Sunday, June 09, 2013

14 Years Ago



Fourteen years ago (yesterday) Jack was discharged from St. Louis Children's Hospital PICU after having spent nearly five of the first seven months of his life there.  Those months in the PICU were extraordinarily difficult - so many questions and so few answers.  Yet, I couldn't have asked for a more remarkable team of physicians, nurses and therapists to care for Jack during that time.  I don't think there is one person in that PICU who would tell you today that they ever thought on discharge day that the future would hold such a difficult road for Jack. We were all so optimistic that with time and growth, Jack would be fine.

Jack didn't get to be the kid who came back five years later to say "Look at me, look how far I've come". Nevertheless, Jack is still a kid who left his mark on that remarkable PICU team - a mark that shines through in the words shared by some of them in a book I asked people to sign prior to Jack's discharge.  I love these notes - they are treasures and they sustain me to this day.  Thank you to SLCH PICU for everything they did to get Jack to discharge day fourteen years ago, and thank you to them for loving my kid!

(click on the pictures to make them larger)





















(Jack's cardiothoracic surgeon)









Fourteen years later and Jack is still leaving his mark.  Just ask Grandma Bev.

1 comment:

Christy said...

Wow! What a great idea. I love how everyone clearly took some time to write to Jack (and you). No quick, "It's been real, good luck!" What a testament to you and Jack!

xo
Christy