How Things Change

I ran into someone from Miss Ellen's class and Playgroup today. I used to see her regularly before Max got sick. Her daughter is a bit younger than Max. She is an oncology nurse at Children's Boston. When I first heard what she did, I thought that it sounded like a terribly depressing place to work. I couldn't imagine doing it. But, now that I have spent so much time in a pedi hem/onc department, I realize that it really is the opposite. Yes, children die, and that is awful and I still do not know that I could deal with that over the long term, but, at least at MGH (and she said the same about Children's), it is an amazingly upbeat place. Kids who are obviously very ill often seem so strong and upbeat. The doctors and nurses are wonderful, but it is really the kids that amaze me and so often make me smile there. Kids just amaze me.