Our first few days at the Liberty bowl were pretty uneventful. DJ, the girls, and I arrived on Christmas night, and ordered room service for dinner, since we weren't familiar with the area, and it being Christmas, figured most of the restraunts would be closed anyway.
The following day, DJ had to set up meeting rooms, and head over to the practice facilities, so the girls and I unpacked for our week long stay at the hotel. We all went out for lunch, and then the girls and I went shopping at Target and Carter's. I needed to pick up snacks, and it had turned off super cold, so I needed to grab one more warm outfit for the girls. The girls fell asleep in the car, and I figured I would just drive and get familiar with the area while they took their naps. The team and staff finally made it to Memphis later that evening and we joined the wives in the hotel restraunt for dinner.
On Thursday, the team had a scheduled trip to St. Jude Hospital. Not all of the players get to partake, and not all of the staff gets to go, but somehow DJ was chosen to go this year. I got a babysitter for the girls and went in DJ's place (He wasn't finished editing practice film.)
In preparation for this trip, I was pretty emotional. I just kept thinking of my own children and how blessed we are that they are healthy! I couldn't imagine seeing these sick patients (little kids!) laying in their hospital beds with their little bald heads. It just broke my heart thinking about it, but it was also something that I really wanted to do. I just kept praying that I'd have the right words to say to a family if I had the chance to talk to them. But, if I didn't, I just asked that I would have the right prayers to pray.
One of our coaches (pictured below) has a daughter that at age 4 was a patients at St. Jude Hospital. He spoke to the players before we loaded the bus, and told the players, these are just kids. They have cancer, they are not defined by their cancer. He told them to smile, talk to them, let them know they loved their shoes! That they'd write their names on their own shoes on game day, and that they'd be playing for these kids! It was such a testimony to hear his own story about their time at St. Jude's and how his daughter is now almost a college grad and is living cancer free!
Upon arriving at the hosptial, the players took pictures, and we went inside. The lobby was so cheerful! The waiting room had video games and fun activities for the kids! It was such a happy place!
While waiting for our guides in the lobby, our coach saw a patient in a wheelchair with ballons. He didn't hesitate a moment and went to ask him what the ballons were for. I think the spoke for at least 5 minutes if not longer.
We were given a tour of the hospital. The statue outside, listed the date found as 1960, when in fact, the hosptial was founded in 1962. But, they just didn't get around to changing it. One of the first donations to St. Jude was a penny, which has been placed in to the statue. The cost to operate the hospital is over a million dollars a DAY! Can you believe that?! Patients are not asked to pay, and patients aren't turned away.
We aslo saw the building that Chili's restraunt is sponsoring. Do you ever eat there? They have a huge fundraising drive where you can color a chili pepper for $1.00 and it will be hung in the restraunt. Then, they have one day a year where 100% of their profits go straight to St. Jude! How amazing it was to see the building those donations were going to!
In one area of the hosptial, is a bust of St. Jude's founder. It is said, to rub his nose for good luck.
We actually did not get to go beyond the first floor of the hospital and into the patients rooms. It's too big of a risk to have people walking through the hospital and taking the chance of infecting these kids whose immune systems are already weak. I think for me, as much as I would have loved to see more of the hospital, and patients, it was an answered prayer. I'm not sure I could have held my emotions together.
The players were set up at a table, and patients who were able, were invited to come downstairs and receive the goodies brought by Tulsa, and to get players autographs.
We were not allowed to photograph any of the patients. For one, it's a hospital, not a zoo, and two, it would be a major HIPPA violation. It was so amazing to watch our players interact with these kids. They ranged in ages from 3 to teenage years. Some of the kids just looked so tired and worn out, and others were so upbeat. There was one child who went through the line and videoed all of our players on his hand held gaming system.
As we were finished with our tour, and walking back to load the bus, I saw this sign.... i'm going to copy it somehow for my office! I was thrilled to learn, that the hospital offers ST, OT, and PT, as well as a schooling for their patients. How amazing would it be to work there?!
I think God totally answered my prayers about overwhelming emotions. It was overwhelming, but I held back any tears that may have flown while we were there. Seeing the smiles on these kids faces- it just made it worth it. It was hard to be sad when they were just so happy!
I pray that these kids will be cured of Cancer. That these doctors will have the healing hands, and that God will give the doctors and patients strength.
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