Taking a trip to the hospital with young children is never easy. They’re scared, you’re scared, the doctors are busy, the nurses are running around like crazy, and there’s a plethora of other patients all in need of assistance. This can be a challenge for the parents of children at basically any age, but when a child has autism, the fear and stress are heightened in such a hectic environment.
This was exactly the scenario one mother named Chrissy found herself in when her 6-year-old son had to be admitted to the hospital for a ruptured appendix.
“When we first checked into Valley Children's Hospital eight days ago for a ruptured appendix in my six year old son I said, "I will be open to the particular parenting lessons this stay will teach me." I was scared, but I meant it.” she wrote on her Facebook page, recounting the event.
As a mom of an autistic child, Chrissy knew that she had to be as brave as possible for her son. Not only did she remain brave and positive throughout the experience, she was completely blown away by the level of care she and her son received during his stay in the hospital. She took to her Facebook page to acknowledge the amazing and challenging work children’s doctors do each and every day.
“I feel blanketed with the fact that there are *such good people* in the world, today more than ever. People who care about other people with every fiber of their being. People whose calling is serving others in their most vulnerable of states. People who see a child left by their parents, and then have to call foster care to pick up the pieces. People who see children take their last breath before the life flows out of their body. People who see children with puffy faces from steroids and a bald head from chemo and say- "Yes. I am going to show up for another day of that because it is what I was born to do." They've seen all of this in the world, yet they still believe in what they do, and they still believe that love is some of the best medicine there is.”
Caring for sick children is no easy task, and it takes a special, caring person to do that kind of job. Chrissy was so consumed with her own fears, that it took that time in the hospital for her to truly see just how incredible these doctors were, and she could not be more grateful.
“I could share patient outcomes that show that our amazing Valley Children's Hospital is in line with the level of expertise of Stanford, but as a parent, one thing matters to me just as much. (Maybe even more). It's the way they loved us better. It's the way they took care of my son- my heart- my life- my soul housed in a little, tiny six year old form.”
As a parent, your whole life is about your child, so to place their wellbeing and safety in the hands of someone else is tough.
“Here every single person we interacted with loved my son better. They said we can go home tomorrow, and I don't know why- but I can't stop crying. I'm so grateful for the reminder that there are people and places like this in the world.”
It is heartwarming to know that there truly are good people in the world who want to help sick children, and also parents feel safe, comforted, and at ease when their kids are hurt or sick.
We’re glad to see a parent who had such a positive experience after something so scary!
You can read her post in its entirety below.
