Thanks, Cass. Off to sleep now, really.

Night, Bitches!

Off to sleep too.

Oooh, tv watched the X-Files pilot for me... Nothing goes with a fever like tv that hasn't betrayed canon yet.

Did I miss everyone?

I need to go to sleep too. It's much too early for me to be this tired, and yet I really am.

I'm still awake, though it's mostly because I'm reading and want to finish the book tonight. I really should get to bed.

matt is in Palm springs - just waiting for him to call with hotel info ....so I am still awake

If someone can pass a message to Plei from me, the message is as follows:

OMG. [link]

Cheesecake is always good in the morning..

t waves

Okay, I'm off to training day!

Good luck, Daniel!

Cashmere, that's so nice to read about your brother. If only the voices were as helpful as the toy, huh? Wash your face. Brush your teeth. Make your bed. Call your mother. Say your prayers.

Is he out right now, or was he just home for the holidays?

Timelies!

Something I just posted as a response to someone on my LJ friends list just reminded me of something and made me a little nastalgic. I thought I'd post about it here.

I was born with a partial cleft lip. I don't know if I've ever talked about that here. I've had 13 surgeries to correct it. My first was when I was 3 months old. I had a fabulous doctor...probably one of the best in the country. He cared deeply about his patients. As a matter of fact, he told my parents at one point that he did cosmetic surgery on adults so he could afford to donate his time to do corrective surgery on children...his real love. Some of his patients he became such a part of their lives that he was invited to their weddings...and he always attended those...even those out of state.

I don't remember the surgeries from when I was very young, but there was a period when I had a surgery about every year. What I do remember, though, was that every time I had a surgery I got a doggie pillow. I loved those silly doggie pillows and looked forward to getting them at each hospital visit. The first time I had an outpatient surgery (where I wasn't going to need to stay overnight at the hospital), I didn't understand why I wasn't getting a doggie pillow. I cried. The nice registration lady explained to me that those were only for the kids who had to stay overnight at the hospital. I was like, but I still have to have surgery; I should get a doggie pillow. One of my parents (I don't remember which) pulled the nice registration lady aside and convinced her to go ahead and give me a doggie pillow. When they pulled me away from my parents to go into surgery (the first I would be awake during), I hugged that pillow and held onto it through the entire surgery.

As I got older I understood that I wouldn't get a doggie pillow if I was just having outpatient surgery. When I was 16 I had my last surgery. It was a big one. They broke my nose to reposition it on my face (nose job...I will NEVER understand why someone would do that to themselves for vanity reasons. I had these two red tubes that went from my nostrils to the back of my throat to drain the blood. It was gross looking and very painful) and did the last scar tissue growth surgery on my lip. The doctor also gave me a cupid's bow (although, I just talked to my mom. She's pretty sure that the cupid's bow was at a previous surgery. I remember differently, but she's probably correct). At any rate, it was a big surgery, and I had to stay at the hospital overnight.

My surgeon was in Chicago, and we lived in MN at the time. So, we scheduled the surgery during Christmas break. I think it was the day after Christmas. When I was brought to my room (since I was 16, I was still on the pediatric floor, which I was actually a little upset about), on the little table were a bunch of presents that had been donated by a local group for children who had to spend Christmas in the hospital and up by the pillow on the bed was a doggie pillow. I was 16. I had forgotten about the doggie pillow. But, when I went into surgery the next morning, that doggie pillow went with me. They had always served me well. I wasn't too old to appreciate that fact.

Somewhere, in a box, are all of my doggie pillows, along with some other favorite stuffed animals that I grew up with. And I'm sure that somewhere else there are women making these pillows for the Chicago-area hospitals. And I'm sure that they hope that a doggie pillow will make a difference to a kid who has to stay in the hospital. I should find out who they are and write and thank them. Not only did they make my hospital stay easier, but I actually looked forward to them (the pillows, not the hospital stays).