Hospital Christmas Cheer

The local media has been feeding the public bad news stories about our local hospitals for the past two weeks. The head of ER quit the chronically short-staffed department, the CEO was relieved of his duties, the CT scanner is reportedly giving children too much radiation exposure, blah, blah, blah! The hospital my daughter works at had the OR shut down for two days this week because of a CJD scare, and tonight, the same hospital started Code Green for evacuation because the heating system broke down.
Well, here is a “good news” hospital story that happened this week on the unit where I work.
Each year, staff and volunteers prepare and serve a Christmas dinner for patients and their families. Penny is the organizer and she puts hours of work into the success of the celebration. The night shift nurses put a large turkey in the oven at midnight, and all the trimmings are brought in by various staff members. Able patients help to peel the potatoes and the warmth and smells of a home style dinner fill the entire wing of the building.
Staff and volunteers serve the patients, and music and singing accompany the meal. One staffer said, “This is really one of the best things we do all year!” And I heartily agreed.
Some of the patients have not had a turkey dinner for years, and perhaps will return again to a lonely existence outside the hospital. It was heart-warming to see how much they enjoyed the food and company.
Penny (in red) will host five dinners like this before Christmas, one for each unit in the centre. She and all the others who work hard to bring happiness to the patients are my good news heroes today.