Earlier this summer, the Foundation asked members of the CF community to share a time when someone surprised them with a random act of kindness. The responses were overwhelming -- both in how many stories were submitted and their emotional impact. It was moving and reassuring to see that strangers unknowingly made lasting impacts on so many lives. As a way to say thank you for opening up about these moments, I wanted to share some responses with the CF blog community. You may want to grab a tissue!
Madeline Elmhirst: It's happened to me many times over the years. A fairly recent experience during a hospitalization was when a nurse caught me washing a few clothes in the sink. She kicked me out of the bathroom and insisted on finishing my wash herself.
Conny Goodman Lindeman: 2014, just before Christmas. It was my son's third time there in a year. Child Life brought him a Christmas present, a Nerf gun, which cheered him right up and gave him something to do, as he is required to be in isolation. One morning I left to get some breakfast and returned to find the respiratory therapists had drawn targets on their gowns, and on the windows of the room. My son was having a blast! It was so nice to see. The RTs soon got a bright idea and added a small target on the glass wall labeled 'DR' 500 points. Not 10 minutes later did [his doctor] walk by, see the target, and put his face in it! He waited for the reload, taunted my son as he shot the foam bullets, and pretended to fall over dead when one of the bullets finally hit the target. He made my son's day! I still smile at the thought of that day, and how so many people did so much (even if it was just silly things) to raise my son's spirits and help his stay be a pleasant one.
Monique Wiegand: When I was in high school, my very good friends in student council surprised me and did a cystic fibrosis fundraiser/awareness week. They put up posters with CF facts all over the halls, and raised a ton of money. I actually cried, I was so touched by what they did. I'll never forget that. Thank you Trina and Whitney, and everyone else in Stuco!!
Piper Beatty Welsh: I happened to mention [to] my nurse once that I couldn't wait to get out because I was craving a real NYC pizza slice. The next night he bought a slice at his favorite place and carried it the whole subway ride just to surprise me. It made my whole stay better!
Melanie Lawrence: Living in New England, being in the hospital for the [New England] Patriots' division championship game was a bummer. My two favorite PAs stayed late at the hospital (after a long day) to watch the game with me. We laughed so much my cheeks hurt and I couldn't have asked for a better impromptu viewing party!
Ashley Fordyce: Last year my nursing class raised money for my [insurance] deductible so I could do IV antibiotics at home (instead of going inpatient) so that I could graduate. There was a large sum of money I would have had to pay if I had gone in the hospital, but then I wouldn't have been able to finish college. I have never experienced that kind of help and kindness from so many people before and I am eternally grateful.
Mariah Hammond: While hospitalized, my birthday fell right in the middle of my stay. I was tired, nine months pregnant, and bummed because I was spending my birthday in a tiny hospital room. The nurses on my floor gathered up candy, flowers, and a gift from the gift shop downstairs and wrapped it all up in tissue paper and a HUGE adult diaper. They made a card for me and sang "Happy Birthday." I hadn't even mentioned it being my birthday, they had just noticed it on my paperwork. Then, they had room service send up a big, chocolate cupcake, completed with a candle on top. Transferring to the University of Kansas Medical Center has been the best decision I've made for my health.
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