Thursday, January 29, 2015

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Tonight's picture was taken in January of 2009. Mattie was attending his friend Charlotte's birthday party. I remember this weekend very well because Mattie attended two parties back to back. But that wasn't what was noteworthy, but caught my attention was I saw first hand how different Mattie was physically from his peers and how some of them pointed this out and even made fun of him. I wasn't prepared for this to happen especially since the majority of them knew Mattie was battling cancer. Nonetheless, I couldn't react negatively to the comments because that would have made matters worse and also would have signaled to Mattie that something was very wrong and that perhaps he wouldn't return to living the life that he once knew. Which would have been too scary to face at that point in time. 


Quote of the day: We do not remember days; we remember moments. ~ Cesare Pavese


This morning I received an email from my friend Lisa. She sent me an email because she wanted me to know that she had a dream last night. Her dream was about Mattie. In particular about Mattie's art work which was being displayed on a website devoted to Mattie's works. Apparently Lisa's dream was so vivid that she could recall that at least two of the art pieces were of a race car and of a turtle. Rather ironic I think since Mattie LOVED cars and sea turtles!!! Lisa woke up feeling that she just saw some of the most beautiful things she ever had seen and felt the need to contact me and let me know. I really feel somehow that Mattie had a message he was trying to communicate to me through Lisa. Nonetheless, I loved hearing about Lisa's dream, especially since I told Lisa that my own dream was truly disturbing..... a dream in which was being attacked by cicadas. Something Mattie would have thought was hysterical. 

I spent a good portion of my day today at Georgetown University Hospital. I had a meeting with the philanthropy department and then later in the day I went back and visited some friends in the hospital who needed a friendly face and some support. One of the units I visited was the post surgical recovery unit and I have to say I was so impressed with the nursing staff there. The nurses were so efficient, friendly, and kind. This kind of attention and concern in my opinion can help with recovery.  

I am always in amazement when I talk with people sometimes who do not understand the importance of psychosocial care and support in medical care! My one conclusion is that these individuals have never been sick and in a hospital themselves, because anyone who has spent even one night in a hospital understands immediately when I say that quality care must include psychosocial care. It can't be mutually exclusive from medical care. How someone talks to you, listens to you, includes you in the management of your care, tries to make sure you are comfortable, and understands your pain, concerns, and feelings as it relates to your health concerns can influence how you feel about the direction of your health care and the confidence you have in who is overseeing it. I would say that these factors also influence.... how compliant you are with the medical care!!!!

While at Georgetown tonight, I of course couldn't help but visit what I call "Mattie's sign." This sign greets all visitors to the pediatric unit of the hospital. I can remember the "moment" it was created. Jenny and Jessie, Mattie's art therapists, created it with him in clinic. Jenny and Jessie designed this fun sign for the floor to let people know this was a pediatrics unit. But they also wanted children to participate in its design. So they asked Mattie to add to it and his version of adding to it was to put his footprint on it. So that red footprint in the upper right hand corner is Mattie's foot! I know most people do not know this, but I certainly know it when I pass this sign! Which is why this SIGN MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!