My wife and I recently welcomed our first child into the world in a way I would wish on no one. B was born with near no respiratory response, so she went right to the NICU. Both my wife and I were so overwhelmed we didn’t know what to do. The second night in the NICU we got Taylor as B’s nurse. We were told by that evening B was to be extubated, but she wasn’t. Taylor took the time to explain why. She showed patience in her explanation as I asked question after question, sometimes letting my emotions get the best of me.

During the following days, we would have Taylor two more times on days. She advocated on B’s behalf for care progression as she improved. Taylor taught me how to change diapers as my wife was still recovering from delivery. All the while, Taylor kept a professional optimistic demeanor. Setting us up for reality but keeping our spirits up. I look back at the few days we were in the NICU, fortunately, a short stint compared to some, and my wife and I keep saying, “We were so lucky to have Taylor as our nurse!” The reason I feel Taylor should be recognized is that not only did she take care of her patient, but she also took care of my wife and me.