I unexpectedly had my baby early at 30 weeks and 5 days so I got thrown into NICU life without any pre-planning or warning. Grace was my baby's nurse on a number of occasions and the care and compassion she showed to us made us feel safe and okay in this stressful and scary new environment. Grace spent over an hour discussing expectations and concerns with my husband, who has a type A personality that really needs that level of attention and time to feel comfortable. Grace made a laminated printout, complete with clipart and beautiful pictures of A (our baby) that she had taken herself so I could bring home and share with our 3-year-old along with a balloon, so she could have happy associations towards her little sister.

On a particularly challenging day, Grace was there to hug me, let me cry, and tell me it wasn't my fault. When I had to go back to work and was really stressed out, running late, but trying to fit in NICU time, Grace made me coffee from her own personal stash and insisted to clean my pump parts so I could get out the door on time. She took the time to make our baby special head pillows and supports. She made us feel safe and cared about every step of the way. I can't state how much her kindness and professionalism eased our journey through an extremely stressful time. We will never forget her!