Posts by Deanna Altomara

One of my earliest memories is of my mother reading me a book. It’s a sweet, simple memory, of a toddler curled up on her mommy’s lap, pointing to the smiling faces of Sesame Street characters.

The book was A Visit to the Sesame Street Hospital. I was three years old, had recently been diagnosed with a heart defect, and was getting ready to have open heart surgery. In a gentle voice, my mother described the kind doctors and nurses who would take care of me, the tall bed I would sleep in at the hospital, and the cool new pair of blue pajamas I would wear. I was excited to get my own hospital bracelet (with my name on it!) and to visit the hospital playroom. Learning about Grover’s hospital visit helped me to understand what was going to happen to me there—and to not be so afraid of it.

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