Make Hannah Smile
By: Colleen Lanin, The Travel MamaJanuary 27th, 2012
There’s a story I often tell about a friend who encouraged me to write my book, The Travel Mamas’ Guide. This friend asked me for advice on traveling with her baby and I sent her three rough chapters of that book. Without her enthusiasm and support, I never would have written the book or started this website. Erin has been my best friend for 20 years. We share a birthday, separated by one year. My second child and her only child shared the same due date. Both were born early, about a week apart. Her child, Hannah, is very sick.
Erin and Hannah in my backyard (in 2009)
Hannah is in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for an aggressive form of pneumonia. She is scheduled for surgery to clear her lungs today. Erin has been in the hospital with her daughter all week and has gotten very little sleep due to all her worry, interruptions from hospital staff, and cramped sleeping conditions. Hannah is nearly four-years-old. She loves her two basset hounds and animals of all kinds. The gooey fluid in her lungs has drained Hannah of her usual rambunctious personality. She has perked up here and there, telling nurses knock-knock jokes and giving her mom the occasional smile. But for the most part, struggling to breathe has exhausted her little body and her spirit.
Erin and I were talking about wake-up calls yesterday. Even though this is not my child, Hannah’s illness has been a wake-up call for me. It makes me realize that I need to make phone calls and visits with friends, Erin in particular, a bigger priority in my life. With Facebook, email, texts, and our busy lives, it’s easy to forget that we need these deeper connections with the people we love. I barely know Hannah. I have met her a handful of times during my travels home to Arizona and Erin’s visits to my current locale of San Diego. That’s not right. I want our kids to play together and become lifelong friends. How else, as Erin and I often joke, will my son and her daughter get married when they grow up?
My son, Leo, already smitten with Hannah at the Hotel Del Coronado (in 2009)
I know this has nothing to do with travel. But I hate that I am a state away from Erin and Hannah. I wish I could be there to hug Erin and be strong for her while she puts on her Brave Mommy Face. All I can do is send healing thoughts and prayers to Hannah and her family. And ask you to do the same. Even if you are not religious, if you could take just a moment out of your day to send wishes for a quick recovery to Hannah, I would be so thankful.
Hannah has received a few Get Well Soon cards from friends and they’ve made her smile. You know how doing selfless acts of kindness is supposed to increase your happiness and life expectancy? (Actually, I just made that up, but I bet it’s true!) Will you help me in making Hannah smile? Please send Hannah a card! She will be in the hospital for another week or so. Here’s the address:
Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center
Attn: Hannah Cole, Patient
9003 E. Shea Boulevard
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Here are other Travel Mamas stories that include Erin and/or Hannah:
• Fall Beauty at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport, Maine
• 4 Phoenix Fun Spots for Kids
• Restaurants, Drinks & Sweets in Freeport, Maine
• Weekend Getaway in Freeport, Maine
Tags: friends, Hannah Cole, pneumonia, wake-up call
Subscribe in a reader - or - Subscribe to Travel Mamas by RSS Email
That made me weepy. I am thinking of you, Erin, Hannah. Will send a card. XOXO
Kara Williams would like you to read..Beaver Creek Loves Kids – Our Fun Family Weekend
Get well soon Hannah!
Leo loves you Hannah.I can see it in his eyes!I’ll be your Grandma too. Get well soon and smile that beautiful smile. Hang in there Mama.
You are such a great friend and it is wonderful what you are asking people to do. I will get a card in the mail. Thanks for being such a truly sweet and caring person. I’m sending my prayers and thoughts their way as well.
clueless mama would like you to read..The #Trop50 True Resolutions Question
Get well soon Hannah! You’re a brave little girl with a Brave Mommy! Praying for a fast recovery and visualizing you laughing and playing!
Thank you to everyone who sent a card and/or good thoughts and prayers to Hannah. Your well wishes worked! Hannah is being released EARLY from the hospital. It looks like she’ll head home today! She has already received two cards (from Travel Mamas peeps) and her mom will have any cards still on their way either forwarded or she’ll pick them up from the hospital. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Glad to hear that the surgery went well and she is already able to go home. I sent a small package that is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday.
Sherri May – You are too kind. Hannah’s mom is having the mail forward to their house. I told her to expect a small package, which she may need to swing by the hospital to get. Thank you so much!
I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU, to Colleen for this beautiful post and asking for smiles for my precious Hannah, and to all of you who have prayed, sent cards, well wishes, packages, etc. I do believe in the power of prayer, and you have all helped Hannah smile. She is home now, resting a lot and regaining her strength. She is doing better every day. And this mama is getting some much needed rest…finally! Again, thank you so much. I just can’t put into words what the outpouring of support means to me and my family. May God bless you all.
Hi Collleen, The package that I sent to Hannah was returned to me today with a note written on the envelope that she was discharged. I guess the hospital didn’t want to hold it for her mother. Hope Hannah is doing well!
Sherri May would like you to read..CSI: The Experience
The bad news is that I have heard from a few people that your cards/packages were sent back to you from the hospital. The good news is that this is because Hannah was released earlier from the hospital than expected. Her mom’s request to forward the cards/packages was apparently lost. If yours comes back to you, please know that Hannah and her family feel and appreciate the love and good wishes that you sent. Hannah is healing nicely at home. Thank you again to everyone for your kind efforts!
Colleen Lanin, The Travel Mama would like you to read..Romantic World Tour of the Web