It seems like overnight it has become fall, my favorite time of year. As I walk through City Hall Park in the mornings on my way to the subway, I can feel a crispness in the air. The leaves haven't started to turn yet, but already people can be seen in jackets and colorful scarves.
It was a beautiful weekend weather-wise. I volunteered with the Hudson River Park and found myself weeding and pruning along my favorite waterway. I signed up for the volunteer activity through New York Cares, the volunteer clearinghouse of opportunities, and didn't realize I was committing to a multi-week project. But I enjoyed it, so it's not an issue. Plus, the coordinator said I can miss a day if I'm travelling or otherwise occupied.
I'm very excited that my sister Jenn is coming to visit in a few weeks! I don't know which is more exciting: that she's coming to visit me for the first time in NYC or that she's coming alone, sans kids and husband. (Of course, the kids and husband aren't thrilled to be missing out on the trip.) I'm already making plans and getting tickets and reservations...it will be great to share it all with her.
Showing posts with label volunteering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label volunteering. Show all posts
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Painting the Town
It's been warmer lately. They call it "Indian Summer." I was thankful there wasn't rain last Saturday, and grateful for the breeze as I joined thousands of other volunteers across the city in NY Cares Day. 
I was assigned to a school in Brooklyn. I followed the directions and took the subway lines suggested, and I was surprised and delighted to find it was in a nice neighborhood. Although I was disappointed that we weren't painting anything as interesting as a mural, it was a beautiful day to spend outside, and I enjoyed talking to the other volunteers.
We scraped and painted the black iron fence around the building. Although you can't tell much by these pictures, it made a big difference in the appearance of the school. The assistant principal was on hand to thank us and feed us pizza for lunch.
And I made a new friend. :-) She's originally from Mexico, and she's sending me information about a cultural event next week celebrating the Day of the Dead. She told me there would be authentic Mexican food. Mmmm...
I was assigned to a school in Brooklyn. I followed the directions and took the subway lines suggested, and I was surprised and delighted to find it was in a nice neighborhood. Although I was disappointed that we weren't painting anything as interesting as a mural, it was a beautiful day to spend outside, and I enjoyed talking to the other volunteers.
We scraped and painted the black iron fence around the building. Although you can't tell much by these pictures, it made a big difference in the appearance of the school. The assistant principal was on hand to thank us and feed us pizza for lunch.
And I made a new friend. :-) She's originally from Mexico, and she's sending me information about a cultural event next week celebrating the Day of the Dead. She told me there would be authentic Mexican food. Mmmm...
Friday, August 31, 2007
"I am a New Yorker who Cares"
[and I don't mean "who cares?"]
In my quest to meet new people and join the community in New York, I have joined the volunteer organization NY Cares, which brings together caring volunteers with needy and worthwhile organizations. I attended my orientation on Tuesday night, and have signed up for my first activity: Bingo with seniors! I love the description the NY Cares organization provides:
Come gamble the night away with lively seniors from Flushing House. Volunteers will call bingo numbers and assist any resident who needs help. This is serious group of bingo players so be ready for some fierce competition.
******
For this weekend, my cousin Rob is coming down from West Point. I'm so excited to have someone to pal around with!
In my quest to meet new people and join the community in New York, I have joined the volunteer organization NY Cares, which brings together caring volunteers with needy and worthwhile organizations. I attended my orientation on Tuesday night, and have signed up for my first activity: Bingo with seniors! I love the description the NY Cares organization provides:
Come gamble the night away with lively seniors from Flushing House. Volunteers will call bingo numbers and assist any resident who needs help. This is serious group of bingo players so be ready for some fierce competition.
******
For this weekend, my cousin Rob is coming down from West Point. I'm so excited to have someone to pal around with!
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Another Goodbye
Last night, I volunteered at Parkland's neonatal intensive care unit for the last time. It was so difficult leaving, walking through the halls and thinking this is the last time I'm going to do this.What made it even sadder for me was the fact that my good friend and the nurse who I prefer to work with, Lily, wasn't there. I saw her last week, and I refused to let her get sad when I left, agreeing that we'd see each other again this week. When I asked if she had called in sick, the nurse manager said she was taking a two week vacation. Her husband works for an airline and has flight benefits, and she mentioned they'd been debating going to England to see her brother and his family.
The hospital had a record seven sets of twins born in a two-and-a-half day period, so I was able to help quite a bit last night. I held (one at a time) twin boys, and two twin girls who's twins were already home. The first twin boy was very snuggly, and I enjoyed holding him.
