Her Name Means Wild

Everyone always has an opinion about someone else. And that’s where this story starts. I had no opinion of this man when I first met him. But everyone I knew said this of him, he would admit just about every kid that comes into the emergency room to the PICU. I don’t fully know what happens in the emergency room to even know if that is remotely true. Yet, he did have an opinion of me. I was that strange face that showed up in the ER to start difficult IVs on kids when no one down there could.

Years pass and I find myself in the most booshie French salon to get my hair done. Anything related to Paris has full rights to booshie. But booshie or not, all hairstylists love making conversation while doing hair.

“I will forever be grateful to him”, she told me when she realized I actually knew this doctor. They had been to the emergency room multiple times over the course of 2 weeks, with unexplainable symptoms. Until this night. The Pediatric ER was going to close in 2 hours and was packed, it was the busiest time of year. Everyone always has an opinion, and maybe that night someone wondered why would he order the most random tests for a kid that came in for vomiting.

That night a young child was diagnosed with cancer. That night changed the life a child and his family. It was a rocky road for them since that day. It was surgeries, recovery, chemotherapy, and so many medications. That meant multiple hospital stays and sick days. It was fear of the unknown, will any of this work? Fear that each day could be his last.

People still had the same opinion of him. That he admits everyone to the PICU. But this particular afternoon, as I was sitting in this hairstylists chair getting highlights put in, i was in awe of how small this world actually is as she told me about her son.

Today her child is cancer free because one man decided to listen. All it takes is one compassionate heart to listen to what people are saying. He saved a life, he changed the world. If he didn’t, I don’t know if this family would get to see their son grow up. Sometimes there are miracles, sometimes we get to hear about them, sometimes we get to witness them, and sometimes we get to be a part of them. Today, he is 4 years cancer free and that’s something to celebrate! Everyone has an opinion, and I have my opinion about him. “He is a good man”, I told her, “and a very great doctor”.