Nurse Adopts A NICU Preemie Who Didn’t Have Any Visitors For 5 Months
A baby who had a difficult start in life hit the jackpot when she was adopted by one of the nurses that cared for her. Eight month old Giselle was a ward of the state, and had already been at the hospital for five months. Born premature and weighing a little below 2 pounds, she was also diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome.
Born in July 2016, the state of Massachusetts took custody of Gisele on her third month and transferred her to the neonatal intensive care unit of the Franciscan Children’s hospital.
There, Giselle spent months in the hospital’s neonatal care ward, never receiving any visitors or anyone to wish her well. Hospital staff cared deeply for the little girl, eventually introducing her to Nurse Liz Smith.
Liz quickly developed a strong bond with Gisele.
Always wanting to be a mother, Liz was heartbroken to learn that she was not an ideal choice for invitro fertilization.
“Since the moment I met her, there was something behind her striking blue eyes capturing my attention,” Liz told The Washington Post. “I felt that I needed to love this child and keep her safe.”
Social services were trying to place Gisele in foster care when Smith saw the baby. She knew the moment she saw the infant, “I’m going to foster this baby. I’m going to be her mother.”
This was not exactly the way Smith envisioned her life as a mother. She had a nurturing and caring nature, and always thought that motherhood would be in her future.
Growing up in Andover, Massachusetts, at 19 Smith lost her mother to liver illness. She decided to honor her mother by following her example.
“My mom was a pediatric nurse who always put others first. So I grew up wanting to be a nurse, too.” Smith was a middle child with two brothers and two sisters, and when her siblings started having families of their own, she was dismayed when she did not follow suit.
When Gisele was 9 months old, Smith was able to her Gisele home, with the agreement that the state would still endeavor to reunite her with her birth parents.
The state soon determined that Gisele’s parents couldn’t care for her, paving the way for the baby’s adoption. Smith was both thrilled and saddened by the development.
Gisele’s adoption was completed in October 2018. The judge presiding over the occasion noted that while a birth is a miracle, an adoption is destiny. The judge’s words fully sum up how Liz feels about welcoming Gisele into her family.
When asked about Gisele’s current condition, Liz says that the child is thriving, and doctors are astounded by the progress she has made after such a difficult start in life.
Gisele also gave a bit of advice to viewers, telling them that setbacks and life deviating from your original plan is no reason to stop looking for all the wonderful opportunities around you
Source:apost.com
