For Our Ella Grace
Donation protected
As many of you know, our little Ella Grace was born with a very rare genetic disorder known as Trisomy 13. We were prepared for her to be brought into the world with many hurdles ahead of her, but her life was further complicated when she was born prematurely, at 33 weeks, on February 6. Despite overwhelming odds, Ella graced us with her presence for one month before she succumbed to complications from her diagnosis and prematurity, on March 6.
Those of you who have ever had to endure having a child treated in the NICU of a hospital can attest to the type of person it takes to be a NICU nurse - to dedicate your life to caring for a person as fragile and as incapable of communication as a newborn baby, and to care for the baby's overwhelmed parents as well.
We could never put into words the tireless and empassioned effort every nurse and doctor at the St. Peter's Hospital NICU put into ensuring that Ella's life was prolonged and that her comfort was assured. We faced a lot of extremely difficult decisions regarding to what treatments we were willing to subject Ella. The entire staff at the NICU was invaluable in making these decisions.
The NICU staff really went above and beyond anything we could have hoped for in such an unfortunate situation. Some nurses called us on their days off to see how we were doing; nurses on duty would tell us that off-duty nurses had called the Unit to check on Ella. Within moments of Ella's passing, off-duty nurses showed up to be with us or called to see how we were doing.
They offered us beds so we could stay nearby when it seemed that inclement weather may snow us in or out of the hospital. They cried with us during some of the most difficult moments of our month there, and they laughed with us during some of the lighter moments. If we have ever been personally shown how a tragedy can quickly turn strangers into family, it was during this month, and it was at the doing of the St. Peter's NICU Staff.
It is our greatest hope to make a donation to the NICU in Ella's memory, so that the Unit can continue to provide to families the immeasurable service and care it provided us for the last month, and so that the blessing of her life can far outlive the sadness of her loss.
We thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and generosity in the last month, and for the ways you have influenced the rest of our life.
Those of you who have ever had to endure having a child treated in the NICU of a hospital can attest to the type of person it takes to be a NICU nurse - to dedicate your life to caring for a person as fragile and as incapable of communication as a newborn baby, and to care for the baby's overwhelmed parents as well.
We could never put into words the tireless and empassioned effort every nurse and doctor at the St. Peter's Hospital NICU put into ensuring that Ella's life was prolonged and that her comfort was assured. We faced a lot of extremely difficult decisions regarding to what treatments we were willing to subject Ella. The entire staff at the NICU was invaluable in making these decisions.
The NICU staff really went above and beyond anything we could have hoped for in such an unfortunate situation. Some nurses called us on their days off to see how we were doing; nurses on duty would tell us that off-duty nurses had called the Unit to check on Ella. Within moments of Ella's passing, off-duty nurses showed up to be with us or called to see how we were doing.
They offered us beds so we could stay nearby when it seemed that inclement weather may snow us in or out of the hospital. They cried with us during some of the most difficult moments of our month there, and they laughed with us during some of the lighter moments. If we have ever been personally shown how a tragedy can quickly turn strangers into family, it was during this month, and it was at the doing of the St. Peter's NICU Staff.
It is our greatest hope to make a donation to the NICU in Ella's memory, so that the Unit can continue to provide to families the immeasurable service and care it provided us for the last month, and so that the blessing of her life can far outlive the sadness of her loss.
We thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and generosity in the last month, and for the ways you have influenced the rest of our life.
Organizer
Regina Boudwin
Organizer
Kendall Park, NJ
