1. Describe your ordeal. Why were you there?

Daughter diagnosed in utero with Hydrocephalus which is a buildup of fluid in the skull that leads to brian swelling. We went to the doctor every month. At 7 months is when Harper got an MRI that showed her diagnoses.  

 

2. What did you expect going in?

I hoped she would be fine and hoped it was just a fever.  We didn't know what to expect.  The fears never go away. Last night on her shunt it became red because of her sleeping wrongly but it scared us.  

 

3. Describe a day.

I remember we only slept when we could.  One night I stayed up until 3:00 am.  

"Not a day an experience."

The day of the surgery I couldn't bare to eat, it was a tough day.  At 6:30 pm when we had to let her go was the only time she cried.  I held my tears but, once I let her go I began crying. 

 

4. Your experience?

"No better place for her to be."

"We felt at ease." 

We didn't know the prognosis.  We googled the symptoms yesterday to understand more.  She was a completely different baby after.  The doctors and nurses put Harper in a position for a better future.  I am a firm believer of

"Paying it forward."

I am so proud of my wife, it was her second mother's day and she spent it cooking all day to surprise the nurses who did such a good job with Harper. 

 

5. Relationship component, how did the nurses make you feel?

"Awesome every time."

The nurses would always make eye contact and showed a level of care that was key. When they would make eye contact with us and explain things I knew it would be ok. BRB Girl was in the first night when we arrived at the ER with my wife pregnant. Later on she asked my wife if she wanted a shower and it's the simple things like that that gave us comfort. 

"Relationships are essential for any job, for that reason alone."

 

6. Looking back, what do you take from the experience?

"We are given what we can handle."

I wouldn't change any of the experience because at the end it lead to positive things.  

"When they were caring for her, they were caring for us."

Jaime got Harper to laugh after first surgery and that allowed us to have some comfort. 

 

 

EQ: How does a persons relationship and actions reflect the importance of an individuals needS? And how does that translate into guiding a nurses approach to a patient?

Individual needs is essential, if you get to know somebody it leads to positive outcomes. 

Parents need comfort and the nurses at Morristown provided that for us.  They achieve this by caring gravely for Harper and her needs.  

"Having the people care for you is very essential."