I felt needed

I am lucky enough to be a volunteer at the Children's Hospital near our home.  Yesterday I had my first shift on the oncology floor, and surprisingly I really look forward to going back.  I thought working in oncology would be really sad, but it wasn't.  I have worked on other floors before and I have always felt useful, but yesterday I felt more than useful.  I felt needed.  Many of the kids that I met were too sick or too medicated to want to interact with anyone, but the few who were having good days seemed so glad to have someone new to joke around with them and pay them some attention.  Unlike on the other floors, these kids and their families have been in the hospital for weeks or months, many times over.  They have seen all the movies; they have read the books, done the crafts and they are just plain tired of being at the hospital.  I found myself being a total goof with the teenagers; teasing them like I would my nieces and nephews and doing what I could to make them laugh.  I played with the littler ones the way I would play with my own; talking about Disney princesses and favorite colors.
One family that I met yesterday stays in one hospital room together while their child is in treatment.  Four of them sleep in that small room each night before Dad takes the older one off to school and goes to work for the day.  I spent a lot of my time with their sweet daughter, who was happy to tell me what the tooth fairy brought her, or show me her silly bands, but I also talked with her parents a lot.  We talked about our kids.  We talked about their schools and homework.  We talked about what they like to eat or wear or the differences in raising boys versus girls.  We chatted like friends at the park or the soccer field, only we were in a hospital room with a little girl who had a tube in her chest and was losing her hair.
My friend from high school has a son in remission from leukemia.  She made the comment to me that most of the hospital volunteers are college age or senior citizens, so having a 'mom' as a volunteer would be great.  I thought she meant it would be great for the kids, but I realize now that it's great for the parents also. 
Yesterday when I was leaving they asked when I would be back again, and I told them not for another month.  The mom said that they should be there.  While I certainly look forward to seeing that amazing family again, I really wish that instead they will be happily at home.