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In This Issue:
BWH Bulletin's year-end issue is a time to highlight BWHers' proudest moments from the past year. We asked you to share one BWH-related memory from 2014 that was meaningful to you, and you offered touching stories about colleagues, patients, families, events and milestones that inspired you. We hope you enjoy these moments.
When Personal and Professional Worlds Collide
2014 became the year my personal life and my career at BWH came full circle. Pregnant with my son, I began labor at just 26 weeks while working here at BWH in Research Administration, where I work side-by-side with Real Estate and Facilities to plan research space at the Brigham. We can sometimes forget the larger purpose of our day-to-day tasks, but when this life event happened, I was quickly reminded of why I am so passionate about my career at BWH.
From the moment I was admitted, I was approached by investigators wanting to enroll my unborn son into research studies that could possibly benefit his lung development as he matured. Planning research space for eight years at BWH, I know how very important research is, so I gladly enrolled him without a second thought. As I worked from my laptop at bed rest, I was proud to see the new Brigham Building for the Future being built right outside my window, knowing this was my future in planning. (This also provided some distraction from my stress and anxiety about my impending early labor.) As the week went by and it was decided an emergency C-section was needed, my little Richie Cabrera (pictured) was born on April 1, 2014, exactly three months premature of his due date of July 1.
My life now was the NICU. For three months, I would be working and living in the NICU until little Richie could come home. The nurses became our second family, friends, support system and faith for my husband and eldest son to get through this time. Names that I had repeatedly seen on paper day-to-day in my career where no longer just names, but they were now doctors and nurses assigned to my little Richie. They were my hope and Richie's lifeline. The world from this angle was much different.
As I watched my child grow strong and awaited day after day for him to be released, I met people that I will never forget. I could not have dreamed of the team that we were so lucky to have for Richie. His primary nurses, Barbara Norton, RN, Kerrie McGonagle, RN, Cynthia Cahill, RN, and Fran Chafe, RN, were nothing short of amazing. I knew every second they were with him, he was receiving the best care possible. As my husband and I sat for hours gazing at Richie as he slept, we created special bonds with both Barbara and Kerrie. Time would pass as Kerrie would tell me funny stories of the different buildings and locations of the NICU over the years, and Barbara would give me pep talks and inspiration for my future goals with my career at BWH.
Barbara became my shining light in what could have been a very dark time. Every time I saw her face, I knew my son would be OK. In the NICU, every little activity counts. Barbara always took the time to match Richie's outfits with his bedding, and as silly as that sounds, this was so important to me. It meant to me she cared deeply about him. There was hardly anything we could do for him and I felt helpless at times, but Barbara made these small things important. One time at the very end of his hospital stay, she brought him to rounds to show the doctors just how well he was doing. She always had him by her side and called him her ‘little buttercup.' Barbara's encouragement, wisdom, care, honesty, passion and love are what every family and patient deserve. She will forever be in our lives; this experience was truly a shining moment.
In parallel to the time we spent in the NICU, my colleagues were in the process of redesigning the NICU, a major construction project. As space planning is my passion, I passed the time by asking and listening to the nurses about how they felt about the new plans, and got to think about how I felt as well, now being a parent of a NICU baby. This happened to be an inspiring moment for me, and made me ask myself how I could move forward with my career at BWH to help the patients and colleagues that I had become so passionate about because of this circumstance.
On June 27, Richie was released from the NICU. I returned to work at the end of September and have already been implementing my thoughts in the planning of the new Pediatric Research Clinic. This feels amazing. It's my career, my passion and my life.
I am happy to report Richie is 8 months old with a clean bill of health. Thank God and thank BWH.
ANDREA CABRERA
Manager, Research Space Management Group
Research Administration