Mallory Haji, NP, Parkview Physician's Group, and Shamir Haji, MD, Neurocritical Care and Stroke Director, Parkview Health, were like any first-time parents–excited, nervous and hopeful. "I think the emotions of going into delivery for the first time are really complex," Mallory said. "It's kind of the wide range of everything, from excitement to anxiety, to fear, to pure happiness that you've waited all this time for. This little person to join you."
"You go through nine months of watching the person you love the most deal with changes in their body, and you try to be supportive, and it's an adventure," Shamir said.
The Hajis welcomed their son, Ehsan, on May 25, 2024. Unfortunately, their delivery story included complications for both Mallory and Ehsan. "They both needed to go to a higher level of care," Shamir said. Ehsan had trouble with his breathing and Mallory had complications related to extracting the rest of the placenta, which required surgical intervention.
"I heard someone ask if they could get a pulse," Mallory recalled through tears. "And I wasn't really sure where I was. Was I in my body, or was I in between? From that point on, I don't really remember much."
While Shamir was incredibly grateful for the skill and attention his wife and son received at Parkview Hospital Randallia, he was thankful they could be transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center, where Ehsan could be admitted to the NICU and Mallory could receive post-op care under the same roof.
But it wasn't close enough for the new mother. "When I woke up, the news came," she said. "You are on so many antibiotics and transfusions that you can't go upstairs. We were one floor apart at PRMC — between the NICU and labor and delivery — but gosh, having that little one be inside of you for 10 months and then all of a sudden, you're separated. It could have been from here to the moon. It was too far."
With time, both Ehsan and Mallory were well enough to go home. But the team they encountered in the NICU left a powerful impression. "The NICU nurses, the way that they never let me feel like I missed a beat and gave me such positive reinforcement that I was doing everything right, even though I didn't know what I was doing," Mallory said. "It meant everything."
Shamir echoed the sentiment. "The NICU has a special place in our hearts because it gave us one of Ehsan's most cherished caregivers. You're always looking for a blessing in a difficult circumstance, and Kendyll is certainly one of those blessings."
Kendyll Goebel, RN, was one of Ehsan's NICU nurses. When it was time for Mallory to go back to work, Kendyll answered the call to watch the four-month-old when it aligned with her work schedule.
"The NICU is a very special unit in that we not only connect with the babies, but we also build a very strong relationship with the families and parents," Kendyll said.
It meant the world to Mallory. "I was feeling uncertain about how to go back to work when you don't have someone you know is there a hundred percent for your child. Having Kendyll was such a weight off our shoulders. When she showed up, I could have cried. I was so happy to see her and welcome her into our house."
It wasn't a tough job for Kendyll. "It's been a very sweet experience to see him go from being on the respiratory support and working on feeds to now being a thriving, almost 1-year-old. He's a bubbly boy. I'd say we have a pretty special bond."
The whole experience has given Shamir and Mallory, who both serve patients at Parkview, a different perspective on the important work they do. "Every day, all of us go through different challenges," he said, "and looking at your child and watching him grow, just helps you put everything into perspective. We can be here to take care of him. He's healthy. It gives us an opportunity to say thank you to all of the folks that were involved in his care."
