Elisabeth is not just our nurse, well she is, but she is so much more to us now. She is my baby's NICU mom, “Our Angel" is how her contact is saved in my phonebook. She goes above and beyond to make our stay as pleasant, (if "pleasant" can be applicable to the NICU) as possible. There is not enough space here to list all the things she's done for us, but I will try.

"Hi! I'm your nurse! I love your daughter, I took care of her the day she was born, she is so cute" - is the first thing I remember about Elisabeth. She saw my daughter before I did. Even a few days later, I was still afraid to touch my tiny, no, tinier than tiny baby and I saw how gentlly, yet confidently she handled my baby girl. How softly she talked to her, how lovingly she swaddled her, how carefully she handled every tube and wire sticking out of her body. She did a better job than I, the mom, would do at that time.

It is on the days we have her as our nurse; I can allow myself to sleep and rest or have a doctor's appointment and take care of myself. It is on these days I worry less because I know that my daughter is safe and on these days, I know that even if I am not there, my daughter is still getting some love from her primary nurse. I have seen how attentive to every alarm and every sound she is. As a matter of fact, just by looking at Angel eye camera, I know if she is there.

It's the little things, like the way Elisabeth swaddles my baby, the way she puts a tape in a shape of a heart to hold the feeding tube, it's the way she positions the camera so I can see my baby, it's the way she arranges the bed so my baby sleeps in a comfortable position, it's the messages and updates that she sends regularly, so I do not even have to call.

I must also mention that Elisabeth has been taking care of me too, not just my baby. She has been so patient, at times, I would even say unreasonably patient, with me and my baby’s dad. We ask ungodly amount of questions, multiple times we would ask the same questions. We panic, a lot. We question every noise and every move the baby makes. Yet not once has she dismissed our question or comment. Patiently, over and over again, she would explain how the y monitor works; she would assure us for the 100th time that what we see is normal and expected. She would calm us down and talk us out of our worries, just to come the next day and do the same thing again...and she does it again, patiently and humbly.

There were also a few scary incidents for us, the parent, when we saw our baby's oxygen or heart rate drop. She stormed in the room before I even hard the alarms. So confidently and professionally, she took care of the baby. No panic, not a second of hesitation. She knew exactly what to do and ordered me not to worry. I do not ever wish to be back in the NICU, I cannot wait to take my baby home, but I already miss her and I hope my baby grows up knowing her favorite nurse that took care of her before her mom did.