My son, H, was 4 weeks premature and needed some time in the NICU to address his bilirubin/jaundice, as well as his weak lungs. This being my second pregnancy (my first being completely uneventful, and dare I say - laid back), I was completely positive that this pregnancy and the subsequent delivery would be just as laid back. How wrong was I when my water broke at 36 weeks, and I labored for HOURS... only to deliver H, who was not crying. This was something I was completely unprepared for, never having thought in a million years that I'd have this kind of complication. The Children's NICU staff was in my room in mere seconds it seemed like - monitoring my new baby's levels, eventually whisking him away to his new home in the NICU for the next 10 days.
To say I was distraught was an understatement. In the immediate post-birth stage, I was emotional, out of it, sore, bleeding... and completely unsure of what had just happened. Where was my baby? What was happening with him? When could I see him, hold him, touch him, smell him, feed him? Babies are only taken to the NICU if there's something wrong, right? Right??
Eventually, I was stable enough to be wheeled to the NICU where I was able to fully meet our baby, and be provided with the information needed to understand his and our situation.
The first few days were a blur and not the 2 days we expected to be in the hospital, loving on our new bundle of joy, and getting ready to take him home. I can truly say that the ENTIRE staff of UCONN John Dempsey Hospital and Connecticut Children's Hospital were wonderful. It's not very often that every single person you encounter in any type of setting you can say with confidence was a wonderful person - but that's what our staff experience was.
Donna became H's nurse a few days into his stay. She would be his nurse a few times, and while all of the NICU nurses were wonderful, Donna was exceptional. When H was with Donna, I just KNEW he was in the right hands.
I immediately grew to love Donna and was so happy to have met her in the NICU. She was great at her job, of course. Our boy was always well taken care of, fed, happy, sleepy! Everything you want to see in your baby. But more than that, Donna took time to explain things to us as H's parents. She TALKED to us, took time to get to know us. She supported us. She answered any/all questions we had. Explained the tests that were happening with our son, what steps were taken, and why. She was calm and matter of fact but was warm and humorous in her delivery. There was no cold tone that can sometimes be present when receiving medical facts from a medical professional. Every time we talked to Donna, we felt comfortable and confident. One of the things that stood out to me the most, and set Donna apart from other nurses in our experience, was her ability to focus on the whole picture - which included me as a mom and a woman - not just H's specifics. She wanted me to take care of MYSELF. She knew that if I, as a mom to a new baby, was tired, or hungry, or needed a break, that I wouldn't be fully present to take in the goings-on of the day. She would tell me to go lie down, take a nap. Or go make sure I ate something. She reassured me that I could leave the NICU for a bit, take care of myself, and not feel like I was a bad mom or missing out on something because I was away. She made me feel like a person, who had her own needs. Never once did it feel disingenuous. I SO appreciated that during my stay. She made me feel supported, cared for, and taken care of - just like she took care of our son.
On our day of discharge, it was Donna who delivered the good news that H would be coming home, and it was Donna who helped us in our last moments in the NICU. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She was our guardian angel during our stay, and she was guiding us to our new life outside of the NICU walls.
I will forever remember Donna as someone who went above and beyond during our stay. She is an incredible nurse and woman, and I truly believe she is the embodiment of what the DAISY Award stands for.