I was pregnant with my first child when my blood pressure rose. I was rushed to Meriter by ambulance and admitted at only 29 weeks. Later that night I had a seizure. I don't remember anything for quite some time after that, but my son, Tait, was born 11 weeks early by emergency c-section. He weighed 2 pounds, 10 ounces.

I give praise and thanks every day to the doctors and nurses who cared for my son and me because we had a good outcome.

I was quite sick myself and did not get to see or hold Tait for a few days after his birth, the hardest days of my life. He was in the NICU for just under seven weeks.

The nurses were SO WONDERFUL! They got us through rough times, and we were fortunate not to have many. One nurse, Lee, was a real rock for us. She was our PM nurse so we talked to her every night we were there. And Buradette, the 3rd shift nurse who I would call almost every night to check on him as it was so tough to go home without a baby and not be able to be a "real" family.

We have kept in contact with Lee all these years (my son turned 8 on March 22!) through Christmas cards. Our family has added two more (girls - at Meriter) and Lee’s family has grown, time has flown by and we haven't seen each other since, but I'm sure, I know, she is providing terrific care and many pleasant memories for parents who are going through one of the toughest times they will ever go through.

Thanks so much, Meriter!

Kara