Nicole Bradshaw
August 2021
Nicole
Bradshaw
,
RN
Pediatrics/PICU
Lakeland Regional Health
Lakeland
,
FL
United States
No one could ever prepare us for the emotional rollercoaster that we went through in those 29 days, but Nicole made that roller coaster a whole lot easier to ride.
My granddaughter was brought to LRH via the ER. She was only 4 weeks old and having seizures. They determined that she had a virus that had attacked her brain and moved her to PICU where she remained for 29 days. During that time we went through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. There was a period of time that we weren’t sure if our sweet baby would survive. Because of the virus and the seizures she sustained massive brain damage and had multiple strokes. She underwent MRIs, EEGs, bloodwork, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, etc. There was so much uncertainty and we were so scared. All of the doctors and nurses were amazing but one nurse stood out above and beyond the rest. She truly cared not just about my granddaughter but also about us. She took time with us to make sure that not only did we have everything that we needed but that we understood everything that was happening and was going on and that we were truly ok. No one could ever prepare us for the emotional rollercoaster that we went through in those 29 days, but Nicole made that roller coaster a whole lot easier to ride. She was so attentive. She went above and beyond. She always had such a calming demeanor. On Fridays before her weekend she would come in and stand over my granddaughter and tell her how much she would miss her over the weekend and for her to keep fighting - that meant the world to us. Even on days that she wasn’t assigned to our room, she would pop in before and after her shift to check on the baby and on us. She laughed with us, cried with us, and made us feel like family. We can’t imagine going through this experience without Nicole. We are going home after 29 days and while we are excited to be going home, we are honestly going to MISS Nicole. She has become so much more than a nurse to us, she has become like family. We cannot thank her enough for everything that she has done. She is an angel.