From the first day, this nurse was the epicenter of our NICU experience. She was the center of gravity for E and in particular me and my family. From the moment I met and saw her skills and genuine care for E in action, I inquired about having her exclusively assigned to our family while she was on day shifts both for the consistency of care of E, and a little selfishly for me. This emotional rollercoaster of not knowing what was going to happen moment to moment, chest surgery, bradycardia, exhaustion and just overall constant state of fear was too much for me alone. She was not only brilliant in her care of E, but her ability to explain everything that was happening in terms we could comprehend, coupled with why it was happening and reassure/educate me constantly was the only thing that held us together. From the moment we met, she understood E's needs, how she was reacting and why. She even went beyond the medical aspect of E's preemie issues to tend to her extra personal care needs. Something as simple as noticing that E's skin was incredibly sensitive so she put special notes on her bed to make sure that the team knew what to use. (To this day we still use all of the techniques she taught us and we have been home for 2 years).
Beyond the brilliant medical care and swift but calm response times to all of the times my daughter would slow her breathing to unsafe levels, she treated her like an individual being; like a beautiful little girl instead of "just another baby". For example, instead of simple sterile tape being adhered to her little face holding her oxygen in place, she took the time to cut hearts and make it fashionable and adorable. She cut bows into her little hat covers to make it look more palatable to me, a mother who spent 2 months never dressing her baby girl in clothing other than a small diaper and a blanket. E's room was adorned with little notes to celebrate milestones and information for me that was specific about her progress, and if we lost momentum, she explained why and what that meant in a way that was something I could respond to.
At every moment, she was at our side empathizing with us, educating us, and exuding strength from which we drew our resolve. Because of her, I stopped being afraid of my daughter's medical issues, and learned to not only respond to them but anticipate when they would happen and be able to act calmly and intelligently. She didn't have to spend the time with us that she did while tending to her other patients, but she did because of her unbelievable commitment to treating the entire patient, which included the family.
In a world where everything is rushed and jobs are just something we do, being a NICU nurse is who she is; it's part of her core and in some ways is what defines her. She is strength, confidence, and has the drive to deliver the highest form of care to babies in her charge. Because of her, my daughter survived; I survived, and she remains an important part of our lives and always a part of our history. Her commitment to care should be celebrated and rewarded with the highest honor a nurse can be bestowed. She wasn't a nurse to us, she was our Godsend and miracle. Her skill and dedication were unmatched in St. Joseph's Women's Hospital.