Okay. So you know when someone says they are living the dream?
I am LITERALLY living my dream at the moment.
Remember how I've been way more productive? Well I've been channeling that productivity into volunteering at the Children's Hospital where I had my heart surgery as a bub. Honestly, knowing that I want to do paediatrics has only been solidified by my time working here, and if I and my future family end up in London after all is said and done, I would happily spend the rest of my life working here after my kids are all in school etc.
I volunteer at the Activity Centre which is for children who are patients, and well enough to come down and play, or for siblings of patients who are in the hospital on a long term basis.
I worried at first, because knowing how attached to people I can get, (especially children) I didn't know how I would handle being around so many poorly ones, but honestly the last few weeks have been nothing but a blessing to me. It's given me the chance to get to know the littles as people, not just patients.They have taught me SO much I can't even express it in words, and being around these kids has been good for my soul. I come home every night with a MASSIVE tired smile on my face because of the adventures I've had.
Whether it's walking around the room with a three year old singing "Let It Go", or being yelled at by a cheeky three year old boy in Arabic, (there are a lot of three year olds), they are children, who despite the trials and suffering they are faced with everyday, want nothing more than someone to play with all day.
So play with them I shall.
I think the best part of the job is knowing the sheer amount of work that goes into making this scary experience as enjoyable as possible for the kids. No matter what their going through, the entire purpose of the centre and the other amazing people that work with us, is to bring joy and an essence of childhood in a place that serious and quite terrifying.
Here are just a few of the many organizations that come to the hospital to help us out:
Check them out and if you can support in anyway, you should, because I've seen first hand the joy that these services provide.
Yes, it's volunteering and yes, it takes a lot of time, but seriously. I would pay them to let me come and spend time with all these cherubs. I'll be doing this until September when I head to Leeds, so I literally am the happiest bunny around.
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