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December 28, 2003In the hospital at the holidaysStaff do what they can to cheer patients, familiesByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Todd and Dhana Elsenheimer planned to be with their newborn twins every day of the holiday season. If that meant going to the hospital each day, then so be it.
"We want to hold them at least once a day," Dhana said about the twins, Aiden, a boy, and Avery, a girl. The babies are in the neonatal intensive care unit of Munson Medical Center and were doing well. They're there for monitor- ing and special needs because their Dec. 15 birth date was six weeks early. At least Aiden and Avery didn't know they were missing the holidays at home. It's different for older children who have to stay in the pediatrics unit. "The kids aren't happy that they're here, but Santa sneaks in at night and leaves them goodies," said Pat Hanes, a nurse on the unit. Korean War veterans donate stockings full of toys to the unit every year, she added. "Sometimes families come in and bring their whole celebration," Hanes said. "One kid, when he went home, went home with two cartfuls of toys." The children who remain hospitalized on Christmas day itself are usually quite ill, nurse Chris Wilson said. "Most physicians do their best to try to get them home for Christmas," she said, adding that no elective surgeries are performed on Christmas. Timothy Blackmer, a patient from Waters, did not have to stay in the hospital, but goes there five times a week to receive cancer treatment in the form of outpatient radiation therapy. He said it's difficult being sick at this time of year, but going in for treatment is one of the easier parts. "When I'm home doing Christmas cards, I think this is the last time I'm going to do this - or is it?" he said. "But when we go in there for treatment, it's not a downer. "It's an upper. I walk out of there and I'm giggling. I'm laughing." That's because the staff does its best to make it easier for him and the other patients, he said. The holiday decorations help, as does the positive outlook of the professionals there. "The whole crew is tremendously upbeat," he said. "I get fired up when we're on the way to Traverse." Jan Schollett, who's also been undergoing radiation therapy, said it's difficult to have a treatment that leaves her feeling run down at a time when everyone is so busy. "It's kind of hard to keep up with the Christmas pace when you're so tired from the treatment," she said. Dhana Elsenheimer said it's a little tougher having to be in a hospital setting during the holidays, but there are some things that actually make it a better time of year to be dealing with having her babies in the hospital. "We have more family around right now who can come by," she said. Her husband Todd said having the babies arrive at Christmas was special, even if they were premature. "This is a great gift and it's great that they're so healthy," he said.
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