There are some patients you never forget. Such is the case for a California nurse who never forgot a premature baby she cared for early in her career. 28 years later, she has been reunited with her patient – now a doctor at the same hospital where he was born.
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.
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.’’
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.’’
Thanks for posting this heartfelt story. I was moved to tears remembering my time as a NICU nurse 43 years ago. I had a little 3 Lb premie whose last name was Carter so I called him Peanut Carter and I still remember that he was born near Christmas but did not go home till March or April. His parents left the Christmas tree up till he came home and celebrated Christmas then. I ran into his mother when he was 6 or 7 and she showed me his picture and told me he was the smartest kid in his class. I would love to see him now as a man in his 40’s. I still have my picture of me holding him and bathing him at 3 lbs. Thanks for reminding me of that precious memory. Rhonda