The Best Christmas Present Ever!

Last month I had the great honor of serving a number of families and patients in the Maine Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  As my previous post indicates, the month was a wonderful one for me which did nothing but reconfirm my absolute commitment to pursuing neonatology fellowship training once I complete my pediatrics residency training.

One of the best experiences of the month was taking care of a little guy who I'll call "Alex."  "Alex" was a 30 week singleton preemie who I would consider one of my first patients since after attending his delivery I also had the chance to continue following him until my rotation came to an end.  His parents were incredibly gracious and dedicated to their son and made this experience all the more heart-warming.  This little fellow was known as the rockstar of the NICU; by his second day of life he was extubated and on room air; he took the full volume of feeds for his weight without difficulty; he was simply a joy to care for and it brought a smile to my face just to see him open his tiny mouth wide in a sleepy yawn as I stretched his legs out each morning and to watch his mother proudly show off his newest Christmas hat, temporarily adding Christmas cheer to his isolette as she remained in search of the perfect Christmas outfit for her tiny bundle of joy.

As I neared the end of my rotation, I went in one evening before heading home to talk to Alex's parents and let them know it was the last week I would be coming in to see them.  His mother not only responded with disappointment but asked if she could mail me a picture and Christmas card and I readily offered my address, trying not to show the full extent of my excitement that I might get to continue to 'follow' my little patient after leaving Maine.  I got a warm hug goodbye on my last day in the NICU but I felt that I was the one who should be thanking them.

Last week, as I was checking my mailbox, seeing the envelope with the Maine return address nearly brought tears to my eyes.  Enclosed was a Christmas card with a wonderful note from Alex's parents as well as a picture of little Alex in a red stocking hat bundled inside a Christmas stocking.  Apparently his mom's search for a preemie sized Christmas outfit had been unsuccessful, but not to be deterred, she portrayed him as the gift of which they'd been dreaming.  Allowing me to be a part of their world, their family, was the greatest honor they could have bestowed upon their eager neonatologist-in-waiting.  I can only hope that future Christmases will include an updated picture of Alex...this time, at home with his family and wearing exactly the Christmas outfit his mother lovingly sought for him.  For me, at home in NC, the now-framed card and picture will live on my desk as a reminder to pursue the best, for that is what my future patients deserve.