NICU Graduate Spotlight: Welcoming New Life Via An Unexpected Journey

Thirty-two weeks pregnant with her first child, in a new house – the nursery not quite set up – and with her husband out of town in Albuquerque, Graciela Aparicio was folding clothes when something suddenly didn’t feel right.

With Graciela rightfully feeling concerned, her father-in-law drove her to Memorial Medical Center in the middle of the night. Adding to the already hectic and stressful situation at-hand was the fact that Graciela was not planning to deliver at Memorial. In fact; none of her prenatal care had occurred at Memorial. Her father-in-law had mistakenly driven her to the wrong hospital.

But the situation Graciela and her husband, Joshua Jimenez, never foresaw or the place that they never expected to be ultimately turned into a wonderful six-week stay at MMC that they will always remember. Their stay included a baby shower hosted with the help of staff, special newborn photos, above-and-beyond sleeping and meal accommodations, and, most importantly, incredible care for Graciela and baby Dante that was full of the human touch.

“It was a very emotional and challenging time for our family, and we are incredibly grateful for the care, support, and kindness we received during his stay,” Graciela said. “We felt like family here.”

Graciela and Joshua recalled those frenetic moments as they lovingly held Dante, who is now thriving at almost 6 months old.

In the two weeks while Graciela was hospitalized at Memorial leading up to Dante’s induced birth, she said her nerves about having a preterm baby were continually calmed by the Labor & Delivery team. With no other family nearby, her nurses befriended her, reassured her, listened to her, and advocated for both her physical and mental health – the focus on mental well-being particularly appreciated during such a lengthy stay.

“We even had a little baby shower here at the hospital,” said Joshua, who himself was born at Memorial. “The nurses gave her a gift, which means everything to me. It’s a stuffed animal that we carry on the car seat all the time to remember them.”

After his birth, Dante transitioned from the Labor and Delivery Unit to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) so he could receive help breathing. The superb care continued from there, from the NICU nurses to the respiratory therapists to the lactation consultants who helped Graciela through all the ups and downs of breastfeeding her first child. The couple was continually impressed with how prepared and capable the whole team was, no matter the time of day.

“We used to come in at midnight, at 3 in the morning to be with Dante. And it didn't matter the time,” Joshua said. “They were professionals with the baby and with us. It didn't matter if they had an emergency. They made us feel that we were important and would always ask us what else we needed.”

A  HOSA – Future Health Professional teacher at Centennial High School, Joshua said he shares these lessons and stories about the tremendous care they received with his students. Their experience proves that some things, like empathy, human connection and compassion, can never be replaced with technology or AI.

The family recognizes and chats with Memorial team members out and about in the community quite often, and very much looks forward to attending the 11^th annual NICU Reunion later this month as they celebrate Dante and thank the caregivers who so lovingly welcomed him into the world.