Kathy and Theresa were primary care nurses for Baby B, and together they went far above and beyond what is viewed as excellent care, to provide for a family in crisis. By nature of what is happening, all NICU parents are in crisis, but this family’s crisis was heart wrenching. Baby B was born prematurely to a young military wife whose husband was serving in the United States Army in Afghanistan. The mother had been flown to UCH from out of state, and the father was flown from Afghanistan, arriving when Baby B was 3 days old. The three were able to spend 2 weeks together in the NICU before baby B’s father had to return to Afghanistan. During that time Kathy and Theresa taught this young father the importance of holding his son skin to skin, insured that he participated in the care of his son, and provided photos for him to treasure.
Two weeks after returning to Afghanistan, on the day his son was a month old, this father was severely injured when an IED (improvised explosive device) detonated while he was on patrol. The mother was in the NICU when she received the call that her husband was in surgery in Afghanistan, and that his left arm and leg were being amputated. Theresa stepped in to support her through that horrible time and helped her through the phone calls she needed to make to family. In shock and devastated, Baby B’s mother just wanted to stay with her baby, the only family she had nearby. Until extended family could travel to UCH, Theresa and Kathy rallied the NICU team and insured that this mother had emotional support, a room to stay in close to her baby, as well as food and toiletries so she could be where she felt supported. Theirs were the shoulders she cried on and the hands she held.
Upon hearing that the father was being transferred to Germany for further surgery, then to the United States, Kathy and Theresa did what all nurses do when they feel powerless to control the situation, but feel need to help others. They assessed what this mother needed and set about making it happen. With the help of the NICU Social Work team they insured that the baby’s grandmother could stay at the Ronald McDonald House near UCH to be with the baby while the mother flew to Texas to be with her husband. They solicited donations from team members and purchased a portable electric breast pump for the mother to use to maintain her milk supply while she was away from the baby, and surprised her with this gift. Cards and tokens of thanks were sent with her to her husband in Texas. With help from the IS team, they arranged it so the parents could see the baby via Skype in the hopes it would help the father’s recovery while also helping ease the mother’s mind. It was incredibly difficult for her to leave her baby to go to her husband.
While the mother was away in Texas, Kathy and Theresa heard that a baby shower that had been planned for this mom had been cancelled due to the chaos after the father’s injury. They again took action and worked through the grandmother to contact the mother’s friends at Fort Carson and planned a baby shower here at UCH, inviting the mother’s friends as well as the NICU team. On October 11th a small crowd gathered in the Women’s Care Center Conference room to celebrate this baby’s arrival with the mother and her friends. In the midst of a crisis that most of us cannot fathom, Kathy and Theresa made sure that this one normal thing, celebrating her child’s birth, wasn’t lost. With help from the NICU team there were decorations, gifts, dinner, cake and photos- see attached. One of the gifts Kathy & Theresa chose for this mom was a pendant called the Premie Purple Heart.
“The Preemie Purple Heart is born of an idea borrowed from the US army, a medal given for being wounded in battle. What bigger battle is there than the battle for life and the wounds of premature birth live on with the infant and family forever. …The heart is made of glass - it is strong but not so strong it could withstand a crushing blow. The premature child is strong but not invincible. It is a heart because the heart is our centre, it's every beat renews life and hope, it symbolizes love. At the bottom of the Preemie Purple Heart is a teardrop, it is symbolic of the tears shed during the journey of a premature family, good and bad, joy and sorrow.” (http://www.preemie-heart.eu/thestory_en.php)

This baby’s father was awarded the Purple Heart, for wounds received in combat; presented to him by high level Department of Defense or governmental officials. Kathy and Theresa presented this mother with the Premie Purple Heart in recognition of her amazing strength as the mother of a premature baby, as well as for her courage in facing the cost of her husband’s sacrifice for our country. While the entire unit was deeply moved by their plight, Kathy and Theresa opened their hearts and provided this young family with loving care levels above and beyond what can be expected and in my eyes, and the eyes of this mother, they join her husband in the ranks of heroes who give and sacrifice of themselves in service to others.