Black Squirrels and Purple Pigeons

The week has completely flown by and I find myself constantly counting the weeks I have left as if I'm holding them, granulated sand, sinking beyond my fingers and lost until it all accumulates at my feet. Then gives me firm ground later. This time in Toronto is pulling all things together, a large rubberband ball, ready to bounce up and UP. Every day so full, no time to reflect, process, as we are taught in Social Work, over and over. Well, there's snippets of that time. I have been blessed by having my first few weeks at SickKids overlap with several other Social Work students. Unfortunately, their semester comes to an end tomorrow and an empty office will be left. But I am beginning to get to know different members of the team and become more involved in more cases and patients. I see a 15 year old girl still every week and learn a lot from her. I think we've established good rapport so far. And tomorrow is another clinic for patients born with ambiguity regarding their sex anatomy. I will be working with one of the writers of the Diagnoistic Statistical Manual (DSM); portion on Gender Identity Disorder and Gender Dysphoria. I suspect it will be very interesting.
On a completely different stream of thought... I met Mary Jo Haddad a few days ago at a free staff breakfast. I was introduced and she said "What? Oh my God, hey everyone look, this is Emily Haddad. We are the only two Haddads in the hospital!" it was pretty hysterical and when I told her my grandmother was Mary Jo Haddad and mother Margaret Mary Haddad she thought it was pretty funny.
All in all, life in Toronto has been fabulous. International Drumming Festivals, Music/Spoken Word Festivals, Pride Parade next week. Every day, I walk past a clown with a struggling,smiling child and look up to the glass ceiling of yellow elevator rooms going Up and UP seemingly to crash through and fly away and think, "this place exists. I'm glad I know about it"
For some visuals. Check out www.citytv.ca and search for the "Herbie Fund" there are videos of the children brought to Toronto this year for life-altering free surgeries.