May 2024
Amy S
Martin
,
BSN
NICU
UnityPoint Health-Meriter
Madison
,
WI
USA
She knew I was staying with my son, noticed I was not in the room, and asked where I was. She noticed I did not take my pump with me and knew that I had been pumping after feeding the babies.
Do you have a person who you feel the safest around? Where you don't have to hold your guard up and you can safely share your emotions? Maybe your Mom or Dad or your spouse or a close friend? For example, you go through a challenging time but you kept yourself together until you see your safe person then all of the pent up emotions pour out of you uncontrollably. Amy became that person to me during my son's hospitalization in the NICU and my readmission to the hospital while he was in the NICU. We delivered twins with one twin requiring a NICU stay. Amy was his nurse for a few days. My daughter and I roomed in the NICU until we could take my son home. Amy was so fun to chat with and provided great care to my son. I was sad when she had to go home for the day and happy when she was assigned to him again in the morning. The part where she provides extraordinary care is when I was in the ER about to be readmitted for pre-eclampsia. I went to the ER around 2am (with my newborn daughter) and by the time she came in for her shift, I was still in the ER. She knew I was staying with my son, noticed I was not in the room, and asked where I was. She noticed I did not take my pump with me and knew that I had been pumping after feeding the babies. She gathered up all of my pump supplies, carried them across the hospital, and brought them to me in the ER knowing I would need to pump. When I saw her come through the door; I lost it. I couldn't control my emotions anymore. I was so happy to see her and felt safe and so appreciative of her to care enough about bringing my pump because I was going to burst! But I also was so happy to see her because she was my safe person. I did cry in the ER before she arrived, but I was trying to keep myself together and stay strong in my stressful, sleep deprived, postpartum state. She gave me a hug and I felt a little more relieved. Thank you, Amy, for going above and beyond to make sure my babies got the milk they needed and for making me feel safe!