Nurses

I absolutely love this picture.

I have it in a frame on my desk right here by my computer.  I look at it often.

Its our first picture as a family.  :)

The girls were a month old.

You probably can't tell, but just getting the babies together for this picture was quite the production.  Even though Campbell had been moved over to Room 3 with Lenay, and their beds were side by side, their many wires and tubes often prevented something like this from taking place.  And Noah was only allowed to visit the NICU at certain times, so the fact that we were able to coordinate all of this was just short of a miracle. 

Our nurse made it happen.

It meant so very much to us :)

Nurses make many things like this happen for families in the NICU. 

Every day.

Many times its something simple. 

Like a pretty purple handmade card posted on the bed that says, "I have my own clothes from home.  Please dress me in them.  Thank you, Campbell." 

It might not sound like much, but its a big deal when your baby is "old enough" to wear clothes.  Its an important milestone in a preemie baby's life.  And wearing clothes from home is one step closer to actually coming home!  And knowing that our nurse took the time to cut, mat, print, and embellish that pretty card meant a lot to me.  We saved it, and will keep it forever.  :)

Other times its something more serious, like making an extra call to find out a time of an important test, just so the family can be present for the baby's transport.

No matter if its big or small, these things mean so much to families.  Speaking firsthand, there were many times when these acts of kindness were just the thing we needed at that particular moment in time. 

Nurses are the heartbeat of the NICU. 

One thing I learned from the both the nurses in the NICU and also on Antepartum, is that many of them have experienced this from the other side.  Several of my Antepartum nurses told me about their own hospital bedrest experience.  And many of the NICU nurses told me about their own preemies.  Some of them were already in nursing at the time and then switched over into that field, while others went back to nursing school as a result of that life-changing experience. 

Hearing their stories had a real impact on me.  Some had good outcomes, some had tragic outcomes.  But nonetheless, their experience changed them in a way that made them want to help others endure similar situations.  Seriously.  What a God thing :)

When you are in the NICU and considered "long-term" - you are able to choose whats called a primary nurse.  This basically means that if your primary is working on any given day, he or she will most likely be your baby's nurse.  Families like us appreciate the consistency a primary nurse provides.

Our primary nurse (Tracy) was amazing.  She was with us through thick and thin, and we have kept in touch since the NICU days. 

We think of her as family, and she will forever have a special place in our collective heart :)