September 2017
Joycemol
Mathew
,
RN
Neonatal ICU
Prime Hospital
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
I delivered my son at 25+5 weeks earlier this year. Right after birth, he had to be in the NICU. He stayed there for 80 days. Being a parent, especially a mother who suffered 2 miscarriages before having A is really a traumatic experience. NICU is a place that any mother doesn't want their baby to be admitted. However, as time goes by, I find this home and family in this place. Along with the beeps of the monitors are the voices of the NICU nurses who keep on calling my son's name whenever he desaturates. Initially, among the nurses, I'm wasn't comfortable with Sister Joyce. It is only because she was always on duty when my son had difficult times, such as blood transfusion, intubation, and blood extraction. As a mother, I normally cry but Sister Joyce will just tell me not to. " We have to do this for your baby", she always said to me. Among all the nurses she is the one who has the loudest voice in calling A's name. And believe me, whenever she calls A's name while desaturating, his saturation will go to almost 100% immediately! She has her way of motivating me to be strong for my son. As time goes by, I started seeing her as my elder sister. She constantly taught and reminded the do's and don'ts in taking care of A and most of all, she always tells me to pray harder. Even when we were shifted to the Pediatric room, Sister Joyce never failed to check on A, either she'll visit us in the room or through a phone call. I'm very thankful to have her as one of A's nurse. Actually, I can't thank them enough, the whole NICU Team for being a great support and for their love and concern for our family, especially to A. Even after we got discharged, Sister Joyce constantly checks on A through Whatsapp. I felt that A is not just a patient for her, but she treats him as her own son. 80 days in NICU is not easy but all of them made my baby's stay a little lighter with full of hopes for our son. Thank you very much!