This past weekend Jon & Kate visited our local hospital to help celebrate the opening of the new Level 3 NICU. They talked and answered questions for about an hour or so - and it was very interesting. The new NICU was beautiful - they are officially opening it sometime in October so we were able to take a tour. My girls were lucky enough not to need to go to the NICU, they were born at 37 1/2 weeks and had excellent weights, but I have many friends whose children did have to spend some time there.
From what I hear, one of the hardest things in most NICUs is lack of privacy. Everyone is in one big open room - there are families of all situations - there is beeping - people everywhere - and it can be very disconcerting. One child may be thriving and doing great and their parents are overjoyed - while two feet away there may be a little baby who may not make it whose parents cannot stop crying.
Our hospital's new NICU has over 30 private rooms. Each family has a room for themselves, and they have rooms that can accomodate twins and triplets, too. There are lounges with toys for siblings, computers with internet for parents who need to keep up with work, a kitchen, private counseling rooms, you name it. I think it is a great advancement that this facilty exists. I hope we never have to use it. But just knowing it is there can help make (what I can only imagine) is already a difficult time a little easier.
(NOTE: I took out the beginning paragraphs about how much I love their show. I don't anymore. 10/6/08)
1 comment:
What a fantastic NICU! And how neat that you got to hear Jon and Kate speak. I'm such a fan of that show.
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