As I walked out of the hospital to the parking garage, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I know I can find a hospital in NYC in which to volunteer, but I will miss the friends I've made. Especially Lily. She is a great nurse, always doing whatever the baby needs (like a bath) even if it's not required. Some of the other nurses are lazy, but Lily really does what's best for her little patients. She talks to them in a matter-of-fact tone and has taught me so much about premies and nursing. She's very modest, strongly religious, and feels her emotions deeply. She still gets teared up when talking about her sister who died more than 10 years ago. She would always give me a hug when I left and would be so appreciative when I walked in, saying my name, "Emileeeee!" She knew I love Indian food and would bring me leftovers of foods she and her husband had prepared. I couldn't even pronounce everything, but it was so good.
I had brought her a small gift and card, which I left in her mailbox. I just missed getting one last hug.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Week in Review
I've been trying to think of something good to write all week. I haven't thought of much.
First, my sister Stephanie was in the hospital with kidney stones. She's fine now, but that is so very painful. And I feel like that is more her place to tell the story.
Work is busy, but that's hardly new.
It was unseasonably warm early in the week, and last night, a big cold front came through. Today we had ice, sleet and snow. I looked outside at one point, and the snow was swirling all around with the wind. It looked like I was in a snow globe!
One new thing I'm trying this week is based on an article I read, "What does it take to lead a happier life?" Researchers are studying how to increase happiness, and the article refers to a simple exercise: every night, think of three good things that happened that day and analyze why they occurred.
It's a bit like the Gratitude Journal that was made popular by Oprah and Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance, a few years ago. The thing I like about this exercise is the analysis of why those things happened.
On Monday, one of my good things was this snuggly baby I got to hold at the hospital. My analysis of why this happened? Because I volunteer. That made me give credit to myself and realizing how much I get out of giving.
Anyway, I figure it can't hurt, and who knows? It might just increase my happiness level.
First, my sister Stephanie was in the hospital with kidney stones. She's fine now, but that is so very painful. And I feel like that is more her place to tell the story.
Work is busy, but that's hardly new.
It was unseasonably warm early in the week, and last night, a big cold front came through. Today we had ice, sleet and snow. I looked outside at one point, and the snow was swirling all around with the wind. It looked like I was in a snow globe!
One new thing I'm trying this week is based on an article I read, "What does it take to lead a happier life?" Researchers are studying how to increase happiness, and the article refers to a simple exercise: every night, think of three good things that happened that day and analyze why they occurred.
It's a bit like the Gratitude Journal that was made popular by Oprah and Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance, a few years ago. The thing I like about this exercise is the analysis of why those things happened.
On Monday, one of my good things was this snuggly baby I got to hold at the hospital. My analysis of why this happened? Because I volunteer. That made me give credit to myself and realizing how much I get out of giving.
Anyway, I figure it can't hurt, and who knows? It might just increase my happiness level.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Baby Work
It was a busy night at the hospital tonight. They are short-staffed, so all the nurses were really happy to see me.
I fed three babies and held a fourth. One of the babies was born 3 months ago at 26-27 weeks -- about as early as they can survive. He's having trouble breathing and is still on oxygen. He scared us all at one point holding his breath and making all the alarms sound. He's also been constipated for the past five days (!) and finally had a good bowel movement after a suppository.
Another little girl is getting a chemotherapy agent to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV). It's a common virus that's part of the herpes family of viruses, but in premature infants, it can cause all sorts of problems, including hearing, vision and neurological problems. Poor little thing. She's obviously going through a very tough treatment.
The second little girl I fed was born without any opening for urine or poop to come out. So strange...she currently has an ostomy and a catheter of sorts to allow the waste to get out of her body. I don't know what the doctors will do long-term for her.
So keep these little ones in your prayers.
I fed three babies and held a fourth. One of the babies was born 3 months ago at 26-27 weeks -- about as early as they can survive. He's having trouble breathing and is still on oxygen. He scared us all at one point holding his breath and making all the alarms sound. He's also been constipated for the past five days (!) and finally had a good bowel movement after a suppository.
Another little girl is getting a chemotherapy agent to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV). It's a common virus that's part of the herpes family of viruses, but in premature infants, it can cause all sorts of problems, including hearing, vision and neurological problems. Poor little thing. She's obviously going through a very tough treatment.
The second little girl I fed was born without any opening for urine or poop to come out. So strange...she currently has an ostomy and a catheter of sorts to allow the waste to get out of her body. I don't know what the doctors will do long-term for her.
So keep these little ones in your prayers.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
My Passion
(Now, get your mind out of the gutter...)
I've written before about my volunteering at the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and working with premies. This Monday was especially busy. When I arrived, Lily, the nurse I usually work with, said, "I REALLY need you tonight."
