[From the Ontario District's newsletter, The Trillium, issue 60-01, January - March, 2006 , Waldo Redekop, editor.]

A warm blanket

By Waldo Redekop, Editor/Publisher The Trillium

I have often written about kindness and giving everyone you meet a smile (Optimist Creed) in past issues. This came to mind as I was thinking back on my recent experiences. No, I won’t bore you with the details of my stay in hospital, nor the five stents installed. This article is about people.

As I go through life, I am very fortunate in that I meet so many nice people. Most of the nurses (the two in Groves who argued with the doctor about my care didn’t impress me), all of the cleaning staff, dietary workers (yes, they prepare all of their own food on site in Groves) and all the staff at St. Mary’s were friendly, helpful and fantastic. Even on the days that they were short of staff and had to work twice as hard on the busy ward.

On one of the trips from one hospital to the other, I felt nearly frozen when I arrived back on the ward. Seeing me shiver, a nurse left my room and a moment later appeared with a heated flannel sheet. Boy, did that ever feel good!

Those of you who have undergone any angio procedures will recall how cold the operating theatres are kept (for good reasons).As they finish, a nurse gets heated flannel sheets and covers you.

My teeth were chattering, but the third time as a smiling nurse was looking at me, through my chattering teeth I told her that she may never know how much those sheets are appreciated, nor how wonderful they feel.

They had been backlogged that day, so I was wheeled into the room about the time they normally quit. Over an hour later, the staff all seemed smiling and friendly. One nurse volunteered to stay with me and she assisted in my transport to my room, gave the report to the nurse on duty and came back and still smiling, wished me well which I thought was very nice of her.

As I have said previously, you just never know how a smile or an act (random or planned) of kindness can help a person.

Then again, if I would have paid attention to the elephant sitting on my chest years ago, I may not have been in this position at this time. Don’t ignore it is what I have learned.     k