Curls and Pearls @taulovendmine - Tumblr Blog

When we have a patient with the same name as a celebrity.

46 hours after I graduated from James Madison University, I walked into my first full-time job as a Clinician I at Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. I was so full of excitement and espresso, ready to "change the life of every patient." How stupid I was! What I didn't expect to happen is that during these last 60 days, my patients have changed me in the most brilliantly unexpected ways. You see, we live in a world where childhood cancer, traumatic accidents, and a baby born at 21 weeks are devastating realities that surface to breaking news. However, in this building, these seemingly unnatural occurrences aren't breaking news at all, but their stories are "normal" and "expected" in a way.

Each child has a heart-gripping story of how their life defied all odds, yet they are the role models of how we all should live, grateful for each and every moment. Any person in their right mind would question "how on earth do these people do it??" and "God, why?" However, when I see families joyful for each day to spend together, worshiping God, and hopeful for a different future than the physician's prognosis, I feel my spirit grow to a new, uncharted level of faith. These children have changed me for the better so that I do believe in miracles, and I don't feel crazy when I passionately plead God for a divine intervention in their fragile lives.

In this line of work, they often say, "expect the unexpected", and that is all too true. Some people curse the fact that they have to get up for work in the morning, and yes I've not always been super happy about waking up at 5am, but it is an overwhelming joy to care for some of the sickest children in the state. I hope this encourages you to live your best life, starting now. God bless.

xx, Chelsea

#chkd #do you believe in miracles #patch adams #future physician assistant