From the Hospital Hideaway Couch

By Chad Morris

Maddie is sleeping so I thought it might be good to pound out a few of the many thoughts I’ve had over the last few weeks. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned:

Learning that your nine-year-old daughter has a brain tumor is a nightmare, a sucker punch to the heart. It makes you really think about what you believe. It’s like an army laying siege to your mind, no thought comes in or goes out without having to pass through it. It steals sleep and fills your night with prayers.

Nothing is more important than people. Love people.  

Going through something horrible shows something deep about us. None of us are perfect under pressure, but in many many ways, I look up to a nine-year-old girl.

Science and medicine are absolutely remarkable.

When she’s on medication, my daughter talks in her sleep. She just mumbled about sodium levels. That’s much more scientific than a few nights ago when she was floating.

Hospital food is not that bad.

Prayers make a difference, a big difference.

Good hearts. There are so many people with good hearts. There is a list on this one.

My wife. With our minds still heavy with all the neurosurgeons told us, she paid for lunch for the other two people in the sandwich line. And she’s made many friends in very tense waiting rooms.

People with mustaches.  A cousin decided to start posting pictures of her family in mustaches to make Maddie smile. She asked a few others to jump in. Then it steam-rolled into something we will never forget.  Thanks everyone. You should see the smiles. Mission accomplished. (And she still loves to see the ones coming in.)

Writers, Bloggers . . . etc. On March 5, I wasn’t doing any assemblies, or signings, or launch parties. But while I sent my kids off to school, did laundry, babysat my four-year-old, tried to catch up on my day job, and then traded my wife shifts at the hospital, so many of you promoted my book. Blogs, tweets, posts. . . etc. So many of you rallied to help. Good hearts. Such good hearts. Thank you.   

Neighbors, family, and friends. My boys have still made it to and from school. They've made it to karate, basketball, ballroom dance (Yes, that is an awesome trio), and even a few bonuses. Plus, my fridge is overloaded with some of the best homemade food in the universe. If we weren’t so busy, we would invite you all over for best leftovers clean out you’ve even had. Well, honestly that isn’t going to happen. But you could knock on the door, and if we’re home you can come on in and help yourself.