Changing Lives Exponentially

We are facing a very serious nursing shortage in coming years so what are we,the nurses now, going to do about it? I know what I am going to do. Let me tell you why I became a nurse and why I need your help The population is growing. We need to grow with i Nurses Announcements Archive Article

Changing Lives Exponentially

I wanted to be a nurse because I was inspired. When I was 15 and very naive, I got pregnant. I was scared but my boyfriend at the time was very nice, as were his parents. Everything was going ok. I had plans to finish high school and go to college with their help. Then, I had my first ultrasound.

The tech put the wand on my then 22 week tummy and said, "Lets see what we have, shall we?" After about 20 seconds, she turned the screen away from me and said, "I'm just going to call the doctor, ok?" She seemed very shaken. I waited nervously for the doctor to come back.

They explained to me that my baby girl had Osteognesis Imperfecta Type 2. They told me that my baby had 22 fractures at that time, her femurs were growing severely bowed, and that she would die within moments of birth due to lack of collagen in her body. They told me I need to have an abortion or my child would die screaming in pain.

I left the office numb. Sure, at 15 a child would complicate my life but I loved her. I had wanted her. I was supposed to think about my options and come back 4 days later. I talked to my boyfriend's family and him that night. As first generation Irish Catholic immigrants, they couldn't condone an abortion and I couldn't either. We decided to name the baby Aisling (Gaelic for "Beautiful Dream") and go through with the birth. We grieved.

The doctor was wrong. My Aisling lived for 5 hours and 22 minutes. She was born with several fractures and received another just putting a diaper on. She cried. I couldn't pick her up and comfort her. I saw the nurses in that NICU cry for me and my little broken girl. As she breathed her last breath, one of those nurses placed her in my arms. She told me I could say good bye now. She held me as I cried.

I want to be that nurse. I want to comfort and be the angel that other people need during the best and worst moments of their lives. Isn't that why we all want to be nurses? The difference between these wonderful people and a nursing instructor is that teachers make expoentially more of those life touches. For every one student, they touch hundreds of lives. Call me selfish but I want this for me. I want to touch thousands. Can you imagine? Isn't it our duty?

This is how I fight the nursing shortage. I'm going to make more nurses. We need more teachers. I hope my story inspires you to help me!

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opdahlamber

About opdahlamber

Almost RN happily re-married to a wonderful man and am out to change the way society treats victims.

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I'm so sorry about your daughter, and I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for you.

I wish you well in your pursuit for your ADN and beyond.

Jaime

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

That poor baby. I can't imagine the five hours of torment that she had to endure being on this planet.

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Specializes in pacu.

I love your story and it makes me cry. You are inspiring and I am sure will inspire others. You don't regret your decision to keep your baby full term and now you know you have the power to think things through and stand behind your decisions, this is what nurses are! God Bless You and Yours!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

I should be studying right now, as I am a nursing student, but I popped on AN and your story caught my eye. I, too, had my first child at 15. She is nearly 18 now. Your story moved me and brought tears to my eyes. You were a brave woman, even at 15. I, too, thank God for some of the nurses that I encountered when I became pregnant at 15. While some nurses were rude, others I remember as angels who saved me and my daughter during that tough time. Thank you for helping me to remember them.

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That poor baby. I can't imagine the five hours of torment that she had to endure being on this planet.

Really!!! Nurses should not judge. Every person has the right to make their own choices and nurses must respect their autonomy. The OP was sharing a moment in her life that broke her heart and inspired her all at the same time.

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Specializes in Rehab, Med-surg, Neuroscience.

You are so brave. Thank you for choosing to be a nurse. We need more nurses like you.

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
I wanted to be a nurse because I was inspired. When I was 15 and very naive, I got pregnant. I was scared but my boyfriend at the time was very nice, as were his parents. Everything was going ok. I had plans to finish high school and go to college with their help. Then, I had my first ultrasound.

