The loves of my life

Passion: a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything.

I am so passionate about my job. I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I thought about it today while I was holding a 3 year old patient in my lap just minutes after she received chemotherapy. I absolutely adore loving on sick kids. There is such vulnerability that exists in a child when they are sick. I can't really explain it. It's just there. They want nothing more than to be in the midst of a protector or near someone who loves them. My favorite is when they snuggle up to you and hold onto you so tight as if you have the ability to take every ounce of pain away from them for just that moment if nothing else. And to them, that moment is all worth it.

While I was sitting there holding this little girl, she handed me a bag. It was a white paper bag decorated with purple glitter in the most random design. In her crackling voice she said, "Merry Christmas Miss Julie." I asked her if she wanted to help me open the bag. It was my Christmas present. She had decorated me a bag and inside she had placed candy and a card with a picture in it. I was thrilled as you might imagine. I love getting pictures of my patients. These pictures allow me to hold onto memories forever. After I finished opening my present, her mom told us that she had put a paper ornament on the tree with thanks to all of the staff. I looked it over curious to what this particular family would say about me. I glanced through some of the people they had written about and then I got to my name. And this is what it said:

"Julie: She loves my daughter as much as I do." I almost lost it. I just sat there and read it again. And then I began to realize the significance of these words. I realized this particular mother was able to really truly understand the depth of my heart to these kids. She knew that I wasn't in it for the money. She knew I wasn't in it to have a job. She understood that I do what I do because I am passionate about it. I do it because I love it and I love these kids. "She loves my daughter as much as I do." No words could thank me more than those were able to today. And it's the truth.... these kids are the loves of my life.