me in those moments - funny how you need to be grounded for a compliment isn’t it. 

Let Her See Me Cry: 

Emotions run deep, and as a mom, I cry a lot. Kelly, one of my fave nurses, says all moms cry, so maybe I’m not so different. This however has always been my go-to response when overwhelmed. It's important to let your kids see you cry.

Used Her Teddy (okay, my teddy the first go-around) to Explain Everything:

I made sure she never faced anything alone and focused on teaching her skills or embracing characteristics that I’ve put into each supportive little buddy to pull us through various experiences.  Whether it was a breathing technique, a grounding method, or teaching her how to rephrase at such a young age—she needed it, and honestly, so did I.

If you ask, "what I did differently to support my child in the hospital", I can confidently tell you I did everything written above and more, that we had fun and made the seconds count even during some of life’s toughest times. 

The next question for a blog post that I think is valuable might be, “What was helpful to you during your hospital stay?” That’s a whole other blog post! 

#Gratitude #Friends #Parenting #HospitalLife #Support #HospitalCommunity #MedicalFamily #FishTank #JoyfulMoments #NewLook #Entrepreneur #Emotions #MomLife #FamilySupport #HospitalJourney