Merry Christmas!

Tonight I post from the hospital. Being the newbie on my unit, I was lovingly assigned to work overnight Christmas Eve, Christmas, Dec. 26, and Dec. 28. And as I was dragging my feet through the front door throwing myself a pity party in my head, I entered to see the hospital bustling with visitors, their arms filled with gifts and food with smiles on their faces. My heart warmed, and I thought if these kids and their families have to spend their Christmas here, why shouldn't I?

My mom spent last Christmas in the hospital, and there were people who cared for her with love and compassion despite the fact that I'm sure they would have rather been home with their families. We had a scare the other day that I was sure would land her another Christmas in-patient. She was experiencing nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and all the other symptoms of a bowel obstruction. A bowel obstruction is a highly common complication of any abdominal surgery. It tends to present itself weeks after surgery when things in the gut have shifted back in to place, and for one reason or another, a part of the intestine gets blocked, twisted, occluded. Sometimes it is resolved with a less invasive intervention, but often times it requires surgical repair. Fortunately, my mother had a CAT scan that was negative for a bowel obstruction, and she also squeezed in her 5 week follow up with Dr. Nelson, and things look good. She is healing well, and probably just had a little stomach upset. Phew!

So tonight when the rest of my family is together and enjoying the holiday, I am here taking care of the kids, and I take care of them with an extra dose of tenderness and love to honor all the kindness that's been showered on us over the past year.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and here's to taking time to show those around us how much we love and appreciate them.

And while I'm feeling like a TOTAL sap, I'll share this with you too: "Transcending."