A few months ago, we were alerted that our favorite Art Therapist, Tracy Councill, was stepping down from her post at Georgetown (MedStar Georgetown University Hospital) for rewirement (we like that word over retirement!). Tracy was clearing out her part of the storage room where she kept lots of artwork by cancer patients and their siblings for years, in our case, since 1997!
We were sent several emails to pick up, but I kept forgetting once I read and scrolled past them. This past week, another email dropped that all work not picked up by March 1st would be discarded. Thank goodness for that one; it got my attention, and I made arrangements to go down this past Thursday morning.
It's been a few years since I last stepped into the Peds Hem/Onc clinic, probably in 2019 when the Washington Capitals NHL Hockey Team was in the clinic at Christmastime to hang out for an hour or two with the kids and older kids (adults), which was crowded and loud (and super fun).
When I entered the clinic on Thursday, it was quiet, with no one in the waiting area. Of course, it also changed quite a bit (it seemed bigger due to removing a lot of furniture and a computer station), but it was still the clinic we spent hours in for many years, thankfully entertained by Tracy & Co. with her art therapy programs. I gave the receptionist my name and the name of the "patient," as requested. In a few seconds, the receptionist lifted the huge artwork envelope to the countertop for my retrieval.
Not recognizing the staff (a good thing!), lo and behold, Sharon Graham, the Peds/Hem/Onc and NICU Chaplain, popped out of her office to greet me. She said she thought she heard me state my name to the receptionist and had to check to see if it was really me. We hugged! It was so good to see her, one of the last people I know working in that department besides the director. I plan on making another visit to her in the clinic soon, along with bringing a few signed books too!
bSoleille!
Terri
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