Another mother's child.

Today at work, I held the hand of another mother's child. She's Theo's age and was laying under a blanket that we also have for Lucy. As her mother sobbed, hearing incredibly difficult news, I held her hand and put her lovey right near her face, like I do for Lucy. I rubbed her little hand until she fell asleep. She'll never run and jump, never breathe without a machine, will never go to school and hopefully she will make it to Disney World with the help of a wish. After everyone left, I held her mother's hand. Then I held both of her parents while they cried. Sometimes holding a hand or a heart is really all you can do. And sometimes, being a pediatric social worker is super hard.

Tonight, I held my little girl's hand while she walked in a parking lot. Tonight I put her lovey by her face when I tucked her in. I thought of my young patient and holding her hand this morning and tried not to cry. Today was hard.