2002-09-12, 10:18 a.m.,

Si I did my first day as a children's hospital volunteer and it was a thought provoking experience. I sat and spent time with a few kids and it was so strange. At this particular wing of the hospital all these kids are outpatients in the sense that they come in for a few days every other week for chemotherapy and stay a night or two (sometimes longer) and come back again in 2 weeks. Then usually once a month or so they stay in for a full week. Regardless, they always have 1 parent with then at all times. My job is basically to relieve that parent if they want to do things like shower, get a cup of cofee, go pay bills, take care of their other children, etc. Some parents are very hard to get to know and hard to talk to and really give the impression that they dont want anyone but then talking to their child. Other parents look at me and ask me questions about their child's medication, tell me their child's symptoms and look to me, a volunteer with not a day of medical school under my belt, for the answers. It really put things into perspective.

Maxine left for work this morning in my clothes. I love it when she does that. Watching her get ready in the morning and see her come in the rom with my clothes on, always makes me smile. It sounds so silly but it just makes me feel good to know that even while she's at work, there's something of mine there with her, wrapped around her. Pretty lovesick, huh?

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