March 2021
Emma
Romme
,
BSN, RN
NICU
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Emma stayed loving, caring, kind, patient, and supportive of me, more importantly, no matter what kind of day I was having or what kind of mood I was in, Emma always cared for my kids the same.
Emma Romme is a nurse in the Lurie NICU and there is something you need to know. I am positive one of your concerns is making sure that there are people who work in the NICU that are representing and acting with the mission statement of the hospital at heart but who are also decent human beings. I am going to tell you about one part of my 3 months long journey in the NICU at Lurie and I demand that you pay what I am going to tell you great attention.
First of all, I am an emotional mother of two 24 week twins born at an outside hospital. After an emotional 4 months, I transferred my children to Lurie in hopes of better care. This note is not about me, but I need you to understand something about me before I get into the purpose of this communication. I tell you that I am emotional because I am just that. Being in a NICU with two 24-weekers for 7 months is something I cannot describe for you. There are good days, bad days, really great days, and really really bad days- it's an emotional rollercoaster. I feel every emotion there is to feel every day that my daughters are in the NICU and away from me.Emma has cared for my children on numerous occasions since the day we arrived at Lurie.
As a single mother with underdeveloped twins and in the middle of a pandemic, it's really hard to find peace of mind. So, I met Emma, and immediately the first time we chatted I fell head over heels for her. I'll tell you why.She was bouncing back and forth between my girl's rooms tending to them and she asked me if I wanted to hold my daughter B. I said no because every time I held her in the past, she would stop breathing. And Emma said to me, "Oh, a little PTSD! I get it! Well, we can work on that!" And at that moment I felt a load come off of my shoulders because finally I met someone who didn't judge me or disregard what I said or chalk it up as small talk but someone who actually cared enough to say in so few words but a huge way, she got me, and I knew at that moment she understood my journey and maybe she did or didn't relate to what I was going through, but she acknowledged the fact that I was going through something worth nurturing.
I wish I could give you perfect vivid examples of why I appreciate Emma and the care she gave to my children because it was care like no other care I had seen from a nurse at Lurie and of course I learned to appreciate the care and how much it really meant over these last 3 months. My daughters particularly T smiles at Emma and it took her a long time to come around to smiling at anyone but for Emma, she would. My daughter B gave Emma googly eyes before she even gave them to me or anyone else and now she's the googly-eyed princess! Credit goes to Emma. My daughter T does this thing where she growls, and Emma would swoop in there and talk to her and they would be having a conversation, and T would be happy to have company. My daughter B has a cry so low it sounds like she was smoking Newport's in the womb and yet Emma hears her halls away and swoops in to put eyes on her every time. And you are probably wondering how I know this, I have seen it with my own eyes but what I find comfort in is whenever I call and Emma is the nurse for the day, I hear either one of my kids in the background and that makes me happy, she is always close to them. Emma treated my kids like they were her own and that means so much to me because I felt like I needed to be a warrior for them and armored up every time I was in the NICU. But Emma stayed loving, caring, kind, patient, and supportive of me, more importantly, no matter what kind of day I was having or what kind of mood I was in, Emma always cared for my kids the same.
Emma respected my wishes and we had heart-to-hearts about things my kids needed that I wasn't so comfortable with but was in their best interest and she really helped me understand caring for my kids in the NICU in a different way. I trusted and to this day I trust her with my kids enough to never have any worry when she is with them. I know she treats them just like I would and just like I would want them to be treated. Again I can't give you all of the specific moments and events that I had with Emma that lead me to write you but have you ever met someone, and you have so much love and respect for them that you can't really put it into words and maybe there were many memories or moments or instances that really built that feeling you had inside for that person and all you know is you are so grateful for them?
Well, that's how I feel about Emma and why I can't get it all out into words for you in a more convincing way so I hope that you can picture me anxiously typing this out hoping that I don't miss anything but really hoping you take what I am telling you and feel the heart in my words.
