Saturday, May 30, 2009

Don't Worry, Be Happy

So lately I've been somewhat depressed. My baby brother's been in the hospital for a week and a half. This is the third or fourth time this year he's been in. I know my way around Vanderbilt and I can't get from my house to school!!! Now that's just SAD. But I've also been introduced to some people who are hurting ten times more than I am. If I thought I was going through a tough time, listen to these stories:

Jake is 18-years-old. He's across the hall from us.

He's waiting for a heart.

He's already been to one hospital and they turned him away and said they couldn't help him. The doctors here haven't given him a very good chance. If he doesn't get a heart soon, he'll day.


Emily, a little baby girl, got life-flighted in yesterday. She was aspirating because the doctors at a different hospital forced liquid into her mouth when she had trouble swallowing. This also caused her to develop heart problems. And her parents don't even have money for gas or a hotel.

When I think of these people, I think, "Wow, I can't believe I've been so selfish as to think that I was going through a hard time when these people are going through so much worse."

I've been trying to be happier now, to give those people hope. Let them know that Jesus loves them and he's ALWAYS there for them. No matter what they're going through. Just the way we act is a testimony for Jesus. Because people just don't understand how we can still be happy, hoping, and trusting in such situations. And when they ask, we can say "I've got the love of Jesus." It's a wonderful thing, to be able to say that. So remember to act (or try to act) in a way that honors the Lord. I know we can't ever live up to his standards, but that shouldn't stop us from trying. Jesus loves it when we try. He loves it when we're striving to please him. Even if we fail. He still loves us. We need to show him in our lives. Be HAPPY!!! The King of the Universe died for YOU and he's coming back to bring us to paradise!!!

Live what you believe!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

A Bad Case of Hospital Overload

There are many things in this world that I dislike. Let's list a just a few.

1) Pickles
2) Punky kids
3) Stuck-up government officials
4) HUMORLESS, STONE-FACED, UNFEELING, FLOOR-FIVE-OF-VANDERBILT-CHILDREN'S-HOSPITAL DOCTORS!!!

You guys remember my baby brother, right? The cute, baby one? Yeah. Last Tuesday he had...

Open-Heart Surgery

Yep. They sliced open the chest (sawing through bone and everything) of a two-year-old boy. And the surgery went great. Yep, everything healing up just fine. Except, oh yeah, his heart isn't beating well enough. He's on an artificial pacemaker right now. They're giving him until Monday for his heart to start beating or they're permanently inserting the pacemaker. At first it was , "Oh this is relatively normal. It will probably start beating within two days." And then it was four days, then six, then a week. They said it could take up to two weeks - and it has. I feel like everything that could go wrong with his recovery, is going wrong. He even pulled out his feeding tube!

And the worst of it is... the doctors are SOOOOO unfeeling!!! My dad kept trying to crack jokes on the doctor to lighten up the surgery atmosphere, and she was totally not buying it. She just sat there, all business, with that cold, hard face, unmoved. And they would NOT sedate that baby boy so he could get some sleep!!! It was ridiculous!!! My mom would try to sit him up and he would just flop over he was so tired. INCONCEIVABLE!!! So I came to the conclusion that those nurses and doctors had a bad case of...

Hospital Overload

They've seen so much horrible stuff happen at that hospital, that they just don't want to interact with any of the patients or the patients' families because they're afraid something will happen to them and the pain will be all the worse. Not to mention they're sterile, dull feeling of the place. It's ALL white. And the lights are all fluorescent and weird and... they just make me shiver. Whenever I go there, I feel extremely deprived of sunlight and the outside world. I mean... Little Man's only been there for a week and I've had enough hospital for a LIFETIME.

But then, I guess it's not all bad. Lot's of good stuff happens at hospitals too. Lives are saved, broken bones healed, all sorts of stuff. But, even so, let's just say I'm NEVER going to medical school. That's one career choice that forever had a giant red X over it.