During Rowan's most recent hospital stay, where he was hospitalized for two weeks after his intestinal revision surgery, we were grateful to be able to discover some new ways that we can help other patients and their parents.
Some of the nurses and staff brought it to our attention that they often have babies who stay alone for quite extended lengths of time, for instance their heart babies. Sometimes the parents both have to return to work because they have been out of work too long. There are also cases, where there just aren't parents involved. Babies in these situations don't have family members who stay at the hospital with them day in and day out, like I do with Rowan. They aren't that fortunate. Sometimes, we learned, that even days or weeks can go by before someone comes to visit. Besides breaking my heart for obvious love and attachment purposes, there is something I wouldn't have thought about, some basic needs that they are often in need of...something we probably take for granted...clean clothes and underwear.
Rowan's foundation has donated underwear in the past, for the emergency room, in various sizes, for both boys and girls. The hospital has diapers and pull-ups, but not new underwear for a sick child who has an accident. And if the parents arrived at the ER with their child, they most likely haven't brought extra underwear with them. The staff let me know that they were down to one pair of girls size 6 underwear from the last time I donated them. I immediately told them that I would restock them in girls and boys underwear, and then they explained another need...onesies.
See, when I am at the hospital with Rowan, I can change his socks, underwear, blankets, etc. And Brian can take home our dirty laundry, or if we are in hem/onc we have access to a washer and dryer. But a small baby, whom hospital gowns don't really fit well, they need onesies. For the parents who can be there with their child, they can change them when get soiled. But what about Child Protective Service Cases, or two working parents, or single moms who have to work. These babies need clean clothes too. I learned that some of the staff had been going out on there own and purchasing onesies for these long-term babies so they would have clean clothes. I knew this was an area we wanted to help right away. So, while I was there in the hospital with Rowan for those two weeks, I got online and ordered an assortment of these items. Our foundation was able to purchase over 50 pairs of girls underwear (from size 2T to size 18), over 50 pairs of boys underwear (from size 2T to XL), and over 50 onesies in both boys, girls, and gender neutral colors (from size newborn to size 24 months).
Ian and I delivered those items, along with some more toiletry kits for parent's last week after we got out of the hospital, and the staff was so grateful.
Ian and I delivered those items, along with some more toiletry kits for parent's last week after we got out of the hospital, and the staff was so grateful.
Our foundation will try to stay on top of this at our local hospital, but if you have a group that looks for ways to help in your own community, I urge you to consider donating items like this... new packages of underwear, and new onesies, or even soft baby blankets, for young children who are often on their own in the hospital. It seems like a given, but as I recently learned, it isn't always.
While we were there in the hospital, we also were able to view first hand, what Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation donations are already doing for children in the hospital. Rowan wasn't very mobile for the first few days after his surgery, because he was in too much pain. But boy did he perk up when the art therapy cart rolled up to his door a few days later!
He made a really cool painting...
...and then pressed it onto other paper to make a cool series of artwork.
Then he ended up signing them.
And some of his special visitors got to take them home:)
So, the Tracy's Kids Art Therapy Cart
donated by the Rowan Jameson Windham Foundation,
is definitely fulfilling it's main objective of bringing joy to children who are not well enough to leave their hospital rooms. I know one patient that I witnessed it work for myself:)
