The Most Horrible Group

So in typical Dr. Barry fashion, he emailed me an invite to an event --THE SAME DAY OF THE EVENT! He had forgotten to tell me about a kickoff party at JohnMArtin's involving his friend and partner, Dr. Patti. Patti was named Medical Director of a new non profit health care group, and Barry wanted to go to support her.

The group is called TILLIKDS, and it's a new arm of the South Florida Hospice network. TILLIKDS provides support and care to families with terminally ill or "life limiting" illnesses. That's what TILLIKIDS is an acronym for: terminally ill, life limiting illnesses.

Wow. Just the group for me, Mr. Perspective. Children with cancer isn't sad enough --how about a group for children everyone knows are going to die!

Well, it turns out, that there's a need. Most children who die do so, horribly, in hospital ICUs, instead of home, surrounded by their families. Patti has been a pediatric ICU doc for more than 20 years, and has learned a lot (far too much) about dying children. But, as the compassionate, brilliant practitioner she is, she wants to help make even that most horrible event more humane.

One of the mothers of the TILLIKID program spoke, about how her baby was supposed to live just a few weeks, and instead made it through 2.5 years of "Christmases, birthdays, and familiy memories," and how much TILLIKIDS helped her. As a result, the mom is volunteering for others facing this awful situation.

They held a raffle, and I bought some tickets. Funny thing about me and contests: whenever I enter one, I assume I'm going to win. I'm the luckiest person I know, and I just carry that over to sweepstakes. Sure enough, my ticket was called, and I won 6 free facials from a swanky salon in South Miami, whose owner is a TILLIKIDs supporter. Wifey and the Ds can enjoy them.

I also left a check, in honor of Patti, for TILLIKIDS. And then Dolores, Patti's domestic partner, hit me up, as she always does, for a donation for HER organization: a Pediatric Day Care Center at UM/Jackson for ventilator dependent and other "medically complex" children. Patti and Dolores --imagine --helping the truly most needy and deserving --the sickest and dying children.

Afterwards, Barry and I headed out for some late steaks in the Gables, and had our typical "we can solve the world's problems so why can't we figure out human nature?" discussions.

I asked him how he can be around these saddest of situations, dying children, and not lose large chunks of his soul along the way. He deflected, as usual, and talked about the saintliness of Patti.

So I plan to continue to support TILLIKIDS. Each time some minor problem or issue in my life starts to loom larger, I plan to think about them.

And I fully intend to savor and admire Wifey's and the Ds' glowing skin, after they return from their facials...