Inaugural Hospital Visit of “Crohn’s Disease Warrior Patrol”

In this case, a Picture truly does say a thousand words so I will keep this brief.

A bunch of folks on Facebook with Crohn’s Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (“IBD”), were notified by Ivy Lindsay of “Comfort Ostomy Covers by Ivy” that a 9-year old boy named Damon had been hospitalized SINCE NOVEMBER 1, 2012 with a variety of life-threatening ailments which HIPAA prevents me from disclosing.  However, Damon BEAT THE ODDS and continues to get better although he will be battling for a while.  Part of his battle involves areas which we Crohn’s and IBD veterans or “Warriors” are familiar with.  Hence, the inaugural “Crohn’s Disease Warrior Patrol” hospital visit at Maria Ferari Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York.

Ivy Lindsay orchestrated things on Facebook and she and I spoke on the phone on Saturday, December 29, 2012.  After being told the specifics, Marisa Lauren Troy and Jeffrey LeVine immediately volunteered to come with me on Sunday, December 30, 2012, to visit with Damon and his two (2) Moms.  All we wanted to do was bring some knowledge and comfort to them and help alleviate the enormous stress of being a hospital patient or loving a hospital patient.  Thankfully, our visit seemed to work as we each shared our respective experiences with Damon and his Moms and, before we knew it, Damon was smiling a bit and even willing to stroll on over to the couch with his IV Pole and various other hospital “attachments” to take the above picture.  We also had the privilege of meeting and getting to know some extraordinary people in Damon and his Moms.

In reaction to the posting of the above picture on various Health Care Social Media Platforms, the outpouring of wonderful messages, gestures, thoughts, etc. regarding Damon has been INCREDIBLE.  Some have even responded with wanting to send “care packages” of video games and the like.  If you want to do that for Damon, please just contact me and I will pass it along in terms of where to mail it and whatnot.

If you are interested in helping the Non-Profit Organization we have built to make these hospital visits possible, please visit http://crohnsdiseasewarriorpatrol.org and click on “Donate” / “Sign Up Here” tab.  Or you can just click on the Screenshot Picture below.

Thanks and have a Happy and Healthy New Year. a