My mother's first smile in weeks since her emergency air-lift to the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania! ๐ I took this photo yesterday, post- #surgery at #HUP ๐ฅ๐ค ๐ I have been thinking hard about whether to share it publicly... Much of my mother's head had to be shaved, and I want to be respectful, but as my dad said, "It's just hair! I don't care whether they had to shave her whole head to help her get better~" โค๐โค๐โค๐โค๐โค๐โค Because everyone has been so supportive and asking about her well-being, I want to share this personal family story... My mother was born in Korea ๐ฐ๐ท in 1953, when the country was torn into two parts by competing foreign powers. Korea was still suffering from shortages of food and medical care due to Japanese occupation for nearly 30 years prior... And my mother was just a babe when she and her four older siblings were suddenly orphaned. Since there was no one to take responsibility for her, she was placed in the care of a Buddhist temple. Unlike children who were taken into churches, my mother was not treated as a child button rather a baby monk in training. Some of her earliest memories are of having her head shaved and being draped in their clothing... Having converted to Christianity upon immigrating to the U.S. - she doesn't talk much about this now, but during my childhood, she tearfully processed the experience many times with me. For her children, my mother prayed a life in the United States would insure we always had the freedom to choose our own paths~ education, careers, beliefs... And so, it is very appropriate that all of this happened the SAME week that we voted to celebrate the American democracy ๐ณ๐บ๐ธ I pray that she can make peace with her old trauma around her hair. What once reminded her of losing her parents can now represent her healing and reuniting with her husband, children, and grandchildren โคโคโค I must add my most sincere appreciation to all the nurses, doctors, technicians, and other @pennmedicine staff who have watched over her in the ICU and patiently carried out this highly specialized #neuro plan of care. It is incredible to witness the work you do! We are so glad we chose Penn! ๐ #aneurysm (at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHQ0lBtDbVE/?igshid=col2tg3hv56i
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