An Indiana mother was inspired to change careers after her second child was diagnosed with congenital heart defects and spent nearly two months in a neonatal intensive care unit.
With February being Heart Month, Calley Burnett is sharing her personal story to raise awareness about congenital heart defects, something she had no idea her son Spencer would have when he was born on July 26, 2016.
Burnett, who previously worked for a family business, is now a NICU nurse at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, the same hospital where Spencer was sent for further care days after his birth.
Burnett’s positive experience with the Riley nurses and doctors who cared for Spencer left an indelible mark on her and in 2019, the mom of two decided to go back to nursing school and become a registered nurse.
"Spencer was born with congenital heart defects and that led my way into the nursing program after just being bedside for several weeks with Spencer at Riley," the 39-year-old told "Good Morning America."
Burnett said even though it was a "very scary" time for her while Spencer was in the NICU, she and her family had a team of caring health providers who were dedicated to helping Spencer through his many treatments and hurdles.
Spencer had to be treated for multiple heart defects, including coarctation of the aorta, ventricular septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus. This meant a part of Spencer’s aorta was narrower than usual, he had an unclosed hole in his aorta and he also had a hole in the wall separating the two ventricles of his heart.
According to Burnett, Spencer needed to have a closed-heart surgery in August 2016 before he was discharged. Nearly a year later, the boy also had an open-heart surgery in July 2017, all to treat the various heart issues he was born with.
"We had just phenomenal nurses there that I still talk to today … Their bedside manner and how they made me feel and the trust that I had and the bond that we had, it just opened my eyes to say, 'You know what, I think that this is something that I would love to do,'" Burnett explained.
It took Burnett, who had to take prerequisite classes, about two years to complete nursing school. The working mom said although it was "tough," the sacrifices and the hard work were "very well worth it."
After graduating, Burnett first took a job at another hospital but she knew she wanted to return to Riley, where the staff meant so much to her and Spencer.
"I knew immediately that I wanted to be with the babies. There's just something about being at Riley and being with kids and tiny little infants that I just knew that's where my heart was going to be as soon as I hit nursing school," Burnett said.
Today, Spencer is an active second grader who plays basketball and soccer.
"He is a very spunky 7-year-old. He's very athletic. He's always on the go, always making me laugh. He is just loving life," his mother told "GMA."
Burnett says she's staying on her toes as a NICU nurse at Riley, which she said "feels like home."
"It's a phenomenal feeling to be able to help the parents because I feel like I've been there. I can tell these moms and dads, 'Hey, I've been where you are and I understand.' And I just love it," she said.
For others inspired to take a turn in their own careers or to go into nursing themselves, Burnett said she encourages them to take the leap.
"If that is your passion. I would 100% follow [it]. It's worth it," she said. 'The journey is worth it. It's tough. But what you get back from it is a hundred times better."
