Toys to Help Teach Kids About the Hospital

toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospitalWhen I was younger, before I really understood my disability and why I had to go to the hospital all the time and why I had all those surgeries, I remember my parents reading me a book about a little girl who was in the hospital. The hospital seemed like such a scary place, but I saw that little girl in that little book and thought, “Hmmm, this doesn’t seem so scary now.” We even went on a hospital tour before one of my surgeries, where they took us around and showed us places like the ICU, the recovery room and the operating room. That tour helped my little brain take an intangible concept like medicine and give it some context, even “normalizing” it in a way. But still, I always wished there had been some toys to help teach kids about the hospital and this scary world I was about to call home for so many years.

toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospital toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospital-2 toys-to-help-teach-kids-about-the-hospital-3Then I stumbled across these awesome wooden toys designed by Japan-based Horiuchi Woodcraft! The toy series is a first of its kind, designed to ease hospital and doctor anxiety. They cover the gamut of the hospital experience, from an MRI to surgical tools to hospital rooms and doctor bags. They’re even being used in university hospitals, pediatric hospitals, general hospitals and other medical facilities. Genius!

Have you ever had surgery, friends? Were you scared? What eased your fears? xoxo

P.S. How to pack the perfect hospital bag and 10 lessons learned from our hospital heyday!

10 Lessons Learned From Our Hospital Heyday

Yesterday was a VERY big day — and by big day, I mean of the medical variety, of course! It was an anniversary, to be exact, and it was quite an important one.

The 20th anniversary of my very last surgery!

Honestly, if you had asked me way back in 1996 when this medical roller coaster we were on would slow down anytime soon, I would probably have looked you straight in the eyes and just laughed. Why? Because back then, during our hospital heyday, I didn’t think our seemingly permanent residence in doctors’ offices and hospital rooms would EVER end. We joke now that any song from the ’80s and early ’90s is a “hospital song” and that’s completely true. We marked the years by the number of appointments we had and the number of miles logged in the car.

But you know what? I’m not sure I’d change one darn thing about those years. As odd as it sounds, those years shaped me into the person I am today and I don’t know if I’d be ‘me’ without them. I mean, remember our hospital tour photos? Oddly enough, there’s a sheer amount of joy that comes through in those photos!

Is that weird? I don’t think it is, so to celebrate this important medical milestone, here are some lessons learned from our hospital heyday…


You’re far more capable than you think you are: It’s amazing what you can do, even when things seem impossible and overwhelming. Even when things got tough, the pressure of it all somehow pushed us forward. Maybe it was all that adrenaline coursing through our veins?

Life can still be beautiful: We may have been going through some admittedly hard time, but my parents made a concerted effort to make sure that the medical world wasn’t our life 24/7; it could have been very easy to just let that world consume us, but we had a life outside of the hospital, and for that, I’m so grateful.

It IS possible to have fun while in the hospital: I know, the word ‘fun’ isn’t usually in the same sentence as hospital, but you’d be surprised how exciting it can be! Late-night trips around the hallways! Endless hours of daytime TV! Afternoon breaks in the cafeteria, complete with an ice-cold lemonade! And of course, swooning over all the cute (and smart!) medical residents who come by your room! Yes, it is quite the life.


I’m far closer with my family: Being in the hospital gave us all the chance to bond, and I don’t think we’d be as close today if we hadn’t gone through those times together. It all made us see what was truly important; in a strange way, I’m glad we had those experiences and that we had all that time together, especially in light of the short time we ultimately had with my father.


Fight for what you need: In the world of hospitals, you have to use your voice and ALWAYS be your own advocate. Speak up. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to be firm about what you need. If you don’t advocate for yourself, who else will?

