My Memories of the NICU- A Time to Gather

Greetings Fellow Travelers

There were many "gatherings" throughout my years in the NICU, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Every birthday was celebrated with, at the very least, a cake and a small party, or especially if it was a doctor, a full-on eat-fest. My article today has nothing to do with food or fun, but it does include a celebration.

A celebration of Life.

For those who don't know what a NICU is, it's the intensive care unit where the tiniest of humans go to be taken care of and healed, long enough to grow healthy enough and large enough to go home. In general, the expected discharge date is the baby's original due date. As you can imagine, quite a few of our "guests" came to be with us for several weeks to a few months. The lucky ones, that is.

Sometimes our little patients just had too much going against them to survive, despite our most intense efforts and countless hours of heartbreaking toil- the overwhelming majority being those born a month or more too early.


A child can be born prematurely for many reasons. It might be because Mom's body for any number of reasons simply could not carry a baby to term. It could be because of trauma, either an auto accident or abuse. The worst to have to deal with, in my opinion, is what we call a "crack baby."

These are the unfortunate offspring of some amazingly stupid and calloused women with no sense at all. They have used drugs for years, even during pregnancy, and the baby is born addicted, sometimes without even the necessary bodily components required for life.

Regardless of the reason, NICU staff, including the Respiratory Therapist and the baby's nurse, along with the NNP, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner on duty, and other staff not attending to a patient, will gather around the baby as his or her life ends.

Most of the time mom is there, occasionally joined by dad or other folks close to her. It's extremely sad to see parents dealing with the death of their child. Every eye is moist, every cheek wet with tears, and every heart broken as the little one slips into eternity.

It's much worse when the baby is facing his or her own death all alone. I've seen nurses cradle such children as their short life ends. We all feel the same- happy that the baby no longer suffers but angry that it ever had to. An addicted mom playing up the scene for her own benefit is even harder to take.

I can remember many times feeling numb at the intense sadness of the situation only to feel the hand of a friend on my shoulder, or the arm of another holding me.

All medical personnel are special people, but, if you know an RT, or nurse, or doctor, or anyone who works with such tiny children, please, give them a hug and let them know how special they really are.

Believe me, they've earned it.