This one is personal to me

[Diana Michelle]

Was sitting paying bills and had the TV on in the background for some noise when a commercial came on and I looked up. I had seen this and similar ones before but it brought back memories of my childhood and an unpleasant situation that did have a happy ending.

I was 13 and had an infection in my hand. It got worse and it needed to be lanced and drained. Now this was before outpatient surgeries which meant it needed to be done in the hospital and a couple days there. Problem it was just a couple days before Christmas. On the way to the hospital I made my parents promise me I would be home for Christmas as well as the doctor doing the surgery when we got there. It was the morning of Christmas Eve my surgeon came into check on me and told me under normal circumstances he would keep me for another day but he promised me I would be home for Christmas and I was released that morning.

The commercial I saw was the "I'll Be Home For Christmas" for Shriners Hospitals. It and similar from St. Jude's always tug at my heart strings as memories of my almost having to be in the hospital for Christmas though for far less severe circumstances than the children treated by these wonderful organizations. I give monthly to both and an extra donation at Christmas.

I know right about now some are thinking "There goes Diana again telling us we need to give to yet another charity. I'm not a millionaire!" I understand some can't afford to give or just a little but this one is personal to me. If you can please give to these wonderful organizations who treat children with zero regard of the family's ability to pay or insurance circumstances. Every child deserves to live as normal a life as they can and no child should be anywhere but home for Christmas.