Since my parents were by my side every step of the way, I invited Ms. Bear to share the lessons she’s learned over the years. Take it away, Mom…

Melissa, the human calendar, brought it to our attention yesterday that it has been 20 years since she last had surgery. For a person who had 26 surgeries in her first 15 years, that’s a pretty momentous occasion. And, it fell on National Ice Cream Day to boot! Anyway, she asked me to write 5 things I learned from everything medical that we went through…so, here goes…

Sometimes in life, if you know what’s coming up, you would give up and be convinced you could not do something: If I would have known what was in store for us, I would have spent all my time worrying about how I would cope with it, instead of enjoying the moments that all added up to our lives!

Denial is not an altogether bad thing: Sometimes you have to pretend things are normal in order to keep one foot in front of the other. As Martin Crane said on Frasier, “Denial is the whole secret to holding up!“

Good things really do come from bad: If anyone would have told me that some of our best family times would be at Children’s Memorial Hospital, I never would have believed them. But they were, and none of us will ever forget them.


When bad things happen, it brings out the best in everyone: We met tons of great people who helped us along the journey we took with Melissa. We realized that we were stronger than we ever thought we were. We met people we never would have met before. We know our way around Chicago like we lived there (and we kind of did!).


And, finally, no matter what happens in this life, if you have your family by your side, you are truly lucky and you can get through anything: So, Melissa, I say to you….Congratulations for getting to where you are today. Thanks for being part of our family! We did it! And now, let’s get our ice cream!!!

10 Random (Probably Abnormal) Thoughts I Had While At The Hospital

We all have our “happy place” somewhere in the world, don’t we? That one spot where everything makes sense and you just feel like everything is right with the world. Maybe it’s your childhood tree house or your grandparents’ kitchen or your elementary school playground. Wherever your special spot is, you feel safe, protected and at ease.

For me, that place has always been the hospital.

Yes, you read that one correctly. I’ll let it just sink in for a moment here.

Have you recovered? OK, good! Hear me out for a minute.

Well, I found myself right at home on Tuesday morning as I sat in the hospital waiting room. I was there to get my blood drawn, but you wouldn’t have known it by the look on my face. Why? Because I was, umm, just a wee bit giddy. Seriously. I kid you not. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, like someone who’d just won the lottery.

Yes, I was that excited.

Now, before you bring it to my attention, I know this is slightly abnormal. It’s just that I have so many happy memories from days spent in the hospital growing up and being with my family. I know, that sounds even more abnormal, doesn’t it?

Anyway, as I sat there in that waiting room, waiting for them to call my name like I was the next contestant on The Price Is Right, I got to thinking about my relationship to the hallowed halls of the hospital. And sure enough, the thoughts began coming in rapid-fire succession. Just like that…

1. Oh, this place is so cozy. I seriously could just sit here all day.

2. Ooh, look at that big screen TV.

3. Be still my heart! It’s a doctor in a white lab coat! Quick, I should think of a pick-up line or at least feign sudden illness!

4. Today definitely calls for a little look-see in the gift shop.

5. I’m so jealous of everyone who gets to work here every day.

6. I even get a hospital bracelet! I feel like I’m at some sort of exclusive club. Score!

7. These smells bring back so many fond and joyous memories.

8. I sure wish I could book a room and get a bag of I.V. fluids.

9. I wonder what’s down that hallway.

10. The cafeteria is such a wonderfully calming place. Time to sit down and sip an orange soda!

There you go, friends! A little peek inside my mind. I’m sure there were many more random thoughts, but, you know, I didn’t want this post to stretch on forever. Don’t think I couldn’t, though… xoxo

3 Binge-Worthy Medical TV Shows on Netflix

What have you been binge-watching on Netflix these days, friends? We’ve developed quite the dinnertime routine around here: By 6:30 p.m. every night, we’re gathered around the TV and fired up our queue — what did we ever do in the dark ages before Netflix?

Anyway, we’ve been on a medical kick lately and love watching TV shows about doctors and hospitals with the sort of nail-biting, sitting-on-the-edge-of-your seat drama of shows like Grey’s Anatomy, which will always be my all-time favorite medical drama. But, on a quest to find some new shows to watch, we discovered three amazing ones that should satisfy any TV fanatic. So, take it from me, these three shows are the next best thing to actually being in the hospital…

Royal Pains follows the life and adventures of Dr. Hank Lawson, a disgraced big-city ER doc who moves to the Hamptons to become a concierge physician to the uber rich. The show is incredibly endearing, the scenery breathtaking and the ensemble cast is awesome! Each episode mixes a medical mystery with just the right about of “life drama,” and the hilarious moments are pure gold!