It's nice to feel like what you're doing really helps someone - both the nurses and the patients. Sometimes the nurses feel bad asking me to retrieve blankets or other supplies for them, but I really don't mind. It allows them to focus on their patients. Of course, my favorite thing to do is hold the babies.
I fed four babies this week and also got to help with a couple others. I talk to each of them and encourage them to eat and burp. I also got to speak a little Spanish to two new dads. My time there just flies by. I guess that's what happens when you're doing what you love.
In all my Mondays at Parkland, I've only witnessed one death. It was a new patient that had just been admitted into the unit. I was feeding another one in the same room. There were several nurses around this little boy, and a couple doctors were walking in and out. One of the doctors was watching the monitors and first noticed the breathing changing slightly. The baby was born at 27 weeks, very young when a normal term pregnancy is 40 weeks. Lungs are one of the last organs to develop, and most premies have some difficulty with their respiration. The doctor alerted the nurses who immediately started supplementing the child's breathing with a CPR bag, but unfortunately he kept crashing. They called a code blue and several more staff members rushed into the room, although the space around his little bed was already full. They brought the father in, along with a translator and a minister. The minister gave last rites as the translator repeated the words in Spanish. I felt for the father. His face was in total shock. They escorted him out and then stopped the CPR. One of the nurses was crying, and the charge nurse reassured her that she and everyone else on the team had done everything possible.
It was very surreal. I wasn't sad for the baby, because I believe he went to a better place, a peaceful, loving, painless place. But my heart hurt for the parents, who had been awaiting the birth of their child and now had to bury him.
I admire the nurses and doctors who do this miniature work so much. But wow, the responsibility. If I mess up at work, or if the project just doesn't work out because of unavoidable factors, I feel badly, but it's not like life and death. It would be hard to let go and not question every action you took.
I've written before about my volunteering at the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and working with premies. This Monday was especially busy. When I arrived, Lily, the nurse I usually work with, said, "I REALLY need you tonight."
It's nice to feel like what you're doing really helps someone - both the nurses and the patients. Sometimes the nurses feel bad asking me to retrieve blankets or other supplies for them, but I really don't mind. It allows them to focus on their patients. Of course, my favorite thing to do is hold the babies.
I fed four babies this week and also got to help with a couple others. I talk to each of them and encourage them to eat and burp. I also got to speak a little Spanish to two new dads. My time there just flies by. I guess that's what happens when you're doing what you love.
In all my Mondays at Parkland, I've only witnessed one death. It was a new patient that had just been admitted into the unit. I was feeding another one in the same room. There were several nurses around this little boy, and a couple doctors were walking in and out. One of the doctors was watching the monitors and first noticed the breathing changing slightly. The baby was born at 27 weeks, very young when a normal term pregnancy is 40 weeks. Lungs are one of the last organs to develop, and most premies have some difficulty with their respiration. The doctor alerted the nurses who immediately started supplementing the child's breathing with a CPR bag, but unfortunately he kept crashing. They called a code blue and several more staff members rushed into the room, although the space around his little bed was already full. They brought the father in, along with a translator and a minister. The minister gave last rites as the translator repeated the words in Spanish. I felt for the father. His face was in total shock. They escorted him out and then stopped the CPR. One of the nurses was crying, and the charge nurse reassured her that she and everyone else on the team had done everything possible.
It was very surreal. I wasn't sad for the baby, because I believe he went to a better place, a peaceful, loving, painless place. But my heart hurt for the parents, who had been awaiting the birth of their child and now had to bury him.
I admire the nurses and doctors who do this miniature work so much. But wow, the responsibility. If I mess up at work, or if the project just doesn't work out because of unavoidable factors, I feel badly, but it's not like life and death. It would be hard to let go and not question every action you took.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Do what you love
Every Monday for the past four years, I volunteer at the local county hospital, Parkland, in the neonatal intensive care unit. I hold premies, feed them, change diapers and help the nurses as much as possible. With my health background, I'm fascinated by the medical procedures and abnormalities that I've seen. I'm sickened by the parents who subject their unborn children to the effects of illegal drugs, and I try to give all the babies I meet some love and attention that they need so much at this time in their lives.
I love my volunteer work, so much so that it doesn't seem like work at all. It's so rewarding to me, and the nurses I've gotten to know are such beautiful, caring people. I really miss seeing the babies when I have to miss a Monday because of travelling for work or when I'm sick. (And, by the way, I know that here in the States "travelling" is only supposed to have one L, but it looks weird to me, and since my dad's from the U.K., I'm claiming exemption and sticking with the proper English! It's not a typo.)
