Kindness is Apparently Contagious......

This week's trip to Philadelphia was interesting.  We had a safe journey, but if you have a moment, say a prayer for the family whose SUV was in flames on the Northeast Extension near Lansdale yesterday.....

Before I left, I sat down to see how much (if any!) money I had free for the journey.  My gas tank was full, which is enough to get us there and a bit more than halfway back.  I had $13 in my wallet, a gift VISA with $9 on it that I've been using to pay for parking, and about $20 in checking, with no real emergency backup.  Ulp....

But I've been holding onto a Sunoco gas gift card that the social worker at our OTHER hospital gave us last August after our fun-filled (NOT) stay for Babygirl's first surgery.  So, thinking it was good for $25, I slid it into my wallet.  I figured it would get us home from the halfway rest area where we usually stop.

We got to the hospital, registered, and went for blood work.  We then hit the cafeteria so Babygirl can eat with her morning meds. Despite the tight funds this morning, I borrowed an idea from the 366 Random Acts of Kindness blog (http://www.366randomacts.org/2012/02/day-51-gave-away-free-sandwich.html) and passed along my buy-ten-get-the-next-free coffee card for the CHOP Coffee Shop. 

The man in front of me at the coffee station had that quietly desperate look of exhaustion that I have seen in my own mirror more than a few times this past year.  I asked how his child was doing, and he basically said it was too soon to tell.  His 2 month old had started having seizures, a clearly terrifying thing for any parent.  I told him I'd pray for his baby and handed him the free coffee card and some information I'd learned about support during our stay.  So pass a prayer or two THAT way, too, okay?

Babygirl and I walked a mile to the prosthesis shop (and a lovely day it was for a walk!) to get her new kidney guard.  The staff there was wonderful, and even used her favorite color (red, of course!) to adorn the strap that will hold it in place.  Then we go to do some paperwork:  Medicare will not pay for this device, and they are submitting the $490 (OMG ARE YOU KIDDING FOR A PIECE OF PLASTIC WITH ELASTIC AND RED VELCRO????) bill to our private insurance.  Oh, yippee.  This is an out-of-network service, since no one here in our town makes custom kidney guards for children.  I'm thinking that entire bill will be in my mailbox within a month.

So.  We drove home.  At the halfway stop, I was down to about 2 gallons in the tank, and pulled out the gift card.  We went in, got coffee, and the cashier actually recognized us.  "You come in here all the time, don't you?"  "Twice a week.  Babygirl had a kidney transplant 6 weeks ago.  Can I use this gift card at the pump?"  "No, you need to bring it in here.  Actually, just give it to me - what are you driving?  I'll enter it into whatever pump you use. How much is on it?"  "$25.  Thanks!"

I drove to the pump, she waved from the window, and as I was pumping, she came on the speaker: "Don't leave - I'll be right out!"

She came out, handed me a computer printout that showed that the card still had a balance of $25, and said, "It must have been for $50!  I didn't want you to leave without the balance." 

I thanked her, took the card, put the cap back on and got in the car.  As I was putting the card back into my wallet, I looked carefully at it.  On the back of the card was printed "$25." 

She bought my gas. 

Yeah. 

DeeDee