We are getting the sense from some (not all) of the nursing staff that it’s bothersome that the CMO or I am at the hospital 24/7. Yesterday, his nurse said we could go home together because they could watch him, saying “it’s what we do”. During medical rounds, the neonatal nurse practitioner seemed somewhat offended by my insistence on a particular piece of B’s care saying that the nurses know what to do and they would guide us to what’s appropriate. They are probably annoyed that I insist on keeping track on my own of B’s vitals and progression.
The NNP then went on to discuss B, giving us some info based on his gestational age which she had completely wrong. When corrected, she said she must have “written it down wrong”.
B’s brother would have had a significantly increased chance of survival if a different nurse had written a negative sign instead of a plus sign on her OB chart and let us come in instead of insisting everything was fine and we didn’t need to. Through some internet searching, we discovered that nurse was later fired on the day we told the clinic what had happened.
For the rest of our lives, we will always wonder what an extra day would have meant for B’s brother if someone hadn’t “written it down wrong”. We will wrestle with the guilt of it all our lives. Now I understand better how some people get to be “those parents”. We are “those parents”.
Captain Brennan 
Keep being “those parents”, that’s what you are. His parents! You know best.
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You guys know what’s best for your baby! Don’t back down because nurses are “annoyed” F- that, if nurses can’t understand that- too damn bad!! Ugh, Im sure you guys can’t wait to have Brennan home; I’m sorry you have to deal with a-hole nurses. Sorry, Brennan: don’t mean to swear, but this kind of stuff really pisses me off!!
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Michelle Catino- Your logic is impeccable.
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I agree keep being those parent’s because we as parent’s do know our own child better than the professional’s do. I had to learn that with my son also, it is very hard at first to realize that you do know just as well as the professional’s what is good for your child. Just keep pushing for what you thinks it right. Love to all of you.
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Brennan is an absolutely beautiful baby! Hang in there, Mom and Dad. Love to you all, Elizabeth
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You are always your child’s best advocate. Don’t let them get to you!
I didn’t fight for myself. I learned. I will make sure my kids don’t go through what I have been through.
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My longtime implicit trust in medical workers was gone by the day I was discharged after giving birth. I’ll never let a doctor or nurse cut corners for their own convenience again. You do what your instinct tells you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Brennan is SO lucky to have you in his corner! You have every right to be with him as much as you want to!
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