As Ed Moseley put it, “I got a lot of enjoyment doing this.”
An 86-year-old man’s efforts have made a significant difference in the quality of sleep for over 300 premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.
Dogwood Forest Assisted Living resident Ed Moseley of Acworth, Georgia, taught himself to knit so that he could offer warm hats to the babies for the holidays.
In an interview with ABC News, Moseley explained that she convinced her daughter to purchase a kit that includes the appropriate tools and a loom of the appropriate size. “All I did was follow the directions. It was simple. Even though I’d never knitted before and thought about needles whenever I thought about it, I thought this would be a good first project. I think I went through three iterations before I got the final result I was hoping for.
In answer to the challenge from his living community to knit as many hats as possible for the hospital, he personally made 55 colorful and cozy infant caps by the time he was completed.
It was a challenge from corporate headquarters to determine how many knit baby camps each town could manufacture, according to JoAn Hobbs, the executive director of the facility. “Out of the eight communities, it appears that only Dogwood Forest actually participated, even though the goal was 200 caps for all of them.”
Much of the credit for that goes to Moseley. Being a newly retired engineer, he eagerly embraced the challenge and went above and above by teaching his fellow residents how to do the same.
He remarked, “I must be a lousy instructor because I didn’t get much takers,” before laughing.
The parents of those premature babies were incredibly grateful for the 300 caps that Moseley brought to the NICU on Thursday, thanks to the assistance of one of his caregivers, other members of staff, friends, and relatives.
“It means a lot to us because this is our second stint in the NICU,” commented Doug Bunt, who received his youngest son, Matthew, on Nov. 12. A little girl of five years old spent fifty-four days up there. When we hear that other people are concerned about the safety of these babies—our babies—it makes us feel good. What this dad is doing to assist the children is very remarkable.
The special care nursery’s clinical manager, Linda Kelly, commented, “It’s great to receive these wonderful gifts” on behalf of the Northside Hospital team, who care for over 2,000 preterm children annually.
“It all seems less like a hospital when a nurse puts the hat on the little baby’s head or leaves a gift at the bedside,” she went on to say. Parents and guardians must remember that their child is a human being first and foremost, and not a patient. Getting the families to that point will be made easier with this.
Moseley appreciated the chance to get some work done as he watches golf on TV, another of his favorite things to do.
“When someone acknowledges and values your efforts, it elicits a positive emotional response,” he stated. I have progressed to huge caps since I found this really enjoyable. For all my grandkids, I am making caps.
