My son made his debut charging his way into the world at 30 weeks and 2 days old. To say this was frightening would be an understatement of how I felt at the time. I would spend the next two and half months here by his side every day, all day long. Everyone that we met were outstanding human beings who showed up on every level why those who work in the NICU are special people. Everything is fast-paced and there are a lot of busy hands taking care of a lot of precious babies. While I cannot nominate every person who made a difference in our lives, I would like to recognize one nurse, in particular, who made this journey far less frightening, less foreign, and rather enjoyable at times.

My son responded to Kayla right away smiling every time he heard her voice. He trusted her immediately. I was so excited when she agreed to take care of a preemie while forming a strong bond with my baby. She let me talk things through, answered all of my questions, and gave me the necessary knowledge to be confident in my decisions for him. She cheered me on and reassured me when my emotions got the better of me. She encouraged me to take care of myself and to allow myself grace. She never failed to remind me that I was doing everything for him and that I was a great mother. She came by on days when she was placed elsewhere just to check on him and fought on our behalf every step of the process.

We had full belly laughs and even some shared tears. She always went above and beyond not only in her care of my son but also in the care of me. Her kindness, empathy, and support will never be forgotten. I feel truly blessed to have had her be a part of this journey. Those qualities are not just indicative of being wonderful at her job, but of who she is as a person. The words, “thank you,” are not enough to express my gratitude for her, but “thank you Kayla” from my son and me.