Kate Wong: an RN Xmas!
Christmas is a magical and exciting time of year for many children, and children who are hospitalized during the holidays are no exception.
In my career, I have worked at a children’s hospital and a children’s hospice, caring for children who have complex medical needs and very serious illnesses. During the holidays, Pediatric Nurses add a few new tasks to their job description: present-wrapper, elf, and Santa’s assistant. Many children who need to stay in the hospital over the holidays worry that Santa won’t know they are in the hospital and won’t find them in time for Christmas morning. I have written many letters to Santa on my Christmas Eve shifts, letting him know that “Ben is staying with us at the Children’s Hospital, and he’s been very brave and nice to his nurses. Please leave his presents by the hospital window.” Santa has never turned down the two arrowroot cookies from the hospital kitchen that the children have generously left him.
Children’s hospice care during the holidays is always heartbreaking but is also a time for families to create lasting memories and spend meaningful time together.
At our hospice, we do everything possible to make sure families have a Christmas to remember: December 25th is always pyjama day, we go all-out with our decorations, Santa and Mrs. Claus come with real reindeer, and, sometimes, a famous country singer comes for a private concert to sing a teary “Silent Night.”
I remember one boy with a life-shortening illness whose family was told in October he would not make it to 2016. Christmas was his favourite holiday, and we helped to organize a fantastic Make-A-Wish Christmas Party for his family and friends. Though he wasn’t able to talk anymore due to his illness, his face lit up when he saw his special “Ice Age” themed cake, his room decorated to the nines, his own Christmas tree, and all the presents that Santa dropped off early just for him. This boy did make it to Christmas Day, and to the surprise of many, did get to see a few hours of 2016: he died on New Year’s Day in the early morning. While I always miss celebrating with my family and often miss out on parties and other festivities due to shift work, I am always ready to make Christmas as magical as possible for a child who doesn’t get to go home for the Holidays.