Imagine...standing beside a mother holding her 7 pound newborn baby while she sings "Jesus Loves Me" as the baby peacefully goes to live with the angels.

Imagine....the look on the faces of two loving parents as they hold their dying child for the first and last time.....

Imagine caring for a sweet baby boy from day of birth to day of death.

Imagine that no one sees him for the beautiful child that he is because of a growth that deforms his angelic face.

Imagine going to the funeral and having the parents introduce you to family and friends as their son's "other loving mother."

Imagine receiving a picture of this child with a hat rakishly tilted over one side of his face that permits the world to see the same beautiful child that you saw that very first day.

an NNP in Texas

Imagine...having a mother seek you out a year after her son's birth and death because you were the only one ever got hold him while he was alive.

That happened to me 15 years ago and I still cry when I recall that day, but it reminds me why I went into nursing. I had two patients to care for...the baby and then a year later, his mother.

Imagine sharing the joy of the first time a parent holds their child.

Imagine being in the position of a nurse in the NICU and being able to give back some of the compassion and caring you received when you own children were preemies.

Imagine the joy you can feel every time you look at the photos of the babies you have cared for that were given to you by the parents.

Imagine being called at home and told that a baby you have primaried has died and you were not there to tell him good-bye.

Imagine not being able to continue being a nurse to these special little ones and their families and the pain that thought brings you.

Imagine... Taking care of a beautiful baby boy who was to be put up for adoption (decided by birth-mom before his arrival).

Then, imagine meeting the two angels that she chose to be his parents.

Imagine then becoming very close friends with them and helping them as they commute (from two states away) simply to come and love him, hold him, and care for him.

Imagine having the GRANDEST honor a parent bestow on you bestowed on you and being made his Godmother and participating in his christening in the hospital on the day he passes on and goes to behold the Father's face.

Imagine looking over, through tears and pain, and seeing the loving eyes of nurses, RT's, physical therapists, his precious parents and his sweet grandmother crying tears, unabashedly and unashamedly out of their love for him and pain at the thought of him leaving.

Imagine participating in his christening as his Godmother with one of his best friends, his Neonatologist, being as his Godfather.

Imagine keeping in touch with his parents and meeting the 36 week sweetheart they adopt 4 months later (born 1 day before her new daddy's birthday) and holding her in your arms and laughing with joy with your dear, sweet friends her parents.

Then last but not least, IMAGINE, caring for a sweet little one (whose name differs from the other by only one letter) coming into your life, almost exactly 1 year later, with much the same problems (and then some) and imagine seeing him growing and beating odds right and left when there have been those who have done nothing but doubted him (and doubted Him). How sweet it is, and what an honor, to help nurture and care for him and all the others in our NICU that I meet when I go to work.

No, I have no doubt who is really in control and at work in NICU's everywhere ... I only pray that I will always do as His hands guide mine.......

Imagine......being part of a team that saved a baby against the parents wishes, gave false hope, then 2 days later tell the parents that we should remove life support......

Imagine .....hearing a doctor refer to a baby as salvagable

Imagine .....the feeling when a parent asks you if you think they have a reason to sue for "wrongful life"

Imagine .....how I feel that after 18 years of neonatal care...I am not so sure that I agree with the direction that we are taking......

Imagine...the devastation of watching a single young mother hold her dying baby in her arms...and the joy of being invited to her nursing school graduation several years later.

Imagine going to a crash C-section in the middle of the night.. the baby's cord has prolapsed and no heart tones can be found.. no pediatrician available for the baby.

Imagine the baby is handed to you..you carry him in a sterile blanket to the warmer. Imagine you quickly dry him off... and he begins to cry.

Imagine....a beautiful 6 year old coming to your unit to visit you and thanking you for taking care of her so long ago.

Imagine, a woman running down the aisle at Target (at full speed), and landing in your arms. Imagine her pride and joy when showing you pictures of her former preemie, healthy and thriving, at home. Home where he belongs.

IMAGINE- Taking care of a 26 weeker and becoming attached to him and his family. Going through all of the "roller coaster events" that go along with being a family with a premature infant.

IMAGINE- That family feeling so attached to you, they introduce you to the man who becomes your husband.

IMAGINE- We are all NICU nurses because WE IMAGINE and BELIEVE

IMAGINE Knowing you have angels around you all of the time.

Imagine...being able to give a new nurse the confidence and ability to care for one of god's most precious gifts, a premature baby.

"Thoughts of a NICU Educator/NICU Nurse"

Imagine being told that an institutional security officer has been looking for you. You are in the transistional nursery being bombarded by admissions left and right as the security officer walks in. He looks at you and your heart is pounding. He quietly says - you don't remember me...but here is a picture for you of my seven year old. That seven year old was my first preemie (27 weeker) that I ever took care of and he is doing great! To top it off, his young parents have remained married and both are in successful careers.

That is why I am a NICU nurse.

NICU RN
Galveston, TX

Imagine-helping parents feel one positive and happy moment about the birth of their very premature baby.

Imagine-helping parents believe how important "love" is.

Imagine-helping moms remove "guilt".

Imagine-a sense of humor and a genuine laugh from mom.

Imagine-helping mom see "a baby, flesh and blood, living breathing child of god" and not just wires, tubes and monitors.

Imagine-helping parents cherish the time they spent with their premature baby who didn't make it.

Imagine-making parents feel this is not just a "job", but a "love" for babies and that's why you're caring for theirs.

Imagine-honesty.