Stories of Kindness from Around the World

This is something that affected me while I was in the hospital for open heart surgery and  made my decision to make things right. Just before my surgery, my doctor's office gave me a video to watch. In that video there were patients and each one had a heart pillow they were using, so of course I figured that I would get one.

Right after my surgery, I asked about the heart pillow, and I was told that they took it out of the budget but one could be purchased at the hospital gift shop. My daughter purchased one for me. It was wonderful- it did so much more than for coughing, sneezing or moving wrong. It eventually became my "security blanket" and still is. I even bought and gave out 2 to heart patients I knew- they found it as comforting as I did.

Okay, moving ahead- I was upset that the OH patients were not getting that comfort- I spoke to many people at the hospital and even though they agreed, no one could do anything. So I took this whole mission upon myself.

I called various hospitals to find out what they used. I went online to get as much information about the Therapeutic Hearts/bears etc., that I could. I also found a site stating that the cloth pillows of any sort were considered dangerous because if fell to the floor and if any sort of bacteria or infection was picked up by the pillow, if could cause infection to the patient.

I totally understood, but that certainly didn't help my mission. I continued to call these companies to see if I could get any feedback. I left messages to those who didn't answer. The very last phone call I was expecting came in the next week. I told the lady my dilemma and she tells me about this VINYL heart pillow that they had just produced and 1 hospital in the country had been using it for one year and loved it. You can wash off this vinyl and disinfect it. She sent me a sample.

I did all my homework so that no one could even think of a reason why this wouldn't work. Mind you- this was not something I was doing for myself, I was way past that need, but there were hundreds of patients and future patients that could surely need it. I got everything together.

Also by that time I was volunteering and visiting with cardiac patients before and after their surgeries. It totally broke my heart seeing them so uncomfortable when I knew there was an answer. It took me over a month and half to be able to meet with the proper authorities at the hospital to present my finding. I had the meeting just last week- finally. They were very perceptic and agreed. So my mission with so much passion is a GO. they are working on getting these pillows for the patients. I can not be happier- I actually did something that is going to help many, many patients. Thank You