Tuesday,  January 9th 2018

Blowing Doc Skeeter’s mind with my FABULOUS new name tag

Besides my fabulous new name tag, today’s rounds with Doc Skeeter are notable on account of how many big kids we visited with today.  It is not necessarily obvious that a Children’s Hospital would include patients up into their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and beyond, but it’s true.   I haven’t always felt confident entering the room of a 23 year old patient, but I’m starting to feel more comfortable and confident around the hospital in general.  Today that meant talking music with one young man, and a somewhat epoch juggling lesson with another extraordinary young lady.

I am also getting more and more interested in kids (and people) who might be cranky today, or say they don’t want the clowns.  I’ve started saying things like, “Oh!  OK so no music.  Right?  So that would also mean, like, no silly noises, right?  Like this for

Learning to be Dr. Be Bopper

example; [squeak, fart, kazoo, etc.] ?”  In doing so I provide the patient opportunity over and over to reject us… often while the parent is looking on with smiles.  As a clown it’s my job to break the rules sometimes; so breaking the patient’s rule is a form of our respect.

I’m also learning my partner Doc Skeeter better.   And today I discovered the pleasure of basically in-fighting with each other.  Pretty much insult comedy.   Also the fact of saying, “Hi we’re here to show you something.  Hey Doc, do your THING!”  without any pre-determined plan of what THING, naturally.

Lots of songs and lullabies and juggling and bubbles and silliness and discovery today.

One mom of a two year old in neurology says, “OMG you guys must have the greatest jobs in the world!”

I just nod… and the tamborine on my head tinkles in agreement.