Recently our son was born 5 weeks early and despite all the technology available, we were surprised at birth with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. To say we were overwhelmed is an understatement. We hadn't told our families about the diagnosis yet and all day long everyone who entered the room just kept repeating the words Down Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Down Syndrome. It had finally hit me and my husband like a ton of bricks that this could be our new reality!
I'll never forget, we were in the restroom in our hospital room crying, comforting one another and letting reality sink in when Gina came into our room. Gina entered the restroom with me and my husband and she hugged me until the tears stopped flowing. But the thing she did next is what we will carry with us for the rest of our lives! She placed her hands on mine and my husband's shoulder and looked us both in the eyes and said, "Your son may very well have Down Syndrome and that is his medical diagnosis. However, that diagnosis does not define who he is as your son and as an individual. God created him for a purpose, and he chose you to parent him for some reason." She then proceeded to pray with us that God would give us peace and guide us with the most beautiful prayer that just calmed our soul! This was exactly what we needed to hear! It gave us the courage to tell our families about the diagnosis.
Also, I had been on bed rest for most of my pregnancy and with him coming early, I found myself unprepared for his delivery. He was so tiny, and I didn't have any preemie clothes for him. I had mentioned this to Gina, and she went out of her way and took it upon herself to purchase preemie clothes, socks, hats, mittens, blankets, pacifiers, bottles, diapers, and wipes for us out of the goodness of her heart! I know she must have spent a significant amount of her own money to pour love into our family.
As if this wasn't enough, Gina was able to get us established with the top pediatric special-needs physician in our area. This physician had no available Medicaid patient spots, but Gina made a phone call directly to the physician, who opened an available spot not only for our son but for his two siblings! On top of this, she was able to give me contact information for another mother who has an older daughter with Down Syndrome (with her permission of course). Gina had contacted her about being a mentor for me and she agreed to do so. To have the ability to speak to someone else who knows exactly what you're going through and has been in your shoes...
Gina was such a blessing to my family during one of the hardest times of our lives! To you, Gina may be a nurse at NEA, but to us, she is an angel in scrubs! She is an absolute blessing to my family. She is a Godsend and we will never be able to thank her enough for all she has done for our family!