Friday, September 01, 2006

Happy Birthday, Hospital-style

Today is my 33rd birthday.

I woke up this morning in the hospital and was greeted with a card made from purple Ellie footprints that Abby and Ellie had made on the sly with the hospital's child life whiz and an empty crib next to me.

After a minute panic trying to remember what I had done with Ellie in a middle of the night sleepwalk, I realized that Lindsay, our nurse had come in at 6 and taken Ellie away after she woke up but before she cried. A small thing, but the extra hour of sleep was great. Ellie was holding court in the nurse's station when I got up and was happy as could be.

Then, one by one, each and every nurse that I saw this morning stopped and wished me a happy birthday.

Every one. Some by name, and some just hey happy birthday, but Abby worked some magic and got the word out. It made me feel great that these folks stopped to say that to me.

It also made me think and realize today that like it or not, we are now part of the community on the wing where Ellie lives. The nurses and doctors are part of it, same with the housekeepers and the magic supply guy who can get you anything you need like contraband butt wipes.

We are part of it as well, and apparently people like us a little bit. Or maybe they just like our really cute little girl, but I'll take that kind of association, too.

As the day went on, I also got birthday notes and voicemails from folks all over the place from people that I haven't heard from in a long time. Those were great, too.

I've never been much of a birthday person.

This year may have changed that.

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