a shout out.

during shilo's crazy long hospital stay, i met people.  some of them were, ummm, odd.  some of them were new parents just trying to wade through life in the hospital.  and some of them were veterans of living at the hospital.  while i was there, there were a handful that i really connected with, and who can probably share the credit of me not 1)punching a doctor, 2)screaming things at the families at the ronald mcdonald house who wanted to have a 'who's baby is sickest' contest (the other family always won, because i forfeit at that game), 3) needing to walk myself over to the adult hospital for a mental health consult from sitting in a dark room listening to beeping all day.
one of the people i met, happens to live in the same city as me.  we have tons of mutual friends.  and somehow, we hadn't ever crossed paths.  but by fate (or really by a mutual friend who was coming to visit her) we met.  we went out a few times for a late night nacho and adult beverage.  we laughed.  we traded doctor stories.  we made bows for our cute girlies together.  we enjoyed the isolation policies.  it may have been one of the few things that made the stay 'bearable.'
this friend, who's name is rachael, has spent time, with her little, in the hospital, since we have been home.  and on wednesday, she will be sitting in the surgery waiting area, as her youngest daughter, aria, has surgery on her spine.
so, while you are hanging out at home on wednesday, please be thinking of them.  send good thoughts and prayers their way.  spending lots of time in the hospital, with your kid, sucks.  rachael made it suck a little less.  if you want to do something for her, she is a fan of starbucks, and good wine (i imagine the hospital has a policy against wine. so you may want to stick with the starbucks).
and my last plug for her, is to encourage you to check out her blog.  she is funny.  and her story is one worth reading.  the socially inappropriate mom.