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09-03-2018 05:45 PM - edited 09-03-2018 06:52 PM
California nurse meets baby she helped save 28 years ago – and he's a doctor
Stanford's Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, in a post that exploded on Facebook, says Vilma Wong recognized pediatric resident Brandon Seminatore's name when he was doing rounds at the hospital in San Jose.
Brandon Seminatore was born at Stanford Children's Hospital at just 29-weeks gestation and was cared for in the NICU nurse Vilma Wong in 1990. Now he's a second-year pediatric neurology resident at Lucile Packard ChildrenÕs Hospital Stanford. (Photo: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford)
Seminatore was born at the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit 29 weeks into his mother's pregnancy. He weighed a little more than 2 pounds.
"Fast forward nearly 30 years, and Vilma recognized Brandon’s name while he was rounding at our hospital. What a memory!" the Facebook post says.
Wong, 54, told The Mercury News she saw someone visiting with patients who had not checked in at the nurse station. She asked him who he was and thought his name sounded familiar. She pressed him, and he said he was born a preemie in the same hospital.
She thought she remembered him and asked him whether his father was a police officer.
“There was a big silence,’’ she said, "Then he asked if I was Vilma.’’
Brandon Seminatore was born at Stanford Children's Hospital at just 29-weeks gestation, and was cared for in the NICU nurse Vilma Wong in 1990. (Photo: Seminatore family photo)
Seminatore spent 40 days in NICU as an infant, checking out a healthy 5 pounds, 2 ounces. Wong says he has the same dark eyes and alert expression.
Wong says she loves her work and has no plans to retire. Having the opportunity later in life to meet a baby she had nurtured makes the job even better, she said.
“As a nurse,’’ she said, “it’s kind of like your reward.’’
The hospital's Facebook post drew more than 700 comments, hundreds of them from parents and fellow health care professionals lauding Wong's skill and dedication.
"Vilma was my daughter's primary nurse, I just simply love her!!!" wrote Monica Rodriguez Regalado. "She has a very special place in our hearts!!!"
Seminatore told the Mercury News he doesn't know for sure whether his rocky early weeks played a role in his decision to become a healer. But he was impressed by Wong.
“Meeting Vilma was a surreal experience,’’ he said. “She cares deeply for her patients, to the point that she was able to remember a patient’s name almost three decades later.’’
09-03-2018 06:18 PM
@feline groovy wrote:who specializes in kids 8)
California nurse meets baby she helped save 28 years ago – and he's a doctor
USA TODAYPublished 9:51 a.m. ET Sept. 3, 2018 | Updated 1:30 p.m. ET Sept. 3, 2018A California nurse who never forgot a premature baby she cared for early in her career has been reunited with her patient – now a doctor at the same hospital where he was born 28 years ago.
Stanford's Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, in a post that exploded on Facebook, says Vilma Wong recognized pediatric resident Brandon Seminatore's name when he was doing rounds at the hospital in San Jose.
Brandon Seminatore was born at Stanford Children's Hospital at just 29-weeks gestation and was cared for in the NICU nurse Vilma Wong in 1990. Now he's a second-year pediatric neurology resident at Lucile Packard ChildrenÕs Hospital Stanford. (Photo: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford)
Seminatore was born at the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit 29 weeks into his mother's pregnancy. He weighed a little more than 2 pounds.
"Fast forward nearly 30 years, and Vilma recognized Brandon’s name while he was rounding at our hospital. What a memory!" the Facebook post says.
Wong, 54, told The Mercury News she saw someone visiting with patients who had not checked in at the nurse station. She asked him who he was and thought his name sounded familiar. She pressed him, and he said he was born a preemie in the same hospital.
She thought she remembered him and asked him whether his father was a police officer.
“There was a big silence,’’ she said, "Then he asked if I was Vilma.’’
Brandon Seminatore was born at Stanford Children's Hospital at just 29-weeks gestation, and was cared for in the NICU nurse Vilma Wong in 1990. (Photo: Seminatore family photo)
Seminatore spent 40 days in NICU as an infant, checking out a healthy 5 pounds, 2 ounces. Wong says he has the same dark eyes and alert expression.
Wong says she loves her work and has no plans to retire. Having the opportunity later in life to meet a baby she had nurtured makes the job even better, she said.
“As a nurse,’’ she said, “it’s kind of like your reward.’’
The hospital's Facebook post drew more than 700 comments, hundreds of them from parents and fellow health care professionals lauding Wong's skill and dedication.
"Vilma was my daughter's primary nurse, I just simply love her!!!" wrote Monica Rodriguez Regalado. "She has a very special place in our hearts!!!"
Seminatore told the Mercury News he doesn't know for sure whether his rocky early weeks played a role in his decision to become a healer. But he was impressed by Wong.
“Meeting Vilma was a surreal experience,’’ he said. “She cares deeply for her patients, to the point that she was able to remember a patient’s name almost three decades later.’’
Love this story. I can relate. My daughter was born at 26 weeks weighing 1 pound 7 0z. She was flown to UCSF shortly after birth from the area hospital I gave birth at. She spent 2 1/2 months in NICU and then returned to the hospital where she was born because she didn't need NICU anymore, just to grow and gain a little more weight. That's where we met up again with the nurse who was there when I delivered, Debbie. She was so pleased to see my daughter again and how well she did. Debbie was also the nurse who discharged her the day she came home in July weighing a little oer 4 pounds.
09-03-2018 06:49 PM
I love stories like this. If only the media concentrated more on these types of stories, instead of the horrific stories we hear on a regular basis.
09-03-2018 07:18 PM
When my mom was in recovery from her third hip replacement, the nun / nurse attending to her was quite old. I was able to read her name and couldn’t believe my eyes ! I remembered my mom telling me this name.
I introduced myself to the sister and told her she had delivered me in this very hospital ! Small world 🌎 !
09-03-2018 07:49 PM
I love this story. Thanks for posting.
09-04-2018 06:44 AM
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