Thanks to the NICU team at Northwest Health – Porter, Gabriel is Celebrating his First Birthday
11/17/2023
Jackie Martinez was having a normal pregnancy until her water broke at 26 weeks.
“I went to the Northwest Health – Porter ER, where I was admitted and placed on complete bed rest in hopes of delaying delivery,” said Jackie.
A little more than two weeks later, Jackie’s son, Gabriel, was born prematurely at 28 weeks and 3 days.
Gabriel weighed 3 pounds and 2 ounces at birth and was immediately placed in the Northwest Health – Porter Level 3 NICU.
“Since I didn’t have any complications with the birth, I was released two days after Gabriel’s birth,” said Jackie. “It was very hard to leave the hospital when I was discharged. The thought of going home without my baby didn’t sit well. I was anxious, scared and depressed.”
Jackie drove each day to the hospital to stay with Gabriel’s during his 65-day stay.
“I don’t think we could have made it without the support and empathy of the entire NICU team. They were all so compassionate and caring,” said Jackie. “Our neonatologists and the nurse practitioner, Christina, were fantastic and always made sure that my husband and I knew exactly what was going on with Gabriel.”
Jackie also credits the NICU nurses and therapists for helping her gain trust in the care Gabriel was receiving during that uncertain and fearful time.
“As the nurses took care of Gabriel, they also would check in on me, asking me how I was doing, letting me know that they understood and that it was okay to cry if I needed to,” said Jackie. “They were always so kind, and friendly. They became almost like a family to us. Even after Gabriel came home, I feel like they never stopped caring and I’m actually still in contact with a couple of them to this day.”
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