When you think of a nurse you think of someone who takes care of you in a hospital. The actual definition of the word nurse is one who is trained to care for the sick or injured. Now put the term NICU in front of that word and it becomes someone who takes care of the teeny tiny fragile babies while they are sick or injured. That is the exact thing we have been.
Bethany Tibbs came into our lives during one of our darkest days. Our son, G was born 16 weeks early at 24 weeks and one-day gestation. He weighed 1lb 2.7oz and was 11.42 inches long. My husband and I were absolutely terrified. G is our first child and obviously, we never planned for him to enter this world the way he did. We were told he was tiny and fragile and that we needed to prepare for anything. He came out fighting and hasn't stopped yet.
G has been through many different things in the NICU. He's had a bowel perforation, surgery to create ostomies, a bad Staph infection, several Apnic Bradachardic episodes, a broken arm, and has a Renastamosis planned. Any roadblock you could hit in the NICU, we've pretty much hit.
Bethany first had G on one of his toughest nights. I remember that night vividly. I was sitting by his isolette watching him have d sat after d sat praying he could get just a little rest and that he would quit alarming. I hadn't slept in roughly three days and I'd cried more than I ever had before. I thought I was watching my son slip away from me.
About that time, Bethany came in for her shift. She could tell I was nervous and on the verge of having a breakdown. She smiled and told me that she wanted to put G on his belly to see if that would help him breathe better. Sure enough, after check, she put him on his belly and he instantly quit d satting and went to sleep. I remember thanking God for sending us this nurse because I didn't know how many more alarms I could stand.
Bethany sat with me and talked me through procedures and plans for G's future. I know I probably asked her at least 100 questions. She never got frustrated or tried to cut me off. She was patient. She was kind. She answered all of my questions no matter how ridiculous they were. She easily translated the doctor and medical lingo into a parent-friendly conversation. She was more than just a nurse that night. She became someone we could trust and someone that I personally could feel okay talking to. She left an impression on me that first night and would do so for many nights to come. I will still go straight to her with any questions or concerns and I know I will get the information I need in a way that we can understand.
Bethany is always so patient and gentle. G's checks always took longer than other babies. From Ropogul tubes to ostomy bags to re-inserting his feeding tube for the third time in a shift, Bethany completed the task with a smile and patience. She never once complained or acted annoyed by the many chores our child presented due to his fragile health. She was meticulous and thoughtful throughout.
One thing that really stood out to us is how she treated our baby. Yes, she is gentle and thorough, but she treated our son like a person. She talked to him. Full-on conversation talked to him. She would tell him he's handsome and that he's strong and that she's proud of him. G learned her voice and she became one of the only people who could soothe him outside of his father and me.
Bethany gave him frequent hand hugs when he was teeny tiny and now that he's bigger she cuddles him whenever he needs. He probably gets her up out of her chair at least 20 times a night. Even when she's charting, if he needs her, she's right there with him. She gave us a sense of peace and we knew that any time she was working our boy was fine and we could finally get some sleep.
She has become one of his favorite people and ours too. She has learned his quirks and moods and can calm him in an instant, and let me just say he's quite picky. She gets him. She also listens to us and involves us in decision making to help have the best care and outcome for G.
Bethany doesn't just come in to collect a paycheck. She comes in and nourishes and loves on every baby she's given. She gives the best baths, has the neatest beds, and always has the happiest babies by the time her shift ends. She goes well above the call of duty. She is passionate about her job. So passionate and committed that she's even come in early to have G so that I would calm down and sleep. She also came in during her off time to be present at his care conference to help coordinate and plan his care. We were also impressed that she's quick to lend a helping hand to other nurses and that she is someone her coworkers can count on no matter what. She is a prime example of being a primary nurse and a leader.
Bethany took care of our son but she also took care of us. I cried on her shoulder numerous times, but I also laughed with her and talked with her constantly. She would remind my husband and me to sleep, eat, and sometimes breathe. She made sure to tell us to have a date night so that we could have a sense of normalcy. I can't reiterate enough how much she's done for us. Without Bethany, we probably would've lost our minds after being in the NICU for already over two months.
We consider her family now, and that's never going to change. Everyone deserves a Bethany in their lives, and we are so thankful she walked into ours.