Doctors saved my baby's life but the nurses saved me

• My baby was diagnosed with a rare liver disease when he was 3 months old.
• He was hospitalized for two months and received a liver transplant.

My baby was hospitalized for almost two months during his first year of life. Facing a life-threatening disease called Biliary Atresia, it was a stressful time. My son underwent an initial surgery to repair his malformed bile ducts. The surgery did not fix the issue, so he received a liver transplant.

Without medical intervention, Biliary Atresia is fatal by the age of 2. Multiple people saved my baby's life, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude. I am thankful to my son's organ donor and the donor's family: their selfless choice saved my child. I am grateful for my son's team of doctors: their care and expertise saved my child.

Then, there are the nurses. Nurses are very special human beings. They seemed superhuman in how they helped my son and me. My baby was hospitalized so the doctors could save his life, but during that time, the nurses saved me.

They saved me with their humanity

When my son was diagnosed at 3 months old, he was immediately admitted to the hospital for 10 days. My world turned upside-down when he was diagnosed. I was hopeful that my son would receive the medical attention he needed, but I was flooded with worry.

I was stressed and confined to a hospital room with my baby. I talked on the phone with loved ones, but I still felt sad and alone. It was the nurses who provided companionship.

I could see how busy they were, so I was amazed that the nurses chatted with me. I expected them to check my son's vitals without conversation, but whenever they came into the room, they said a kind word.

They asked how I was doing. They reassured me that things would get easier. They gave me information about liver disease. Those conversations fortified me. The nurses were sharing more than just their skills: they were sharing their humanity. During our first 10 days in the hospital, the nurses provided emotional comfort during a scary time.

They made me as comfortable as possible

When my baby returned to the hospital for a liver transplant, he stayed for six weeks. I knew that my son was gravely ill, so this hospitalization was less of an emotional shock than the first one.

Even so, it was a challenging experience. I mostly stayed at the hospital while my husband cared for our older children at home. My husband continued to work while I was on maternity leave from my job.

During this time, the nurses were indispensable in how they bettered our life at the hospital. They constantly did things to improve my son's stay, like bringing him toys or trying different creams on his diaper rash.

They also made my stay more comfortable. One evening, I accidentally missed the deadline for buying dinner for myself. I tried to brush it off, but one of the nurses said, "You need to eat," and she brought me to the staff cafeteria so I could buy some food. Acts of kindness like that were not unusual. They are the norm for nurses.

I hope they know how thankful I am

As a teacher, I, too, work in a "caring" profession. Like myself and my teacher friends, I know that nurses truly want to help others. They did not choose their career for recognition or praise, but I hope they realize how appreciated they are.

The nurses who worked with my son made my life infinitely better during a difficult time: I am forever grateful.