Former patients of Bergen Mercy's NICU got the royal treatment Sunday and a chance to catch up with the nurses that cared for them.
Knights and fair maidens graced the proud halls of the Bergen Mercy Maternity Ward. These brave warriors spent some scary times here.
“Probably the scariest thing we’ve ever gone through was just not knowing what was going to happen and [if] they were going to be healthy,” said Nikki Barber, mother of twins born at Bergen Mercy.
Parents like Nikki and her husband Joshua Barber found a hero in their NICU nurses.
“They always let us know that it was okay that we couldn’t be here 24 hours a day and that we needed a break too, and that they were being well taken care of,” said Nikki.
Cameron and Jackson were born at 32 weeks and spent almost two months in the NICU. Kaylee Hallstrom recalls her time as their nurse.
“Cameron was a little more vocal, He would always tell us when he was ready to eat and Mr. Jackson just kinda was like, hey whatever I’m just going to relax, but I don’t know if they’re like that now, are they?” Hallstrom asked Nikki.
Nikki replied with an emphatic “Yes!” and a laugh.
“They’re doing amazing. They’re on track developmentally for 11-month olds. We’re planning their first birthday party,” said Nikki.
This reunion is a chance for moms like Bre Aunna James to show their nurses how far they’ve come.
“I’m just so happy that she’s better, and you can’t even tell she was a NICU baby,” said James.
These little knights, dragons, and princesses are the reason nurse Emily Hilton can’t imagine a better job.
“It’s the best feeling ever to get to send these babies home and then to see them come back every two years, growing and getting big and just doing fantastic,” said Hilton.
Premature babies usually face problems with jaundice, respiratory disorders, and trouble eating. But nurses at Bergen Mercy tell us they see thousands of babies make it home every year.
