Sometimes Life Is...

I'm reposting some of my old blog material, mostly to get it all in one place again. This was originally posted on My Space on Dec 11, 2007.

My daughter is an RN at Texas Childrens Hospital. She works in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. Other than that I don't really know a lot about what she does. I know she does amazing things and I suspect saving kids lives is a matter of routine for her. So is taking crap from parents who are scared to death and don't know who else to blame. I'm sure it can frequently be very overwhelming. She calls me when it gets to be too much and lets me help her carry her burden. I love that about her.

Like the time she had to remove one of her babies from life support. The parents were 14 and 16 years old. They could not bear to watch so they said their goodbyes and left, leaving my daughter to gently unplug all the tubes and wires and wait for the inevitable. It was definitely one of her lowest moments professionally. She called and cried and I listened. She didn't know it but I cried too. Some days life just sucks.

I got another call today. It was her day off. She said, 'Guess what?'

I could tell she had been crying but I could also tell it wasn't the "I've got bad news." kind of crying.

"What?", I said gently.

"My baby got a heart." she said, the tears starting again.

Since she has no childred of her own I knew she meant one of the kids she takes care of at the hospital had received a heart. A transplant.

Again I listened. Again I cried.

Some days life is good beyond description.