Valentines at Colleen’s Request
Feb 9, 2021
Here is a simple way to honor one of Colleen’s requests. In 2013, continuing her ways of consistently thinking of others, Colleen encouraged this program to send a Valentine card to a child in Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Colleen was a patient herself when she shared the link as we share here:
Make this Valentine’s Day extra special for a patient at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Select your favorite card and let a child know they’re fin-tastic with a message of love and strength! This year’s goal is to deliver 10,000 cards to patients spending the day at Lurie Children’s.
Colleen, ever the cheerleader, wrote, “This is adorable! Just fill out the form and a Valentine will be sent to a patient in the hospital on Valentine's Day. It's super simple, easy, and free and it could be that little boost a kid needs to perk up on a bad day!”
Here is the background on what makes Colleen’s thoughtfulness even more impressive. Colleen posted her request, from her hospital bed at Lurie Children’s, on the day she had hoped to go home after her second heart transplant. Instead, that day she received the depressing news that she had pneumonia and would need a dreaded chest tube.
Colleen’s CaringBridge update the next day (February 2, 2013):
Yesterday was...rough. Haha. You see, for the 20 years I have been in and out of the hospital, without fail, taking out my IV line was the absolute last thing they do before having you sign the discharge papers and walk out the door. So when they came in and took out my pick line, I figured I was golden.We all know what happens when you assume! Haha.
All my doctors came in and said their goodbyes and that they would see me in clinic on Tuesday. The discharge papers were being processed. The room had been emptied and the car packed up. All we needed was that one last sign off on one little xray.
One that we did not receive.
The pneumo was back and bigger than before. They put me on an oxygen mask immediately and we brought the bags back in from the car and got resettled in. I was, admittedly, ticked. Everyone said I was going home! Everyone said goodbye! My dear friend, Mr. Pick Line was gone! The doctors came in and said their most sincere apologies for such false hope. The chaplain came in to say goodbye and dropped her jaw when she saw me crying with an oxygen mask on. She nailed it right on the head when she said that false hope was my kryptonite. That was my weakness. Nothing could break the strong Colleen Gleason down except false hope. And she was completely right.
Yesterday I told the doctors they might as well put in a chest tube because the oxygen wouldn't work. This morning the surgeon came in at 8am to tell me, as I had predicted, the pneumo did not improve and it had in fact gotten bigger so we had to indeed put in a chest tube (I should be a cardiologist). I woke up ticked. I remained ticked. Then I was knocked out and the chest tube was inserted.
I was ticked at God as I was sedated. I was angry He felt He needed to keep testing me. I wanted to rebel. I wanted to run away. I didn't want to talk to Him or pray. I wanted to stew in my anger. I didn't want to be the sweet and perky Colleen to all those who entered my room. I wanted them all to know my frustrations. I wanted them all to know just how badly I was suffering and that I thought it was all completely their fault. I was mad at the world and all who inhabited it. I didn't talk to anyone. I didn't smile at anyone. I wasn't me and I didn't care. These people didn't deserve who I was. They deserved the angry shell of who I had become because of them. I was sedated like this.
Then I woke up. Words cannot even begin to describe this moment. Even just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. It was peace. It was His peace and I was swallowed up by it. I felt no pain. I felt no hurt. I felt no anger or frustration. I felt no confusion. I felt nothing but complete and utter peace and bliss. I was engulfed in His presence. He was there with me completely. I didn't want to open my eyes to let others know I was awake. I just wanted to stay in that moment forever. These words don't even do it justice and I don't think any words would ever be able to. I had returned. Who I was came back. When I finally opened my eyes, my demeanor had changed. I was sweet to the nurses I had earlier given the cold shoulder. I smiled. I laughed. I lifted up the Lord's name. I knew who I was and who I would remain to be. I was finally at peace with my whole situation. I was finally ok with how my past week had gone. I was finally ok with God's plan. I was fully accepting of everything.
From that moment on, my day has been a complete joy. Even with another painful chest tube (Valium is the drug of choice this time around), I was so happy again. Dave came over again and we played a bunch of games with my parents. I owned at CandyLand (I rock at preschool games), got owned at everything else (Yahtzee again...), and had a marvelous time. Everyone was in high spirits and we joked around just like we would have if we were all sitting around a table at home playing the same games. Tonight is homework time and I have actually been enjoying it which signals a divine miracle based on the amount of dislike I have for philosophy! Haha!
