Shayla went above and beyond for my daughter, during her stay in the ICU. She was a great advocate, caretaker, and supporter. My daughter said she was her favorite nurse, and painted [Shayla] a picture, thanking her for doing such a great job. Shayla’s communication was wonderful, as well. She is [a] very deserving and Extraordinary Nurse.

***

There was a moment in time when my wife and I sat helpless, confused, and at the lowest point of our lives as parents. Our two-day-old son was just admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, for seizures. A few days later, we discovered [the seizures] were [the result of] a stroke suffered during a traumatic birth. Immediately after being admitted, there was one group in particular who seemed a little closer and a little more invested in his well being, and that was the nurses. We had many wonderful nurses throughout this ordeal, but one in particular shined brighter than the rest.

I believe on day number three of our stay, Nurse Shayla walked into our room at the beginning of her shift and immediately made a positive impact mentally and emotionally, [with] myself, my wife, and our brand new baby. The immediate care and attention she provided for our son was with the utmost love and compassion. The way she communicated with us [as] parents was very reassuring and comforting. She never made any promises or conclusions, but instead gave us strength and hope during our darkest days. It was very easy to see she was wholeheartedly invested in our baby, along with us parents.

Shayla quickly recognized [that] we, as parents, were completely exhausted, so she strongly advised us to take a break from the hospital and to take care of ourselves. She knew [my wife] was recovering from [giving] birth, just a few days earlier, while sleeping on a hospital couch and pumping milk to provide for [our] son. Shayla could see our fatigue, and she made a point [to encourage us to] do something about it. Only a few hours after we met Shayla, we were on our way home to see our two-year-old son, whom we missed dearly, to shower in our own bathroom, and to take a nap in our own bed. We did not have one ounce of nerves, guilt, or regret for leaving. We felt so confident, comfortable, and reassured that our baby was with the best nurse possible, even though we only knew her for a couple [of] hours. We knew Shayla would be caring for our son, not just as a nurse, but also [like] a mother.

The breaks we took because of Shayla’s strong will helped [us] begin the healing process and assisted us in moving forward. Each time we got back to our room, we were met with the most beautiful sight one could see in our setting. Nurse Shayla was rocking our sweet boy in her arms and whispering what we can only imagine were words of love, hope, and healing. That was by far the best medicine any individual and family can ask for.