In the days leading up to Christmas, children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are prepared to be sent home, but for parents of children receiving in-home care, the hospital can be a relief. The nurses and doctors in the PICU try to make the hospital festive, and the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania rallies around families during the holidays. Many staff members at the hospital see working Christmas as an honor, and they make special efforts to help children cope. One mother shares her experience of spending Christmases in the PICU with her daughter who suffered from a degenerative neurological disease. They developed strong relationships with the hospital staff, who played a crucial role in their daughter’s recovery. Despite the heartbreak of losing her daughter, the mother longs to return to the hospital to show her gratitude and support for the families who spend the holidays there.
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Christmas in the PICU brings some surprising joy
