Random acts of kindness

It's amazing to me how, when times of trauma, complete strangers can make the biggest impact in your life. We've had just an amazing overflow of love and compassion sent our way - often times from people we've never met or barely know. During all of this, as I'd begin to question why this was happening to us or I'd feel completely alone, something would happen to let me know that I was not. Like Thursday morning - I was trying to get to the hospital and had just missed the shuttle because the times were posted incorrectly. I'd have to wait an hour, because I'm still forbidden to walk much, even though the hospital's only 3 blocks away. I could call a cab, but it would take 30 minutes, so that wasn't much help. A complete stranger in the lobby came up to me and asked if I'd like to ride over with them. It turns out that she was the aunt of a little guy in the PICU a few doors down from Sadie - he was just recovering from surgery for VSD (one of Sadie's defects), and it had been a success. Later that day I was melting down in the hallway and a chaplain came up and lent an ear as I poured out all that had happened those last days. He didn't preach, didn't advise, just stood and listened. It was exactly what I needed at that moment - a detached person to tell my story to.

My parent's minister drove all the way here on Wednesday to check on the family. While we're not church-goers and we were, at the time, not hospitable in the least (sorry Ronnie), he was there if we needed him and he was there for my parents and Jason's family. It means so much to us that he went out of his way he's met us only in passing.

And the nurses and doctors... all strangers, all giving everything they have to get our daughter through this. I don't know how they do it. Cheryl-Ann (SuperNurse from Memorial Regional in Mech'ville) called the NICU just to check on Sadie's progress and let us know they were all rooting for us.

One guy held a door for me and I about lost it. A woman on the elevator smiled at me and for some reason it gave me a boost for hours. It's crazy how the random acts of strangers can make all the difference.