Our 5th son was born in October and lived his first 167 days of life at Medical City Dallas. He was born with a congenital deformation of his small intestine, jejunal atresia, so we were prepared for surgery right after birth and a NICU stay. Unfortunately, our surgeon discovered on day 2 our baby had the worst type of jejunal atresia, type 4, and our stay would be considerably longer, fraught with major twists and turns, including having the sickest baby in both the NICU and the PICU at one point. Our son has overcome so much and was given the ultimate gift of a future thanks to the many, many skilled surgeons, doctors, and nurses who cared for him at Medical City Dallas.

We are honored to nominate these exceptional nurses who stood out among so many for the DAISY Team Award. Throughout our 167 day stay filled with so many challenging moments, these nurses consistently demonstrated unparalleled empathy, compassion, and professionalism. Their unwavering dedication to patient care and advocacy has left an indelible mark on our experience, making a profound difference during our most difficult times.  Of course all we wanted was for our son to be healed and bring him home, throughout this journey to complete healing - all 167 days - all we wanted was to be his parents. It is hard to feel like and be a parent in any normal capacity within a hospital when your child is the patient. These nurses allowed us to BE parents to our baby in the NICU.

Each of these nurses, in their own way, in both big and little ways, made us feel "like home" as much as a hospital can feel like home because this became our home away from home. A home where you don't make the rules, don't feel comfortable, aren't filled with your other children, and are fighting for your child's life. It was our baby's home for the first almost 6 months of his life - all he knew was that NICU room (and PICU room) and the mrsa hallway when we were given that privilege. He learned to love that little room and the people that made it our home away from home. Midway through our stay, I remarked that I could not buy him a white crib for his room at home, nor could I wear Medical City blue as those things were linked to procedures and pain. But towards the end, they both became sources of comfort to him (and us). And despite all of that hard, we left with gratitude for a journey well done, no regrets, and a deep appreciation for the special attributes some of the nurses who cared for all of us had - empathy. This combined with excellent nursing and critical thinking skills is a winning trio that makes a good nurse a great nurse. 

It is an interesting thing to live in a hospital with your child for a long time. You and your child are a dyad that needs to be cared for, in different ways ever changing. When you have a long stay with many highs and low lows, things are amplified and what mattered at 1 month is different than what was important at 5 months. You also start to stink like fish after being the parent of a patient, I'd be tired of me too. And there are nurses who preferred not to have to deal with the parents of their patients at all - we had them, too. 

We were the litmus test for great nurses who could provide exceptional patient care while also providing unwavering support to the parents (having their worst days!) and each of these nurses passed exceedingly. 

1. Tanya Vo Huong, our wound care nurse: From the moment she walked into our room, her warmth and empathy were palpable. Her ability to truly connect with our son and our family went beyond mere medical care, providing comfort and reassurance when we needed it most. 

2. Shamika Kennison, Krystal Heruela and Kerenss Monsalve, our night nurses: Dad lived nights in the hospital most of the 167 days our son was inpatient. These nurses always approached their duties with a gentle touch and a listening ear. Their empathy extended not only to our son but also to Dad, easing his anxieties and fostering a sense of trust in their care.

3. Patricia Lefeld, Susan Catterson, Moyo Ogunseinde, Jennifer Zapata, Raegan Jones, Elizabeth Stephenson, Zoe Anderson, our PICU nurses: In the face of extreme adversity and insurmountable odds, these PICU nurses remained a beacon of empathy and understanding. Each and every one of these nurses flawlessly and effortlessly cared for an extremely critical patient, our baby. Their ability to anticipate our needs during such a dark dark and critical time and provide support with grace and kindness exemplifies the true essence of nursing. We called them the Swiss Army knives of nursing and boy did they earn that moniker! Upon returning to the NICU we held everything and everyone after sepsis against PICU standards, they were just that amazing.

4. Abby Nicholson and Elise Romero, our care team primary NICU nurses: Throughout our journey, these two nurses consistently demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for empathy, going above and beyond to ensure our well-being alongside our son's. Their genuine concern for our comfort and emotional well-being left a lasting impression on our hearts. They were a part of our son's story from the beginning and stayed with us the entire journey. Our son will always know how meaningful they were to his story. 

5. Haley Loyd, Channing McCurdy, Sofia Makeigeorgis, Emma Koch, Rachel Prochazka, Tambranecia Beckworth our care team NICU nurses: With unwavering empathy and compassion, these nurses navigated the intricacies of our situation with grace and humility. Their collective ability to see beyond general life in the NICU and connect with us on a human level made all the difference. We always looked forward to their names on the board for the day.

6. Karen Elliot, our NNP: Despite the complexities of our situation, she approached her duties with grace and empathy, always taking the time to listen to our concerns and address them with compassion. Her ability to adapt to our evolving needs and provide personalized care was truly commendable. She was our son's biggest advocate and the keystone to his complete healing.  

Living in the NICU with our child was a journey filled with profound difficulties and uncertainties, but it was also a journey filled with moments of profound gratitude and appreciation for the exceptional nurses who cared for all of us. 

Each of these nurses has shown exceptional empathy and dedication to their profession, embodying the true spirit of nursing. Their contributions have not only impacted our lives but have also set a standard of excellence for healthcare professionals everywhere. It is with the utmost gratitude and admiration that I nominate every single one of them for the DAISY Team Award.