There has been a lot of judgment placed on Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas over the past month surrounding the Ebola scare. As someone who has depended on Presby during some of the most critical times in my life, I feel it is important to speak up in support of one of Dallas’ most valuable resources.
My husband and I struggled with infertility for years. We eventually found ourselves in a fertility clinic at Presbyterian Hospital. When you are dealing with something as complex and precious as someone’s embryonic cells, there has to be complete trust and confidence in the doctor and embryologists handling the procedure, and that couldn’t have been more true at Presby. Unlike other clinics I had experienced where you have very limited interaction with your doctor, my Presby doctor performed every sonogram or procedure, was at every appointment and returned all of my phone calls. His office provided complete discretion in a warm and welcoming environment. Not only did my physician and his team successfully produce a pregnancy, they continued to monitor and support me throughout my pregnancy.
At 19½ weeks of pregnancy (with twins), a specialist at the hospital discovered I had an incompetent cervix, which had it not been discovered would have ended in a late-term miscarriage. The specialist immediately put me on hospital bed rest. There I was in bed, unable to get up except for one bathroom break a day, in the ante-partum unit of Presbyterian. Despite the constant fear of premature delivery and the undeniable discomfort of having to be on my back 24 hours a day, the quality of care I received from those nurses and the attention to my needs and the needs of my family made those five weeks manageable and gave me great comfort. Unfortunately, regardless of the incredible care I received, my body couldn’t hold on to the pregnancy, and I delivered both boys at 24 weeks gestation.
I began the next phase of my life with Presbyterian Hospital in the neonatal intensive care unit. There is nothing more terrifying than seeing your babies in the NICU. Undoubtedly, the worst part is the feeling of complete helplessness. Here are your babies struggling to live, and there is nothing you can do. You are at the mercy of the NICU staff. All you can do is rely on the expertise and professionalism of the care team treating your child. Thank God I was at Presby.
For the next 2½ months, the NICU staff would work tirelessly to keep my children alive. With compassion and complete professionalism, they would answer endless questions, answer anxious phone calls at all hours of the night, monitor minute changes in my children’s condition, and perform complex surgical procedures with microscopic tools. I could not have dreamed up a more talented, capable, compassionate, expert team. Despite their best efforts, one of our beautiful boys passed away due to rare complications of prematurity. Our other miracle child came home in October 2012. Today he is a perfect, healthy 2-year-old.
So tonight I lie here, holding my son, reflecting on how far he has come and feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for Presbyterian Hospital. To all of the nurses, doctors and care team at Presby, I’ll never be able to give in return what you have given to me. I am forever grateful, inspired and amazed by what you do. I am forever #Presbystrong.
Elayne Esterline works in the nonprofit sector in Dallas. Reach her at eesterline@gmail.com.
