Chrissy Wright
December 2018
Chrissy
Wright
,
RN
Neonatal ICU
UAMS Medical Center
Little Rock
,
AR
United States

 

 

 

My daughter was born at 27 weeks gestation and is in the NICU. I have had complicated pregnancies, my previous one before my daughter ended at 24 weeks. She did not survive. Although I was happy to have a baby that lived this time, it broke my heart to see her in this shape. All the tubes, cords, and blue lights.
In those first two weeks, I was asked nearly every day by her nurses, "Is this your first baby?" It's a difficult question to answer. After three previous pregnancies, the last being an extremely hard loss the year before, I wanted to say, "No". My heart honors those babies. My heart honors my first daughter born sleeping last year. But, to not make a situation awkward or have to recount sad memories, I always answered, "Yes, she's my first." I take the easy route.
I met Chrissy around that time into our NICU journey. She was bubbly, lively, and just happy. She started telling me the normal stuff, about my daughter's day. She had learned that I had her prematurely because of preeclampsia and was asking me if I had any other complications before her. This opened the door for me to share my story. She sat down with me and I shared my story. I learned she too, had lost a child. We immediately found a bond.
She asked me the next day if my daughter had a primary nurse. I didn't even know what this was, so Chrissy had to explain it to me. None of the other nurses had explained or offered to be her primary nurse.
She already had made an impression on me by sitting down and asking me about my life, so I knew she had to be the one to be her primary!
I have grown to love Chrissy more every day. She is a fantastic nurse. Most importantly, a warm nurturer to my daughter. She goes to hold my daughter on days I work and can't be there. She goes above and beyond on tiny details that's just heartwarming and comforting as a parent.
Miss Chrissy has made our NICU experience the best possible. She has been my light in a dark sky. She will forever be in my heart and I am eternally grateful for her being a part of my daughter's life.