An inspiring conversation

I ran into Walmart today.
Yes, once again I ran in for ONE thing and came out with 12 - Not sure how they do that...

Anyway - I went through the express lane - because really - should 2 packages of the same thing really count as 2 separate items? Technically I only had like 5 things - but I had doubles of some of them - and it wasn't terribly busy so I went to the express lane.

I knew before I finished that they would be asking for donations to Sick Kids Hospital - because I am a sucker and I pretty much always say yes to the "would you like to give 1$ to ***insert charity name here***
However - we make a monthly donation to this particular Charity anyway - so I politely declined - and then not wanting to look like a complete uncaring slob that can't part with a buck to help sick and dying children, I felt the need to justify my apparent selfishness by explaining that we do write them a big fat cheque on a regular basis, since my son was there for 2 months.

What followed was an amazing conversation with the cashier who told me that she also donates regularly - as her son was also a former patient of Sick Kids.
He had a kidney transplant.
More amazing than that - SHE gave him the kidney!

I told her what an amazing mom she was and she smiled and said "It was like giving birth to him all over again" - That amazing feeling of being the one that holds your child's life in the balance.
And yeah, I started tearing up - right there in Walmart.

She told me how amazing they were there, how well they were treated - and yes, that was our experience as well, being treated as if we were the most important people there and their sole focus was on us!
This cashier went on to tell me how well they were treated and that even after they were discharged - and she had complications - Sick Kids took her back as an adult (They are a children's hospital remember) and gave her a private room, still treating her as the most important person in the world.

It was truly an inspiring story - and all this in the 4 minutes while she rang up my groceries.
I would have liked to have spoken to her longer and gotten more details - but suffice to say, she and her son are both thriving thanks to the good care of HSC.

I am beyond thankful to have access to such an amazing facility that is not only world renowned for their top notch medical facilities and doctors, but also because every experience we've had with them has been so positive. They CARE about their young patients.

So if you are looking to make a charitable donation - may I suggest your local children's hospital. They do great things.

I started this blog June 10th 2005 - Was just reading some of the earlier posts and laughing (because it's much funnier in retrospect) - However I don't know if I ever wrote about Matthew's accident and subsequent stay at Sick Kids Hospital. He was 10 months old so that was back a full 2 years before I started blogging. That's a long story for another blog....