I'll also note that Emma not only hands down and in my opinion is the best nurse in the unit, she proves this by taking great care of her patients, but she is also always helping and willing to help the other nurses and the other staff members. I have mixed emotions about leaving the ICU, but the time has come, and I am ready to move on with life with my two healthy bundles of joy at my sides. Sending my gratitude to the entire nursing staff at the Lurie NICU and my farewell!
First of all, I am an emotional mother of two 24 week twins born at an outside hospital. After an emotional 4 months, I transferred my children to Lurie in hopes of better care. This note is not about me, but I need you to understand something about me before I get into the purpose of this communication. I tell you that I am emotional because I am just that. Being in a NICU with two 24-weekers for 7 months is something I cannot describe for you. There are good days, bad days, really great days, and really really bad days- it's an emotional rollercoaster. I feel every emotion there is to feel every day that my daughters are in the NICU and away from me.Emma has cared for my children on numerous occasions since the day we arrived at Lurie.
As a single mother with underdeveloped twins and in the middle of a pandemic, it's really hard to find peace of mind. So, I met Emma, and immediately the first time we chatted I fell head over heels for her. I'll tell you why.She was bouncing back and forth between my girl's rooms tending to them and she asked me if I wanted to hold my daughter B. I said no because every time I held her in the past, she would stop breathing. And Emma said to me, "Oh, a little PTSD! I get it! Well, we can work on that!" And at that moment I felt a load come off of my shoulders because finally I met someone who didn't judge me or disregard what I said or chalk it up as small talk but someone who actually cared enough to say in so few words but a huge way, she got me, and I knew at that moment she understood my journey and maybe she did or didn't relate to what I was going through, but she acknowledged the fact that I was going through something worth nurturing.
I wish I could give you perfect vivid examples of why I appreciate Emma and the care she gave to my children because it was care like no other care I had seen from a nurse at Lurie and of course I learned to appreciate the care and how much it really meant over these last 3 months. My daughters particularly T smiles at Emma and it took her a long time to come around to smiling at anyone but for Emma, she would. My daughter B gave Emma googly eyes before she even gave them to me or anyone else and now she's the googly-eyed princess! Credit goes to Emma. My daughter T does this thing where she growls, and Emma would swoop in there and talk to her and they would be having a conversation, and T would be happy to have company. My daughter B has a cry so low it sounds like she was smoking Newport's in the womb and yet Emma hears her halls away and swoops in to put eyes on her every time. And you are probably wondering how I know this, I have seen it with my own eyes but what I find comfort in is whenever I call and Emma is the nurse for the day, I hear either one of my kids in the background and that makes me happy, she is always close to them. Emma treated my kids like they were her own and that means so much to me because I felt like I needed to be a warrior for them and armored up every time I was in the NICU. But Emma stayed loving, caring, kind, patient, and supportive of me, more importantly, no matter what kind of day I was having or what kind of mood I was in, Emma always cared for my kids the same.
Emma respected my wishes and we had heart-to-hearts about things my kids needed that I wasn't so comfortable with but was in their best interest and she really helped me understand caring for my kids in the NICU in a different way. I trusted and to this day I trust her with my kids enough to never have any worry when she is with them. I know she treats them just like I would and just like I would want them to be treated. Again I can't give you all of the specific moments and events that I had with Emma that lead me to write you but have you ever met someone, and you have so much love and respect for them that you can't really put it into words and maybe there were many memories or moments or instances that really built that feeling you had inside for that person and all you know is you are so grateful for them?
Well, that's how I feel about Emma and why I can't get it all out into words for you in a more convincing way so I hope that you can picture me anxiously typing this out hoping that I don't miss anything but really hoping you take what I am telling you and feel the heart in my words.
I'll also note that Emma not only hands down and in my opinion is the best nurse in the unit, she proves this by taking great care of her patients, but she is also always helping and willing to help the other nurses and the other staff members. I have mixed emotions about leaving the ICU, but the time has come, and I am ready to move on with life with my two healthy bundles of joy at my sides. Sending my gratitude to the entire nursing staff at the Lurie NICU and my farewell!