This is exactly what I used to do for a living. I was a fundraiser for a hospital that sounds a lot like the one you were in -- new over the top wing. I even looked at your member page to see if it could possibly be the same one. It isn't. Has your mother been making donations to the hospital before her surgery? When a current donor was admitted to the hospital we got an email saying they were there. We would go visit them to say thank you for their support and to be sure to call us if there was anything we could do while they were there. I never talked to anyone who was still woozy from surgery. I often took flowers and left my card so they knew how to reach me. Anyway, fund raising can be sleazy at times. You are always cultivating people in hopes that they will give money. I am glad to be out of it. On the other hand, many people really do care a lot about an organization and it is nice to be able to answer their questions and be sure that their gifts are spent as they want. We also sent letters asking for contributions to nearly everyone who was admitted to the hospital a few weeks after they are discharged.

Yes, thank you! We live in a county with 15 % unemployment. Yesterday I watched a young boy (7th or 8th grade) walking by his school with flapping shoes. He was having a hard time walking because of the poor shape his shoes were were in yet, he was trying to 'be cool' as he walked up the stairs of the library. So many families are hurting and I hope we all find it in our hearts to give where we feel compelled to give and give to the level we are able.

I'm not sure what to think of her. There's no doubt she needs desperate help, but I just cant even begin to imagine what her thought process is when she makes some of the decisions she's making. I mean, she's hanging out with one of the paparrazi guys. I just watched video footage this morning of them hanging out in her hotel room on the balcony, walking hand in hand on the streets going to Starbucks, sharing a lollipop and him kissing her cheek. They say the agency he works for is making a ton of money on the pics/footage they're getting of the two of them together. I think he's using her and I can't imagine how she doesnt see that. And, he's supposedly married too. And what mother wouldn't fight tooth and nail for their kids? She acts like she could care less. I would die trying to get my kids back and do whatever it took. I think she's a lost soul.

I agree with checking with the Vet first. If you get the OK, then I would visit regularly. Dogs can get depressed when in the hospital and a visit can help. I remember when our Bessie (RIP) was in the hospital after her neck surgery. The Vets thought it best that we did not visit her for the first several days. After the 2nd day, they asked us to come in to discuss her prognosis as she was not improving. We were allowed to see her at that time and she lifted her head up for the first time since her surgery. In her case, it turned out that the visits were therapeutic for her. Good luck, Linda