Patrick Wilson plays Dr. Michael Holt in A Gifted Man. As a competitive surgeon, Dr. Holt’s world is rocked when his ex-wife dies and comes back from the dead. He’s the only one who can see her, and, like all good beyond-the-grave tales, she teaches him a thing or two about the power of life and the true meaning of medicine. Definitely check this one out if you’re in the mood for a quirky, off-the-beaten path show.

And, finally, Jada Pinkett Smith brings the passion on Hawthorne. As the take-no-prisoners Chief Nursing Officer of Richmond Trinity Hospital, Christina Hawthorne knows just how to take charge — of everything from her personal life to her daughter to her hectic life at the hospital. There’s a grittiness to this show and it’s a little dark, which I found surprisingly enthralling. Plus, Marc Anthony playing a guy who’s just a bit dangerous and unhinged? Priceless!

A special thanks must go to Ms. Bear, who convinced me to give each of these shows a chance! What shows have you watched lately that you’d recommend? Any genres that you particularly love? I’d love more suggestions! I firmly believe that you can NEVER have too many shows in your queue… xoxo

[Top photo via We Heart It]

Tuesday Tunes: Corey Hart’s “Never Surrender”

Editor’s Note: Song lyrics denoted in bold italics.


When I was growing up, one of my favorite things to do was listen to the radio on our drive into Chicago. Not only did the eclectic mix of classic oldies and late ’80s/early ’90s soft rock distract my worried mind, but it also introduced me to some of my favorite songs of my childhood. Yup! No Raffi for me; I needed the hard stuff — those sorts of songs that taught you about life and the power of determination and perseverance.

Corey Hart’s “Never Surrender”
From Boy In The Box

I don’t remember when I heard Hart’s melodic and captivating voice for the first time, but I still get flashbacks of skyscrapers, city traffic and Lake Michigan every time I hear this song. It’s my childhood in a bottle, basically, and as a child, the words meant something big to me.


Just a little more time
Is all we’re asking for
‘Cause just a little more time
Could open closing doors
Just a little uncertainty
Can bring you down

And nobody wants to know you now
And nobody wants to show you how

They evoked the scenes of story books in my head, of a Rocky-type underdog fighting to come out on top. He’s trying desperately to beat the odds that are stacked against him. People might not believe in him, but he’s got this unflinching innate drive and a strength so formidable that it sends even the fiercest competitor running the other direction.

So if you’re lost and on your own
You can never surrender
And if your path won’t lead you home
You can never surrender

I’d be lying if I said that my medical years were perfect because they most certainly weren’t. There were times I’d get incredibly frustrated. There were times I hated all the physical pain. There were times when, quite frankly, it all just seemed to much, especially as I approached my teen years and just wanted to be like everyone else my age. During those times, I could easily have just stayed in my bed and refused to do anything — and if you know me, you know that my sheer stubbornness could have made that a very real and distinct possibility. But I didn’t. I know my parents had something to do with it. They wouldn’t let me surrender. Ever. And honestly, I think I’m a better — and stronger — person for it.

And when the night is cold and dark
You can see, you can see light
‘Cause no one can take away your right
To fight and to never surrender

Really, though, isn’t this song applicable to life in general? There are going to be dark times — that’s pretty much a guarantee. But maybe half of the big battle is learning how to get through those times with minimal scars. It’s tough, trust me, to know which way you’re going or who to turn to when you feel like you have zero answers and zero strength left, but those times are when you need to summon that inner Rocky the most.

He’s in there somewhere, even if he’s buried deep down, and once you find him, you can suit up, put on those metaphorical boxing gloves and tackle the world. Head on! xoxo