There is something wonderful about a children’s hospital. We all pray we will never have to use one but they know about kids!
We got to the hospital and were awaiting our turn in the packed emerg at the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, Ontario. I wasn’t quite sure what to do or what to expect. I was anxious. I was nervous. I was scared. The place had all kinds of parents and children with the same look on their face.
When you go to a place like this for the first time there is so much going on. Lots of noises and pages and sick kids. I have no idea how long we waited until we were called – it seems with my doctor calling ahead that they were expecting us.
We got to a large quiet room with just the three of us (my son, my ex and myself) It seemed like it took forever to get to see anyone. Someone finally came and drew blood from my sons arm and sent it to the lab – and we waited some more.
The thing about a kids hospital is that they make sure kids can still be a kid. Stuffed animals were encouraged as a comfort to the kids. My sons choice – a two foot tall stuffed black and white penguin. As we waited my son could see people walking up and down the corridors. Out of sheer boredom he began taking his penguins arm and waving to all the people outside our door.
The next thing was a visit from a nurse who administer Connors first ever shot of insulin. They knew what they were doing – I needed to know. As far as I understood it, we had no clear diagnosis yet. That shot would eventually bring my sons blood sugar down to more acceptable limits. Then we waited.
We started at the hospital around 11 pm that first night – now it is about 2 am. They keep coming in periodically to check on him but for the most part we just waited. We kept the lights dim to try and get some measure of rest/sleep