May 2021
Jaclyn
Burda
,
RN
NICU
Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center
Hoffman Estates
,
IL
United States
We weren't sure what to expect from the NICU...But what I can tell you is that Jaclyn has made the experience easier, loving, and better than we thought.
Jaclyn has been on our journey since day one in the hectic OR when little "D" was making her entrance into this world. "D" was born micro-preemie at 26 weeks and three days. It was the scariest, most uncertain thing my husband and I were going through to deliver a baby that young and not know if she would be okay. Jaclyn, from the very first day we were in our daughter's NICU room, made us feel like we had known her forever, nicknaming herself "Auntie Jackie" from the start. The way she talked with us was so gentle but straightforward. We were very nervous with everything: all the buzzers, all the wires, all the meds to know, and all the things we needed to know for our little "D." Jaclyn explained everything so easily for us to understand and was so patient and kind with all of our silly questions. She helped us ease 100 times on the monitors; every time the machine would go off, she was right there to calm us and explain why it was buzzing and that baby was okay. She immediately took an interest in learning about us, the parents. The time Dakota was having her PICC line inserted, I was coming to the room, and the curtain was drawn, and without even seeing me, Jaclyn shouted, "Ashley, everything is okay, we're just doing the PICC line like we talked about, we are almost done, and everything is okay"...I needed that....and she knew it...What a remarkable human being! The way she is with our daughter is wonderful, and when she is in her room, she is always talking to her. I've even kidded that I'll have to record her voice to take home with me, as every time she talks, my daughter's eyes open, and she knows she is there. We weren't sure what to expect from the NICU...But what I can tell you is that Jaclyn has made the experience easier, loving, and better than we thought. Especially because we were experiencing isolated times with COVID, it's so special to us to have someone like Jaclyn caring for her. She takes extra steps in her medical care to keep "D" happy with swaddling her extra nicely, having her isolette so organized, and keeping up with wiping her yuccas off her face....Those are the extras that she does, and she doesn't have to, but those small acts MATTER. It shows uneasy parents that someone else is there doing the little things and that those little details mean the really big details are being handled right. I am so glad that the stars aligned, and we were able to have Jaclyn with us on this journey, our little girl is thriving, and we owe a huge thank you to Jaclyn.