I met my best friend (BF) 11 years ago when she was a volunteer at the non-profit I was working for. We have volunteered together over the years at many different community and church events. Her husband also has a volunteer spirit, and they have instilled this in their daughter, too. He is very active with his own religion's community group and is currently heading up a transportation committee for a week-long event for young athletes. The youth have arrived from all over the nation and from a couple of different countries for an Olympics-type competition. BF literally begged me to help, to volunteer for an evening or two.
I got a postcard in the mail (in BF's handwriting) stating I was signed up to volunteer three evenings this week -- Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Grr...so not only do I have to miss Parkland, but I have to reschedule with my counselor whom I usually see on Wednesday evenings. This time is critical to my maintaining some semblance of sanity.
Oh, and can you be at the event site at 5 p.m.?
My work is very demanding and hectic. We are currently in a tremendous growth spurt, and there's more work than resources. Oh, and our hours are (at minimum) 8:30-5:30.
Okay, so I bust my butt to get outta work at 4:55 and drive to the event location. I got there at 5:15. Not bad considering Dallas traffic. I checked in with the volunteer coordinator and found BF's husband. He told me we were awaiting the buses bringing the kids and would be directing them into the building.
It's hot here in Dallas in August. I could feel the sweat dripping down my back and soaking my bra as we waited.
The 45 buses finally arrived around 7:00. (Sooo glad I rushed out of work to stand around in the heat...) We got all the kids inside, reminding them to remember which bus they were on because that would be the one they were to return on. Several of the volunteers loudly vocalized their opinions of how the process could have been handled more efficiently. There were too many chiefs in this crowd.
I guess a lot of the volunteers know each other, but I didn't know any of them. A couple of them asked me how I had gotten involved, but after the initial pleasantries, they pretty much left me alone. So I had a couple hours to sit around and think to myself and watch other people. (Boring!)
We got the kids back on the buses starting at 9 p.m. No surprise, several kids couldn't remember which bus was theirs. We finally got everyone on the correct bus and headed back to the community center, where the host families would be picking up their kids. More chaos ensued there, and I finally got home around 11 p.m. Needless to say, I'm exhausted.
I kept telling myself that I was doing a good thing by volunteering, but I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. I'm going back to the babies.
I love my volunteer work, so much so that it doesn't seem like work at all. It's so rewarding to me, and the nurses I've gotten to know are such beautiful, caring people. I really miss seeing the babies when I have to miss a Monday because of travelling for work or when I'm sick. (And, by the way, I know that here in the States "travelling" is only supposed to have one L, but it looks weird to me, and since my dad's from the U.K., I'm claiming exemption and sticking with the proper English! It's not a typo.)
I met my best friend (BF) 11 years ago when she was a volunteer at the non-profit I was working for. We have volunteered together over the years at many different community and church events. Her husband also has a volunteer spirit, and they have instilled this in their daughter, too. He is very active with his own religion's community group and is currently heading up a transportation committee for a week-long event for young athletes. The youth have arrived from all over the nation and from a couple of different countries for an Olympics-type competition. BF literally begged me to help, to volunteer for an evening or two.
I got a postcard in the mail (in BF's handwriting) stating I was signed up to volunteer three evenings this week -- Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Grr...so not only do I have to miss Parkland, but I have to reschedule with my counselor whom I usually see on Wednesday evenings. This time is critical to my maintaining some semblance of sanity.
Oh, and can you be at the event site at 5 p.m.?
My work is very demanding and hectic. We are currently in a tremendous growth spurt, and there's more work than resources. Oh, and our hours are (at minimum) 8:30-5:30.
Okay, so I bust my butt to get outta work at 4:55 and drive to the event location. I got there at 5:15. Not bad considering Dallas traffic. I checked in with the volunteer coordinator and found BF's husband. He told me we were awaiting the buses bringing the kids and would be directing them into the building.
It's hot here in Dallas in August. I could feel the sweat dripping down my back and soaking my bra as we waited.
The 45 buses finally arrived around 7:00. (Sooo glad I rushed out of work to stand around in the heat...) We got all the kids inside, reminding them to remember which bus they were on because that would be the one they were to return on. Several of the volunteers loudly vocalized their opinions of how the process could have been handled more efficiently. There were too many chiefs in this crowd.
I guess a lot of the volunteers know each other, but I didn't know any of them. A couple of them asked me how I had gotten involved, but after the initial pleasantries, they pretty much left me alone. So I had a couple hours to sit around and think to myself and watch other people. (Boring!)
We got the kids back on the buses starting at 9 p.m. No surprise, several kids couldn't remember which bus was theirs. We finally got everyone on the correct bus and headed back to the community center, where the host families would be picking up their kids. More chaos ensued there, and I finally got home around 11 p.m. Needless to say, I'm exhausted.
I kept telling myself that I was doing a good thing by volunteering, but I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. I'm going back to the babies.
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