OGDEN, Utah — A special celebration was held Saturday at the Ogden Regional Medical Center. Fox 13 was there as the nurse cheered on a tiny patient who had been with them the past 113 days.
“It’s a day of celebration and I’m so thankful everyone has shown up, like this whole journey has shown up,” Mom Pilar Haskell said.
A Nebraska native here in Ogden for work with Northrup Grumman. She is a composite technician working on many of the jets at nearby Hill Air Force Base. She says Ogden Regional became her home away from home going through something so frightening.
“Just not even having that family support here since we’re here alone here in Utah It really has made a difference and we’re so excited to take her home!!!!”
Baby Pilar, named after both her mom and grandma, has quadrupled her birth weight in the last few months at the NICU, born March 14th at just a pound and a half.
“She’s over 6! She’s 6.2 so she’s really thriving,” Mom Pilar said while beaming.
“This is the best reason to celebrate,” RN Nikki Ryan added.
She is the NICU nurse that has been with the family since the very beginning.
“We celebrate everything in the NICU, so today is really special. For a baby whose mom’s water broke at 22 weeks, and who was born at 24, for that baby to go home and have mom and dad walk her out of here is such a huge celebration.”
Nikki says for her, it’s personal, delivering her own baby prematurely inspiring her to go to nursing school and do the job she does today, here at Ogden Regional the past 5 years.
“Working in the NICU is personal to me. I know what it feels like to drive away from the hospital and leave your baby there,” Ryan said.
Trusting the medical team that helped her then, knowing the truth others now put in her, “I’m just honored to be a part of this team that’s been so much bigger than just me. It takes a village.”
She pointed out the multiple neonatologists, occupational, speech and respiratory therapists, and so many nurses who all work around the clock to help these little ones make it to a day like today and another big step toward a healthy future.
Mom Pilar said it has been quite a journey, spending many days and nights crying just hoping her baby would stay alive, now looking more down the road.
“Making sure even after I’m not here, that she’s able to take care of herself. You never know what developmental challenges she might have. So, it’s been scary and it’s still scary.”
Baby Pilar’s parents thanked the nurses and everyone at Ogden Regional for getting them to this point.
Ogden Regional Medical Center has what’s called a Level 3 NICU unit and can treat babies as just 22 weeks into pregnancy.
