Just being sad and venting a little bit.

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Specializes in Level III NICU.

You all know how it is. The nicest parents have the sickest kid on the unit. I've been taking care of a baby for the last 2 weeks, and I just don't think she's going to make it. I look around the room, and there is a kid in there that is withdrawing from crack, a kid born to a mom who "didn't know" she was pregnant until she went to the ED with abdominal pain and found out she was 8 cm dilated (EGA 37 weeks), and a kid born to a 17 year old G4P1 mom. And I've got the baby born to a nice, well-educated, employed, married (to each other) couple. I kinda thought for a few days that she had turned the corner, but today I realized that she isn't getting better. I had to go cry for a few minutes in the locker room. I love my job, but sometimes it really sucks.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm sorry you are hurting. Please take care of yourself.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

(((Kate)))

I hear you. I hate how it happens all the time. Sometimes it seems like there is no justice in the world....

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I'm sorry. Really sorry. It sucks.

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It does always feel that way... This baby is so lucky to have such amazing parents who care about her and a wonderful nurse who is invested in her.

For the other babies, sometimes all we can do is spoil them while we take care of them until they go home to a not so stellar home life...

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Specializes in NICU.

I have wondered the same thing myself many-a-times.

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:banghead: I hate that!!! The worst was when we had two sets of twins of the same gestation right across from each other. One set was a second attempt at IVF, parents in every day. The other, no PNC, mom G7 P4, tox + for cocaine, never visited. Guess who became septic and died? And then guess who did OK and ended up in foster care? :(
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Specializes in Level III NICU.

Thanks everyone. It's nice to have people who understand.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

If you need a bit of hope, here's some:

We sent our latest methadone baby home (70+ days old) to the sweetest, most adorable couple, who also got her brother (now a toddler, whom we also cared for). We were really really glad to see her go because her mother came to visit her a whopping 2-3 times and when she did come she was high. For a very long time the plan was to send her home with that sorry excuse for a parent. Fortunately that changed.

So these two guys (they were a gay couple) took her home. :) And the only reason I mention that it was two guys is because it warms my heart to think that she is going to be spoiled rotten, between those two guys and her older brother. Can you say princess??? She deserves it. She was a miserable (if very adorable) little baby.

So if you need some hope that sometimes things do go better than we expected, there it is. And, if you don't want to hear about that right now, and just need a hug, here's it is: :icon_hug:Your patients are very blessed to have a nurse that cares.

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Specializes in Level III NICU.
If you need a bit of hope, here's some:

We sent our latest methadone baby home (70+ days old) to the sweetest, most adorable couple, who also got her brother (18 mo old-ish, whom we also cared for) the same day from CPS. We were really really glad to see her go because her mother came to visit her a whopping 2-3 times and when she did come she was high. For a very long time the plan was to send her home with that sorry excuse for a parent. Fortunately that changed.

So these two guys (they were a gay couple) took her home. :) And the only reason I mention that it was two guys is because it warms my heart to think that she is going to be spoiled rotten, between those two guys and her older brother. Can you say princess??? She deserves it. She was a miserable (if very adorable) little baby.

So if you need some hope that sometimes things do go better than we planned, there it is. And, if you don't want to hear about that and just need a hug, here's a hug: :icon_hug:

That is a fantastic story. Thanks for sharing. And thanks for the hug too. I needed them both!

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Specializes in OT, Palliative, ICU, NICU, Wound Care,.

I love that story about the methadone baby.

I too love it when beautiful foster parents just love and adore the most needy babies - it gives me faith in humans.

Poor little babies...poor parents too - bad things happen to good people and then good things happen to bad people. The world is a place where we just cannot ask WHY as the answer is in a way higher power.

I rarely get sad at work but every now and then a baby or parents come along and they just find a spot inside you that makes you feel that sadness and pain. It makes us human to be able to feel.

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I know just how you feel. I spent the last few days taking care of an adorable little one with a suite of physical deformities, as well as severe PPHN (HFOV and NO, you know the drill).

I really bonded with the kiddo and especially with the parents. I was appraoched all weekend by fellow nurses thinking the parents were in denial based on how positive they were. I spent so much time with them I have concluded that they are not in denial, they just really, really love their baby. They know that he is very, very sick, and that we have no idea what his outcome will be. I was very happy that I got him stable enough to let mom and dad do temp and diaper changes. They were so surprised and excited when I said "get in here, Mom, time to change a diaper, dad, here's the thermometer, we're going to take his temp."

This is the first kid I've ever considered primarying.

Me and some nurses were discussing (jockingly) how surprised we are sometimes when we get awesome parents, we get so used to the horrendous ones. Now, realistically, this is an exaggeration, it's just that you get enough of the selfish, ignorant, and belligerent ones that they stick in your mind.

So, yeah, you definitely have my sympathies. We just keep on truckin' on, right?

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