When our friend Pete Krebs developed cancer, a sea of friends stepped in to help his family. As a self-made man and working musician who has scrapped together a living with concerts, shows, lessons and session work—and managed to successfully maintain his family that way—receiving help and feeling so helpless and dependent on others was not easy for him.
I remember visiting him shortly after the surgery to remove the cancer. He was still quite weak and unsure of his outcome. But what he focused on wasn't his illness or its adverse possibilities. What Pete focused on was feeling overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity everyone had shown him and his family. It was not his fear of death or the cancer prognosis, that got him, it was the kindness.
And that is how we felt when our week turned into a nightmare, when Big Bird saved Kristin, and the Night Watchmen stepped in to help us care for Annika and Luka.
It all started at our next lactation appointment with Kristin's terrestrial guardian angel and medical advocate:
Why Big Bird? Because Big Bird is a lumbering tower of kindness — Big and safe and gentle and kind with only goodness in its big heart. Big Bird has only the best intentions and feelings for you.
Kristin had already been symptomatic with her infection for several days, although we had not realized it. But it was Doris who figured it out, and Doris who made every effort to advocate for us and make sure that we were attended to with the immediate attention Kristin needed. And she did so with complete kindness.
Doris listened to us and acknowledged our concerns; called the perinatologists to explain the urgency of the situation and advocate for us; lined up transportation to get Kristin to the ER; helped me plan the logistical steps to get the kids home (ERs full of sick people are no place for newborns, and even less so with the need to focus on ensuring Kristin was adequately cared for); and even carried Annika and Luka from her 7th floor office to the main entrance of the building—in their car seats mind you—so that I could run ahead and bring the car around. Big, towering, gentle kindness, that's what I'm talking about.
Here is Doris in the perinatal post partum care ward with Annika and Luka. She came to visit several times when Kristin was still fighting the infection to check on her. Here she is with us with Kristin now recovering in the hospital:
Thank you, Big Bird! The kindness in your heart, and the care you showed the love of my life, dear Doris, has won me over. We are so grateful to you!
