I'm doing 23 things
I had a really bad dream one night – but in a way, a really good one. I was so confused. The good parts were that I visited a circus, was pregnant, and donations were made, but the part that was both good and bad was to whom. I went to the Bektash Shriners Circus a couple of hours away every year with my church when I was in Sunday School, and continued to do so when I became a Sunday School teacher for a couple of years after – for about ten years or so, total.
One year, the Monday following my trip to the circus, I went to my gynecologist for a check-up because I was feeling funny and found out I was pregnant. Nine months later when my daughter was born, she had a lot of problems. I wanted the best treatment I could get for her. She was a high risk pregnancy to start with, but the fact that she was conceived was a dream come true in itself.
I had my hospital make lots of calls, but I wanted her admitted to a Shriners hospital. When she was accepted, we had her transferred as soon as possible. She was way at the end of the hall so we had to walk by a lot of other rooms.
There were a lot of children with severe problems. Each room I walked by, made it harder for me. The first room I walked past I got all teary-eyed. The second room gave me the sniffles. The third room the tears started to roll. By the end of the hall, I was bawling my eyes out.
The dream never really finished. I woke up crying like there was no tomorrow, and apparently I was yelling, “No!†“No!†for part (in the dream it was where I found out about my child’s disabilities), because I woke up to a knock on the apartment door. I went to see who was there, and it was a neighbor asking me if I was alright because they could hear me next door. My husband was working that night, so he couldn’t help me because he was over an hour away. It’s good to know that they care about me…even though they had never met me before.
It was a good dream because they were able to help my child. The staff was really caring and helpful to both my husband and I and our child. We were all treated with respect and sincerity. I made a personal note to myself in my mind to make a donation to them whenever I finally got out of here.
I didn’t have a problem with the Shriners, I’ve never heard anything bad about them, or ever experienced anything negative with them. The only thing that makes their cause negative, it the fact that they have hospitals for children. Children are all precious and born beautiful. It’s too bad that there are so many severely ill children that there have to be so many hospitals. It’s great groups like the Shriners that make sure they get the treatment they need and deserve.
I always thought I had it rough as a child because I was in and out of hospitals…still am, for that matter. But when you step foot into a hospital like this, all your problems seem so minor. It changes your opinion from having the worst life ever…to being “one of the lucky ones.†You think you’re a strong person because of everything you’ve been through, but imagine yourself in their shoes for a day…would you still consider yourself a strong person?
I looked into becoming a Shriner, but it was for men only. I looked into similar organizations for women, but you had to be related to someone currently in one of the organizations (for either gender). They all have to be Masonic. I didn’t marry into a family involved with them, nor was I born into, so I can never join any of the organizations.
This really hurt. Granted these are all great groups, but have really strict membership requirements. There are lots of other wonderful people out there who care about ill children, but the most they can do is donate a few dollars here and there. My organization may not ever be rich enough to open and operate their own hospitals, but it can still turn out to be big enough to make a difference in the lives of unfortunate children. My organization would still accept donations, but the donations would go to local childrens hospitals – Shriners hospitals, or Mass. General (the well-known one in Boston that saved my life when I was only a couple days old). The money raised by each branch would to to their hospital(s)of choice. Children are wonderful people…help me start an organization for anyone of any age, race, or ethnic background. Anyone can join – only two membership requirements:
1) A clean criminal background because we’d be there for children, to help them – if anything was to ever happen, it’s not like they’d be able to defend themselves.
2) Must love children.
If you have a clean record and love children, join me in my fight to help those in need.
