A Quiet House

This Friday was such a contrast from last Friday.

3 kids in the house, plus a mum and a sister who hung out on their own, plus a dad and a brother who went to a hockey tournament.

That was it. Santos, Joan, Jenelle and I were on hand along with the nurses and PCAs.

It always seems like there is a lot of people on any one shift and it is on nights like these that I sometimes watch what the nurses are doing when they are not in contact with the kids. They are busy! They are always doing something. Writing in reports, in the med room preparing stuff, checking other stuff. The PCAs are are also busy as hell too. This is what they need to get done every shift (I am supposing) whether they have a kid in front of them or not. Unless a kid is in their room sleeping (and being monitored by video!) they are ALWAYS with a family volunteer, PCA, or nurse. As volunteers we are to be there for the kids in the house, but I realise that we are also there for the nurses. The nurses do a hell of a job. I am happy that as a volunteer we can help them do even better!

Our job tonight consisted of serious hanging in the Sunroom. We were perilously close to repeating nap time, but managed to stay awake while G-Dog and C-Girl (I have become ever so taxed on creating new names) watched a variety of shows on TV. I hung a bit with the S-Man while he demolished a video game.

This was S-Man's second stay at the house. I ate supper with his family and had a little chat with his mum and dad. I found myself telling them how awesome this place is because of how NORMAL it is.

Canuck Place takes a uniquely special kid with uniquely special needs who receives uniquely special care and makes every aspect their care and visit normal.

That is what this place is about.