Thanks from Valley Medical Center staff

I’m neither good at nor comfortable receiving gifts. It must be the Japanese in me. I usually [awkwardly] don’t know what to say, because the spotlight is on me and I want to show appreciation but my mind is whirling in circles wondering if I deserve the gift or acknowledgement. So when Valley Medical Center staff gathered around me and presented me with a gift that they wanted me to open right there, I had one of those awkward moments. I didn’t know what to say. There were dozens of cameras shooting photos and videos as I opened the plaque.

The plaque had a photo of the ER docs, nurses, and staff holding their gift bags of 3-layered cloth masks, plastic shields, and bottles of wine. The plaque read: SCVMC Emergency Department Staff Thank the D’Arcy Family for supporting us during the Covid-10 Pandemic. Wow!

I don’t know how they had the time (or energy) to have the photo mounted and plaque engraved. They were thanking us? Huh? We made the gifts and gave them dinners to show thanks and appreciation for them working on the frontline with COVID patients and risking their lives (and their family’s lives) to treat and care for everyone.

I feel humbled that they presented me with this plaque when they are the heroes. I love knowing that we all shared that moment together – something we all needed during this terrifying pandemic. I would make gifts and bring meals to every one of them every day, if I could. And I plan to keep supporting them until we get through this.