Right now, there are tons of RN’s, NP’s, RT’s, MD’s and others that may feel over-worked and under-appreciated. Under paid and exhausted as you are in the middle of your day shift, or sleeping before your shift that starts tonight. You may be dreading it because the last shift you worked was complete chaos from the moment you clocked in until you were able to drag yourself out the door, possibly later than usual.
But in case no one has told you lately, what you do is important and appreciated.
From my point of view:
Dear Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physicians, Respiratory Therapists and the Rest…
Thank you for taking care of my sweet boy. You were there when I couldn’t be. You were there giving him amazing care when I could only lay in a hospital bed or sit by his incubator. You gave him relief while he struggled with every breath. You were there to get him settled into the only home he would know, to discuss his treatments. You were there to check his vital signs and make sure he was gaining weight and getting enough breast milk, milk I wasn’t able to give him yet.
You were there to give us support when we could barely sit still and couldn’t remember the last time we slept. You watched us and him with the same amount of caring. You made me go pump so that I wouldn’t stand there and watch him be intubated again, as hard as I argued against it. Our Pediatric Nurse Practitioner sat within arms reach all night. She was focused and did everything that she could for him. I can say with all certainty that she did everything she could to give him his best shot. Unfortunately, it was more than we could overcome. On our way out the last time, one of you hugged me and told me that we were good parents, that we would live through this. I didn’t believe you then. It turns out you were right.
I can’t even list the number of ways that you took care of all of us.
I hope that some of our care-givers know what it meant to us that you worked so hard for him. While I wish the outcome had been different, I couldn’t have asked for more.
Thank you again. Each and every one of you.
Love,
Heath’s Mom
Life Inside Looking Out 