>> Mary: Babies come when babies come.
And some come not quite ready for this life.
And they need some support.
And that's where the NICU comes in.
>> The first 24 hours, they explained to me,
was going to be touch-and-go.
Both of them would need me to be strong,
and they would help me through it.
>> Some babies come and they aren't ready for this world.
And they're sick, or they're too early.
And that's also the role of the NICU,
to support those babies as they transition
from this life to whatever comes after this life.
>> While we were there, the time that we had
sort of together in the NICU.
You know, during that five or six hour period
after Connor was born.
Dr. Blechman was so intentional about making sure
that we were next to him, that we talked to him, you know.
That we touched him, that we had that time.
And I know that those memories have just meant
the world to us.
>> I've been at Howard County General for almost 28 years.
And in the NICU, I estimate that we probably
have taken care of about 11,000 babies.
But I believe that, as a physician, as a nurse,
as a nurse practitioner, any kind of healthcare provider,
it's more than just a job.
What you do at that moment in time
could be a determination for generations.
>> Yeah, he was critical from the moment he was born.
And he was there 72 days.
And it was an emotional, and mental,
and physical rollercoaster every single day.
We made it through, and so did David Junior.
>> Right now, as we're sitting here talking, right,
there are parents in the NICU,
terrified and as we were.
And the little ones are just fighting.
>> There's shock, there's disbelief,
and the feeling of complete helplessness.
And then they get thrust into an environment
which is high-tech.
Physicians that they don't know.
And providers and nurses they've never met before.
>> Respiratory rates have been fine 40 to 50.
>> So a lot of us are supporting the families
through their own emotional journey in a NICU.
That's very important.
>> The whole goal of what we do,
and we do the same thing for all of our families,
to set them on the path of parenthood,
whatever the circumstances.
>> We have an incredible responsibility.
And people are putting their trust in us.
And we have to do always, to do the absolute most
for every patient, all the time.
>> You want to give your child the best that you can.
And I think that we wholly believe
that that was what the NICU did for us.
And I think Dave and Eileen can attest to that, as well.
(cheerful cooing)
>> This is the hospital of Howard County.
And the people who live in Howard County,
there's great expectations.
Which is the reason why it became part of Hopkins.
And so what we have is the best clinical care
with the most experienced people.
Our nurses have 20 to 25 years NICU experience.
We have physicians, we have nurse practitioners,
who also have up to 25 years experience.
>> Well, to do this you have to have heart.
I'm sorry.
Heart and a lot of care.
>> I just feel like, for them as a team,
that they really love their work.
And they really care about the babies that come in there.
>> They literally stood by his bedside.
And I thought that was a heroic effort.
I really was just blown away by that.
>> I think as Connor's parents, you know,
as Connor's dad, right.
The moment that you meet him, right,
all I want to do is just protect him, you know.
I want to hold him, and I want to just,
no one else touch him, you know.
Like, I'll take care of this.
Of course, you can't.
Like, in that moment, he needed much more
than I could ever possibly provide.
I know, I 100% percent know
that Connor got every ounce of care
that he could possibly have hoped for.
>> I feel like we owe the-- >> Yeah.
>> We just owe it back. >> Right.
>> It's always actually a compliment to the work we do,
when someone appreciates it.
Not that we look for appreciation,
we don't look for anything.
And I think for the people who have the gratitude,
they get greater satisfaction that they themselves
have made an impact in the area that is meaningful to them.
>> We decided that we would help with the first piece
of equipment that he actually needed when he was born,
which was a ventilator that was small enough
to work on a preemie the size that he was when he was born.
>> On Connor's first birthday,
we knew we wanted to do something.
Just, if there was anything that we could do.
And so, we were able to donate bedside iPads in the NICU.
>> Parents who continue to do things in their child's name.
That is how they continue to parent that child.
>> And so they have Connor's name on 'em.
So we just love knowing that he's there, you know.
He's takin' care of others, and you know,
we were able to make that happen.
We're really grateful.
>> Mary: We care for every family that needs our support
the very same way.
We take care of all of them.
Every baby matters.
Every baby matters, because that child is someone's child.
(somber piano music)