Photo: Jasmine Ardell, left, and friend, Reese Priddle whose moms are NHRMC employees who worked on the Storm Team
The days leading up to Hurricane Florence were a mad dash of gathering supplies, preparing our home and discussing if we should evacuate. With all of this going on, in the back of our minds was my daughter's upcoming 13th birthday on September 12. Of course, this was the day that NHRMC was scheduled to begin its shelter in place in anticipation of the arrival of Florence to our area.
Once it was decided that I would be part of the Storm Team that remained at the hospital for the duration of the storm, I filled out the childcare form to let them know that my daughter would need care. I noted on the form, almost as an afterthought, that it was Jasmine's birthday. On Wednesday, the day of her birthday, we opened a few presents but most of our time was spent packing to being the shelter in place at the hospital and making last-minute home preparations.
We had decided to postpone Jasmine's birthday cake and dinner - so all in all it wasn't a great way to spend her 13th birthday. However, when we arrived at the childcare drop off, one of the employees, Sharron, pulled me aside and let me know that the staff had gotten a birthday cookie for Jasmine. I was deeply touched that even with everything going on, they had thought of her on her special day.
This was definitely a bright spot in a very stressful situation!