And I finally began...

After months of preparation and hours of orientation, I finally heard the words I had been waiting for; "Now you are ready to begin." A sigh of relief left my body, as I anxiously awaited my opportunity to play with the children. Moira introduced me to Sarah, a girl that attends New Trier who would be volunteering with me every other Sunday. She was so friendly and excited to help me get adjusted. 

I joined Sarah at a table who was coloring with a girl named Margarita. She was a six year old girl who was bilingual. We colored and then played a spanish/english game. She helped me with my spanish and I helped her learn some new english words by using animal stickers. She described her family and her trips to Mexico to visit her grandparents. 

Margarita was such an inspirational little girl. Her brother was behind the  mysterious hospital doors of the waiting room and she was completely care free. She kept herself entirely busy and did not ask for much attention from her parents. I think siblings learn how to be independent when in dire situations, such as hospitalizations. She has learned how to interact with strangers and be her own person. 

I also played with other little girls who spoke no english. It was a struggle to interact with them, but after a few minutes, I found a way to connect with them and keep them occupied. Something interesting that I realized was how many non-english speakers attended Children's Memorial Hospital. I remembered Moira telling me that many people come to the hospital for minor colds or stitches or even orthopedic procedures because they have no other clinical help to turn to. They know that the hospital will be there to provide aid, which is the wonderful quality of Children's. It was an extremely interesting observation. 

After playing with dozens of children, I began to think about my study. How were these children psychologically affected by their own hospitalizations or their siblings'? Were the children I played with too young and naive to understand the situation at hand or were they accustomed to the atmosphere and learned to be independent? This was something that I would be paying close attention to for the next couple of months during my visits. 

Learning the Ropes

Once my supervisor, Moira, and I met up, she began to show me the ropes. She first took me into the Learning Recourse office where she taught me how to sign in by punching in the last four digits of my social security number. Then we took a key and matched it to a locker for my bag. She showed me where the volunteer jackets were and where to wash my hands. 

Then, we went upstairs to the first level where she showed me where the toys were kept. I had to get the "moose key" to get into the closet where the buckets of toys were kept. As we walked upstairs, she discussed with me about the confidentiality of the patients and how important it is to act as a volunteer and not a social worker. I am there to act as a distraction, not a therapist. I also learned that if a child accidently tells me something that deservers immediate attention, such as abuse, I must tell her or a social worker so the hospital can lend its services. I learned that Children's Memorial, a place that I thought I knew so well, was so much more than a hospital; it was a miracle center. 

Moira also showed me where to clean the toys after being played with. Wiping the toys and washing my hands consistently were stressed tremendously because the hospital's main job is to keep children healthy. This was the easiest and most effective way. Next to the room where we cleaned the toys was a room for families to wait outside of the waiting room. Along with not being a therapist, I was also not to act as a babysitter. If the parents had to go with a child to his or her room, volunteers are not allowed to babysit the siblings. Therefore, the entire family is allowed to wait in a comfortable room with a television and toys. 

While I was given a ton of information in a short period of time, I felt prepared and eager to begin my work.

The Beginning Obstacles

In order to volunteer at Children's, I was required to get two TB tests, the chicken pox vaccine, flu shot and many other vaccinations. It took me several weeks to organize these appointments, but finally they were completed. 

On my first day, I had a lot of confusion. I arrived at one on a Saturday afternoon and walked down to the Volunteer Recourse Center. There was no one there! I went up to the front desk and they paged my supervisor. I ran up and down the stairs, searching everywhere. She was no where to be found! Then I went up to the Family Life Center, a place that helped occupy children during their hospital stays. The lady at the desk sent another page to my supervisor who finally responded. She had me meet her down by the office to begin the day. 

At 1:30, we finally came in contact. I was terrified that she would be upset with the fact that we were meeting late and my confusion. However, she was so friendly and comforted me. I learned that I was a volunteer and was doing a great thing by helping to put a smile on children's faces. Nothing is perfect and having an experience where I felt a little uneasy was okay. People in the hospital were dealing with much more significant and life threatening situations than I was. I felt guilty about my nerves as I put the situation into context. I really learned a lot through this stressful experience.

Orientation

To begin my process of volunteering at Children's Memorial Hospital, I went to a mandatory orientation session. Right from the beginning, I felt a little out of place in an environment so familiar to me. I was the youngest person there by 10 years, as I was surrounded by pre-med graduate students and elderly women looking for a volunteer opportunity. While I did not fit the "norm" of the population, I still found the session to be informative and helpful. I learned about dozens of needs the hospital catered to that I was unaware of. For example, there is a dream center where children can go play without any monitors or nurses holding them back. The patients are free to be kids during a stressful situation. 

This "dream center" serves the same purpose that I will during my volunteering. I will act as a distraction for the families during a stressful time in their lives. I am excited to interact with children and siblings who have been through similar experiences to me. While we may differ in age, as I did from many volunteers at the orientation, we will have a common bond of empathy for one another.