My story starts in Maternal Fetal medicine at Washington Township. I was 7 months pregnant with twins and having what I thought was a routine ultrasound. To my surprise I was met by Dr. W who gave me some very grave news. There was decrease blood flow to the cord of baby b and he was worried that the baby was not getting the oxygen and nutrients needed to survive. He sat down and said he wanted to talk to me about my delivery. I kind of laughed and said ok "when"? His response was now! Needless to say, I broke down in tears and was completely devastated and heartbroken. Many thoughts raced through my mind. Would everything be ok with my babies? What had I done wrong? I was escorted down to an extremely busy labor and delivery department. I had an emergent C-section and both of my babies were transferred to the NICU.
After recovery, I spent a total of 4 days in the hospital going back and forth to the NICU to visit my babies. It was extremely hard to see them in the isolettes, they were so tiny. My little girl weighed 3lbs and my boy 4lbs 2oz. I developed really great friendships with all the nurses, staff and doctors but there is one nurse in particular that I am truly thankful for. Denise always had a smile on her face. She was never too busy to answer any questions or offer advice either to me, my husband or grandparents. One day "baby b" my little girl, had blood in her stool. Because Denise had cared for her the previous days, she knew immediately that something was not right. She alerted the physician and an X-ray was ordered. My little girl had developed NEC and needed to be transferred to CHOP for emergency surgery. NEC is Necrotizing enterocolitis a devastating disease that affects the intestine of premature infants. The wall of the intestine is invaded by bacteria, which cause infection and inflammation that can ultimately destroy the wall of the bowel. The mortality rate in premature and low birth weight babies is extremely high. I received a phone call from the Neonatologist explaining everything and she was making every effort to advocate for T to be transferred. I rushed in to be with T. She certainly was not herself and there was a definite change from the day before, she was very listless and pale. I was so thankful that Denise was still on duty. While working quickly and intently on T she explained again in detail what was going to happen, never leaving any information out.
I have worked at Kennedy for 16 years, but nothing prepares you for being on the other side of the bed. I felt so helpless and it was extremely hard not having any control over the situation. She explained the severity of the disease and was softly preparing us for the worst, as this disease has taken the lives of so many premature infants. We finally received word around 7pm that CHOP would be able to accept her as a patient and transport would be there at 11pm to pick her up. Again, Denise selflessly offered to stay, never leaving T's bedside. With her staying and working side by side with the night shift nurse she would be able to alert both her and the doctor of any subtle changes that might occur. I was so grateful to her for staying and being with my daughter. It meant the world to me that she offered to stay for her. There was lots of crying and hugs but T's transfer went off without a hitch. My son was still hospitalized at Kennedy NICU and Denise asked every day for an update on T. She was praying for her and so were all of the others. She also took wonderful care of M for the remaining month. Also treating him with the same compassionate and selfless care she had offered T.
I'm happy to report that my twins are now 6 months old and doing well. Denise and I have become friends and I am able to share pictures with her so she may follow the twin's progress. She always has wonderful and thoughtful things to say about them. We realized we had a mutual friend. A friend who herself delivered a set of twins at a different hospital. Her twins had her as their nurse and had been in the same situation as myself. In talking with my friend, she described the same attributes of Denise as I mentioned. She is truly an asset to her profession and takes care of her patients as if they were her own babies. I count my blessings every day that God sent this angel to take care of T in her time of need. I cannot thank her enough for everything she has done for me, my daughter T, my son M, and my entire family. She truly was a Godsend. There will always be a special place in our hearts for her. I will forever be in debt to this amazing nurse. Through her exceptional nursing skills and strong personality, she was able to advocate for my daughter and get her to the facility that was able to provide the specialized care she needed. You truly were a lifesaver. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.