The journey was not easy, it took lots patience persistence, dedication and commitment to become A Grady Rocker but none of that, compared to the joy, peace and purpose that came to me on my first day as a Grady Rocker.
I arrived at Grady Hospital in Downtown, Atlanta Georgia thirty mins early than my scheduled time to be there, I wanted to make sure I wasnt late because of the storm that was in the air and was supposed to get worse. I sat down right near the Hopsitals Gift shop where I was told to meet the person who is the Grady Rocker Coordinator for my orientation since it was my first day.
My Coordinator was so patient and kind to me the entire time I was processing to become a Grady Rocker, I looked forward to meeting her. I had my Volunteer badge in my pocketbook, and so I opened my purse and I “eyeballed” my badge, as my great friend Loraine would say when she wanted to physically look at something. I sat patiently waiting to meet the Coordinator, and she had time, I was there early remember.
I watched everyone come in the Hospital Entrance I came in and when I saw the lady who I thought was my Coordinator I called her name out softly and she turned around, I knew it was her, and she was as nice and kind to me as she had always been through these months of leading me through processing via email and a phone conversation.
We took off to the elevators, and she explained to me all the way there what I needed to do, and what I needed to know to get to and in the NICU ward with them BABIES! Needless to say, I was excited, it was my first time and it had been a long anticipated wait and to finally be getting to do the thing Ive been waiting to do after having all kinds of lab tests done and fingerprints submitted and background checks completed and then badging, I was ready!
Finally, we arrive to the area where the babies were and the nurse in charge or so she seemed, tells us, there’s an area in need of assistance right now, and we head that way, we get over there an another nurse directs us into a room where babies are, my Coordinator shows me where the gloves are and where the paper gowns are and she helps me get into the gown, I sit in the Rocking Chair, and the nurse after changing a little baby boy, asks me what arm would I like for her to put the little bundle of joy in, she with the utmost of care places him in my left arm, I now I just want everyone to go away and leave us alone. I cant remember who left first, Oh! I remember, it was the nurse because the coordinator took a picture of us, and it was such a lovely picture and soon she left and went to find a baby to rock, but before she left see pointed out the time on the monitor for me to watch so we’d know when our 2 hrs would be up and she’d return so we could leave out together.
Now my little baby boy, his stomach was a little messed up, I could tell because he was moving in unrest and would ball up and I could feel him going in his diaper as his stomach cramped up, I tried to relax him as I held him, I told the nurse when she peeped in on us and she thought it too soon since she had just changed him, but he and I knew better and I just continued to try and make him comfortable. As miserable as he had to be he didnt cry, he just looked away like someone miserable and just holding on would do. I sung to him and told him he was strong like a lion and that he would pull through, then I sung the “Yes Jesus loves me” song, then went into singing the “ABC’s” song, I dont know why, probably just because its smooth and melodic. He never really looked at me, like he didnt know I had a face. The nurse said he had been there 50 days, so he had come a along ways but 50 days without being held my your mother, I guess at this point it wasn’t something he looked forward to, but I was there and in the 2 hrs I had I was going to wrap my arms around him and hold him in a love, I hope he remembers. I began saying the, “Our Father” pray. I forgot to tell you, it was 2 mins after being in my arms that he started to hiccup, and that coupled with the cramping bowl releases was a lot for him to endure, so I quickly got to praying that away and it ceased and I thanked God.
I focused his eyes because I kept looking at him in the face, holding him up to me enough so I could let him see my face and eyes as I kept pushing his little hat away from his eyes, I called his name out a few times lightly to him, and told him again how strong he was, I said he was strong like a lion, and that he was King, and a mighty man who would be great and loving and kind, oh I went on whispering positive things to him and then back to singing. When the nurse came around I got her to change him, and when he got back to my arms this time we were good and he now was ready to rest the hiccups were gone and the stomach cramps had dissipated to just a little passing of bubbled gas and he was in a better place.
The nurse kept peeping in and then she asked if Id like to feed him, just when I thought he was acting like he was ready to eat, and I was wondering if they would allow us Volunteers to feed the babies, I know I hoped so, and when she asked I said, Oh! Yes please and felt overjoyed.
The nurse showed me how they wanted us to hold the babies, it was out on the arm instead of in the arms, it was out on the arms with the baby’s head turned to the side facing you and on softest of napkins, and the body kind of tucked in on your side, I was sitting so it was a comfortable position, but he was a very slow eater, I ve never seen or could imagine that, but he was in ICU and all that he went through and was going through had him quite tired but he was a fighter and together we made it through most of the first little bottle and half of the next, he did it, it took a while but we got it done, and this time he went to sleep and I got to hold him some more with him peacefully resting. And then, the minutes flew by and my time was up.
I am ever so so grateful for the time spent with baby boy, I can only hope that time helped him as much as it helped me, he’ll be gone by the next time I get back, and thats a good thing, because that will mean he is strong enough to leave the hospital, and as I am going to pray, leaving in the loving arms of his family or those that will love on him and keep him safe, In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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