Victoria A. Balderas
February 2022
Victoria A.
Balderas
,
RN
11WT
Texas Children's Hospital – Main Campus
Houston
,
TX
United States
When C finally was able to get her last tube removed, Victoria came to our room to help C even though she wasn’t our assigned nurse that day.
Our 3-year-old daughter, C, was admitted to TCH for pneumonia, human metapneumovirus, and bacterial infection. Over the course of the following three weeks, we would then find out she would need a chest tube and then eventually surgery for a collapsed lung. After C’s last IR procedure, she was cleared of all infection and viruses so we moved to the 11th floor. The second day we were on this floor, Victoria was our nurse. She was the breath of fresh air that we needed so badly after all the sickness, procedures, ICU stays, and room changes.
Victoria was immediately helpful, knowledgeable, and took a genuine interest in C. She treated us like family and shared a special bond with our little girl. C called Victoria her “babysitter” and never wanted to leave her side. However, as the professional she is, Victoria politely made sure C knew that she needed to help her other friends. Victoria showed us the best way to give C a bath and wash her hair with all her tubes even though we had been there for 3 weeks. She made it easy and fun. She always engaged C so that if there was pain, she could push through to do the tasks that hospital staff or doctors needed her to do. We all felt how loving Victoria was to us and her other patients. She was as sweet and gracious as they come. Even though we couldn’t see Victoria’s smile due to her mask, we could always feel it.
Two memories that hold dear to us are: When C finally started feeling more like herself, she was able to walk the halls on the floor but connected to the IV cart that carried her two mobile suction boxes. C's chest drains were connected to the mobile boxes and Victoria and mom followed her to make sure she did rip them out. However, C decided she wanted to run, not walk in the halls. Victoria maneuvered the sprinting toddler as if every chest tube kid would just go wild and free in the hallways.
When C finally was able to get her last tube removed, Victoria came to our room to help C even though she wasn’t our assigned nurse that day. C was quickly relieved to see her “babysitter'' when she knew the pain that she was about to endure. Victoria was a miracle we didn’t know we needed. Our baby needed to smile, laugh, and feel normal. Victoria helped C do all those and more every time she was around. Even though we were not in any other patient’s rooms, we believe she made all her friends feel the same way. Not only C, but the Family feels blessed to have been Victoria’s friend (aka patient).
Victoria was immediately helpful, knowledgeable, and took a genuine interest in C. She treated us like family and shared a special bond with our little girl. C called Victoria her “babysitter” and never wanted to leave her side. However, as the professional she is, Victoria politely made sure C knew that she needed to help her other friends. Victoria showed us the best way to give C a bath and wash her hair with all her tubes even though we had been there for 3 weeks. She made it easy and fun. She always engaged C so that if there was pain, she could push through to do the tasks that hospital staff or doctors needed her to do. We all felt how loving Victoria was to us and her other patients. She was as sweet and gracious as they come. Even though we couldn’t see Victoria’s smile due to her mask, we could always feel it.
Two memories that hold dear to us are: When C finally started feeling more like herself, she was able to walk the halls on the floor but connected to the IV cart that carried her two mobile suction boxes. C's chest drains were connected to the mobile boxes and Victoria and mom followed her to make sure she did rip them out. However, C decided she wanted to run, not walk in the halls. Victoria maneuvered the sprinting toddler as if every chest tube kid would just go wild and free in the hallways.
When C finally was able to get her last tube removed, Victoria came to our room to help C even though she wasn’t our assigned nurse that day. C was quickly relieved to see her “babysitter'' when she knew the pain that she was about to endure. Victoria was a miracle we didn’t know we needed. Our baby needed to smile, laugh, and feel normal. Victoria helped C do all those and more every time she was around. Even though we were not in any other patient’s rooms, we believe she made all her friends feel the same way. Not only C, but the Family feels blessed to have been Victoria’s friend (aka patient).