The NICU is a place of exteams. The babies here are the smallest, they are the sickest. Emotions run high and parents will experience the happiest and the saddest times of their lives here. This creates an intense closeness amoung the parents, nurses and doctors that is almost unrivaled. We share hugs and tears of joy when we have a major advancement. Our hearts ache for each other when there is a set back. When a life is lost, we cry as if for our own.
Everything here revolves around life and death. Everyone fights for life, but sometimes those battles are lost. Neonatology is a relatively new area of medicine. Babies born more than 6 weeks early used to have little to no chance of survival. Today doctors are able to save babies born as early as 23 weeks. Most of these advances have been made in the last several years. This has lead to all kinds of new challenges.
BPD is a modern disease. Babies are being kept alive longer and are able to get more breathing support than before. If not for that miracle then the scarring and cellular changes in our daughter's lungs would not have taken place. She would not have bpd or any other breathing problems because she would not be breathing.
As we say goodbye to another family to leave the NICU forever alone, I renew my patience and daven (pray) with a new intensity for the refuah shleima (complete healing) of our daughter and all the other babies I have come to love and care for here.
I also offer my immense gratitude and appreciation to the pioneers of this field, to the researchers and doctors who have dedicated their lives to the smallest amoung us. So many families are whole today because of your work. So many parents have full arms and hearts because of you. There will never be enough words to thank the people whom I will never meet, but in my heart, I will never forget you and all that you have done for the world.
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