The tech put the wand on my then 22 week tummy and said, "Lets see what we have, shall we?" After about 20 seconds, she turned the screen away from me and said, "I'm just going to call the doctor, ok?" She seemed very shaken. I waited nervously for the doctor to come back.

They explained to me that my baby girl had Osteognesis Imperfecta Type 2. They told me that my baby had 22 fractures at that time, her femurs were growing severely bowed, and that she would die within moments of birth due to lack of collagen in her body. They told me I need to have an abortion or my child would die screaming in pain.

I left the office numb. Sure, at 15 a child would complicate my life but I loved her. I had wanted her. I was supposed to think about my options and come back 4 days later. I talked to my boyfriend's family and him that night. As first generation Irish Catholic immigrants, they couldn't condone an abortion and I couldn't either. We decided to name the baby Aisling (Gaelic for "Beautiful Dream") and go through with the birth. We grieved.

The doctor was wrong. My Aisling lived for 5 hours and 22 minutes. She was born with several fractures and received another just putting a diaper on. She cried. I couldn't pick her up and comfort her. I saw the nurses in that NICU cry for me and my little broken girl. As she breathed her last breath, one of those nurses placed her in my arms. She told me I could say good bye now. She held me as I cried.

I want to be that nurse. I want to comfort and be the angel that other people need during the best and worst moments of their lives. Isn't that why we all want to be nurses? The difference between these wonderful people and a nursing instructor is that teachers make expoentially more of those life touches. For every one student, they touch hundreds of lives. Call me selfish but I want this for me. I want to touch thousands. Can you imagine? Isn't it our duty?

This is how I fight the nursing shortage. I'm going to make more nurses. We need more teachers. I hope my story inspires you to help me!

thank you so much for posting that. YEAH that's what it's all about. I'm sure most of us have a story. So many of us (myself included) have left because it got too tough :( Hope you can continue to touch lives, your patients' and those nurses'...

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I very really truly believe that special children are brought here to show us the path we are destined for, just too blind to see it. It takes a lot of courage and strength to bring a special needs child into the world. By doing so she taught you something about yourself, and look it stuck with you all these years later. You will be a great nurse, your baby taught you the empathy that so many others do not have, and she gave you strength that so many more will never find. Work hard and get good grades and any hospital will be lucky to have you.

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Wow! that was really touching... i was gettign a bit misty eyed..

You will be a fantastic nurse! dont ever lose your passion and compassion!

I think healthcare now-a-days needs more who are very passionate about what they do.. although i am not a nurse, i do work at a hospital and ive noticed a lack of passion about what people do. I dont want to be one of those, I want to do everything in my power and treat the patient as best as i can!

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First off, I am so sorry for your loss.Second off, I wanted to tell you that I can completely relate. I am not a mother, however at 20, my mother found out she was pregnant and told me Id be a big sister again...the day she went to find out the sex we found out that my baby brother had severe dwarfism and that his lungs could not develop and he too would die in pain once born. My mother also decided to carry on and give birth. She gave birth to my brother 6 months after we lost my grandmother to a terrible fight with cancer. In 3 years I saw so much bad happening to my family, but it was in that moment that my brother was born that I knew I needed to purse nursing. An infant baby hooked to every kachine andnonce taken off would die, and these nurses were beyond incredible and consoling. I am now a nursing student and take each clinical with so much heart. Like you, I do it for me and my family, but also for others whos lives I want to touch. I dont wven know you and I can tell you that you will make an incredible nurse!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Really!!! Nurses should not judge. Every person has the right to make their own choices and nurses must respect their autonomy. The OP was sharing a moment in her life that broke her heart and inspired her all at the same time.
from dirtyhippiegirl

That poor baby. I can't imagine the five hours of torment that she had to endure being on

I read DHG's post as saying.......

That poor infant.....I can't imagine watching anything in that kind of torment in the 5 short hours that beautiful infant was on this earth......my heart aches.

OP I am so sorry for your loss. It is our personal experiences that form us into who we can be.

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