I feel like I met Zoie when I and my baby M needed more than a nurse but a friend. After having numerous days in the NICU already behind us, my sweet boy found himself thrust into the NICU where babies, noise, and overstimulation were the norm. Battling infection after infection that he procured while in the NICU, this mama was beyond frustrated. By the time we made it to our corridors, I was tired and not having the best luck with being heard or feeling like my son was being given the most adequate care.

Zoie came in like a night in shining armor. The first thing I noticed was how amazing she was with M. Especially being so careful with M who had multiple unexplained fractures. She was very calming and soothing in how she spoke with him and how she handled him. After having so many instances, M was just not handled as a baby with fractures, she definitely put me at ease. She made sure to keep his PICC accessible and still avoid any contamination. Most importantly in the middle of me having a meltdown about M being moved to NICU4 against my will, she listened. She empathized and didn’t make excuses. I know I was pretty overbearing that day but she never gave me anything less than true empathy and sympathy and when I had hundreds of questions, she found answers.

Zoie went above and beyond calling me to keep abreast of M and even though she only briefly had him, our interaction definitely made me feel that there are nurses hired and nurses that are truly in their calling. She advocated for M from intubation. In a few short shifts, she restored some trust in Texas Children's ability to care for my former 24-week preemie. She gave me a peace that I hadn’t had in months by presence and bedside manner and I’ll be forever grateful that nurses like that still exist within your halls. I pray this finds the right eyes and ears because she truly made a difference for my son and me.