2-year-old baby Sophie was normal and healthy until May 18, 2017.
When Sophie got sick, parents Shelby and Jonathan thought she was just suffering from allergies.
Doctor suspected asthma as she struggled to breathe. However it would soon become clear that things was much worse. Sophie was due to have an allergy test a few days later but unfortunately it never happened.
One night she just stopped breathing, her parents immediately called an ambulance. Moments later they raced to the hospital only for doctors to confirm that Sophie suffered from something much worse than asthma and allergies.
Doctors discovered a softball-sized mass in little Sophie’s chest. She had developed T-cell lymphoma. Cancer. She was suddenly in the fight of her life.
Sadly, aggressive chemotherapy couldn’t stop her cancer from spreading. The treatments impacted Sophie’s ability to walk, talk, use her hands and eat.
When the young girl Sophia fought for her life, her parents spent countless hours by her daughter’s side in the hospital.
Her mom Shelby, keeps watch by her daughter’s side at all times as her only concern how Sophie was being treated as weak body needed a stem cell transplant.
During this difficult time her mother noticed a special nurse try so hard to go unnoticed as Shelby watched.
After Shelby had snapped a photo while the nurse’s back was turned, she posted the picture on Facebook page that the parents hade created to document Sophie’s fight against the disease.
“I see you,” Shelby wrote as she revealed everything she witnessed during her daughter’s care.
Mom Shelby writes:
“I see you. I sit on this couch all day long and, I see you. You try so hard to be unnoticed by me and my child.
I see your face drop a little when she sees you and cries. You try so many ways to ease her fears and win her over. I see you hesitate to stick her or pull bandaids off. You say ‘No owies’ and ‘I’m sorry’ more times in one day than most people say ‘thank you’..
”I see all of those rubber bracelets on your arms and wrapped around your stethoscope, each one for a child that you’ve cared for and loved.
I see you stroke her little bald head and tuck her covers around her tightly. I see you holding the crying mom that got bad news. I see you trying to chart on the computer while holding the baby whose mom can’t-or won’t be at the hospital with her.”
“You put aside what’s happening in your life for 12 hours straight to care for very sick and something’s dying children. You go into each room with a smile no matter what’s happening in there. You see Sophie’s name on the schedule and come to check on us even when she isn’t your patient.
”You call the doctor, blood bank, and pharmacy as many times as necessary to get my child what she needs in a timely manner. You check on me as often as you check on her. You sit and listen to me ramble for 10 minutes even though your phone is buzzing and your to do list is a mile long.”
“I see you. We all see you. No amount of snack baskets or cards can fully express how appreciated you are. You are Jesus to us every single day. Our children wouldn’t get what they need without you. Moms like me wouldn’t feel sane or heard without you. You save our babies and we couldn’t do this without you.”
Shelby’s heartfelt message not only made the nurses she wrote the post for, but also other parents who had similar experiences touched. Everyone also saw that the nurses are the backbone of the pediatric unit.
These nurses jobs are unimaginably difficult as they live through the worst times of any parent’s life, over and over again, every day.
Sadly, Sophie never got the chance to grow old and say ‘thank you’ to all the nurses who fought to keep her alive.
Her tiny body just couldn’t handle all the treatments and the aggressive cancer.
0n December 22, 2017, she again relapsed and the family decided to withdraw treatment. Sophie was done.
Sophie’s parents got 13 days of cuddling, reading, singing, watching movies, and loving until Sophie passed away in their arms on January 4, 2018.
”My goal through this entire process has been to be transparent and honest and shine light on what really goes on during a battle against cancer. I haven’t sugarcoated the bad days but, I’ve also been able to show the great work the Lord has done throughout this. I hope to continue to do that as we continue on without her”, says Shelby.
