I walked into her room, she gave me a sly smile, rubbed her hands together slowly and asked, “Ready to lose?” Then, she set out the deck of cards.
A teenage girl diagnosed with cancer in the midst of a pandemic. While that may seem like an added element of isolation in a time when isolation is paramount, in fact she was gaining an entire new group of people ready to support her – our community on the inpatient unit of the Cancer and Hematology Centers at Texas Children’s Hospital.
In the Cancer Center, we have the privilege of getting to know patients and families well because of their lengthy or frequent admissions.
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PHOTO: Smiley N. Pool
Apart from my sadness of leaving my home, I was devastated to be leaving my work at Area 25 just a few weeks before the proposed opening of the new Labour Ward. Amid all my preparation work, unable to complete the task I had started over a year ago, the conflict was overwhelming. I had invested so much time, energy, ideas, thoughts, love and dreams. I could not distance myself from the work, despite being distanced from the facility. I could not desert my midwives, despite deserting the country. I could not abandon the women and babies, and so I made a plan. Working from home as a...
Throughout the hallways of this hospital, the most resilient of children are fighting battles one can only begin to imagine. They are my heroes, their strength unparalleled. As a Certified Child Life Specialist in the Emergency Center (EC), I often get to meet patients and families at their most vulnerable. The EC is the gateway to the rest of the hospital, where initial assessments are made, diagnoses come into light and treatment begins. I love my job. I love meeting families here amidst the organized chaos and playing a role in their first introduction to Texas...
PHOTO: Getty Images
As physical distancing policies ease up and kids return to daycares, summer camps, and schools, children are at higher risk of catching vaccine-preventable diseases. That is because the number of children receiving routine immunizations nationally has sharply declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This should concern everyone. The last thing Texas needs during this ongoing pandemic is a measles outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that from mid-March to mid-April, doctors ordered approximately 2.5 million...
PHOTO: Getty Images
A medida que las normas de distanciamiento físico se alivian en Texas y los niños regresen a las guarderías, escuelas, y campamentos de verano, los niños tendrán mayor riesgo de contraer enfermedades que se combaten con vacunas. Esto se debe a que muchos niños no han sido vacunados durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Esto nos debería preocupar a todos. Lo último que necesita Texas en este momento es un brote de sarampión.
Los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades...