Shelby Skiles has penned a thank you letter and it is something which every parent needs to read.
The letter is directed toward the nurses of her daughter's hospital, but we believe that every person should take a minute to remember how kind and caring these professionals are.
Shelby's two-year-old girl, Sophie, suffered with a dry cough but when it was checked out the tot was diagnosed with asthma and scheduled for allergy testing.
However, two months later the youngster stopped breathing, being rushed to hospital her family soon found out Sophie had a tumour on her chest.
Following this, Sophie was admitted for chemotherapy, spending weeks in hospital being treated by various medical professionals who were the inspiration for Shelby's letter.
"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 band aids 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."
Mum wants the medics to know that she truly sees how much they care for the kids, how they try to keep their innocence by playing games, how they help soothe their pain to the best of their abilities.
"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."
"You put aside what's happening in your life for 12 hours straight to care for very sick and sometimes dying children. You go into each room with a smile no matter what's happening in there."
However, what Shelby appreciates even more is that while Sophie is the patient, these nurses understand how tough it is on parents too, spending time quenching parents' fears.
And this is why Shelby wants all nurses to know that she sees them, because without them she would be a little more lost: "I see you hold tiny hands."
"Change dirty sheets, translate medical talk for parents, and wipe your eyes coming out of a particularly hard room. I see you put on gloves, masks, and a gown then pause before you hang an IV bag of poison chemo for my kid."
"I see you. We all see you."
Shelby concludes that no amount of snacks or cards can ever express how much these people mean to families or how much they will truly appreciate the work they done for their kids.
"You are Jesus to us every single day. Our children wouldn't get what they need without you. Mums like me wouldn't feel sane or heard without you."
"You save our babies and we couldn't do this without you."
