Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

In October 2017, Lisa Harris, M.D., CEO of Eskenazi Health, received the following letter from a patient whose child was treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Eskenazi Health:

On August 23, 2017, with a simple phone call, my life and the lives of countless other people we love changed forever. That was the day my husband and I received “the call” we’d been waiting on for 14 long months. The call was from Adoption Support Center, and Alli wanted to let us know we had been selected by a birth mom. After years of praying and months of waiting, we were finally going to be a family of three! Our son, Max, was born at Eskenazi Health on August 20 to a brave woman who chose to make an adoption plan for our son. Alli wanted to let us know he was in the NICU because he was born addicted to heroin and we could come to the hospital as soon as his birth mother terminated her parental rights. I immediately packed up my office, drove home from work, packed a bag and waited for the next phone call. As soon as we learned Max was officially ours, my husband and I headed to the hospital so we could meet our son.

I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the care Max received while a patient in the NICU. He was a patient for 16 days while he went through withdrawal. The days were long; the nights were longer. But I never once wished to be in another hospital. The care we received from Dr. Jo Ann Matory, the nurse practitioners, the residents and the occupational therapist was phenomenal. They spent time with us answering all of our questions, day in and day out. We never felt like an imposition and truly believed we were a part of Max’s care team. The nurses taught my husband and me how to care for our new son. The anxiety we felt in the first few days was overwhelming. But each of the nurses took time to educate us on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. In this case, knowledge truly is power. They shared their own tips and tricks for dealing with a newborn and what to look for regarding withdrawal once we went home. The nurses in the NICU are clearly dedicated to the mission of Eskenazi Health, which is reflected in the years of service many of them have. I will treasure my conversations with Kellie, Colleen, Amanda Lu, Laura and many others. They helped put my worried mind at ease so many times. And, I truly believe Sabrina Quigley was our guardian angel. Not only did she help Max’s birth mom find Adoption Support Center, she took personal care of us. She would stop in each day to make sure we were OK. I’m not sure what we would have done without her walking us through this process. I appreciate her so much for not only caring for Max, but us too.

Second only to the staff is the beautiful building we had the pleasure of experiencing. When I walked in the hospital each day, I noticed something new. From all the natural light, to the artwork, to the pet therapy program, to the music in the lobby, to the farmer’s market, to the outside seating areas, the hospital is just gorgeous. If I had to be anywhere for that amount of time that wasn’t a beach, I’m extremely grateful it was this facility. The citizens of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana are blessed beyond measure to have such a beautiful health care facility available. The connection between mind, body and spirit is very present within the walls of Eskenazi Health.

I find it fitting that Max was born at Eskenazi Health. I began my career at Wishard Health Services in 2002 and had the pleasure of working in the Marketing and Communications Department for three years. I left Wishard to pursue a career opportunity in Terre Haute. Little did I know how those three years would impact my entire career. The lessons I learned during my time as an employee still resonate with me today. When I learned Max had been born at Eskenazi, I knew without a doubt he was in good hands. And, in a sense, I felt part of my story had come full circle.

As a small token of our appreciation, my husband and I have made a donation to the Eskenazi Health Foundation Grateful Patient Giving Program in honor of the NICU physicians and nurses. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for doing what you do every day to make health care accessible in Indianapolis. It is because of your amazing staff and some divine intervention that Isaac and I have the pleasure of raising Max. We don’t know what the future will hold for him, but I know without a doubt it is brighter because of all the love and care he received as a patient at Eskenazi Health. Thank you!