Our newest and first addition, baby M, is the most special thing to happen to us. A lot of thanks need to be expressed to the wonderful staff we had the pleasure of being surrounded by at Northwestern Medicine in Huntley.

Throughout our admission, beginning early Friday to discharge Sunday afternoon, the hospitality of the staff made us feel so comfortable and like "family" during this new and trying time of our lives. In this letter, I want to bring two nurses to light and recommend them for the DAISY Award for the incredible care and friendship they displayed during our visit.

The first nurse we would like to give recognition to is the nurse we had during the day Friday and Saturday: Bri with the labor and delivery unit. Bri was absolutely incredible. She first came in to start her day shift and my wife was already starting to have contractions that she couldn't quite stand the pain of. Bri jumped right in to ask if there was anything she could do and made it clear to us that if there was anything we needed to please let her know and she would be there. Being that this was our first child, we didn't quite know what to expect other than what we have heard from other people. Bri was very comforting, very calm about what was going on, and she made my wife feel like there was always someone there to help.

Bri was not only warm and welcoming to my wife, but me as well. She made the whole experience less stressful for both of us, seeing that we had no idea what to expect. The labor was tough on my wife, but Bri always seemed to be there whenever she needed some words of encouragement through the pain. Her passion to help did not stop after our daughter was born. During recovery, Bri took on a different role of caretaker for all three of us. My wife was still in lots of pain, but Bri made sure that she was as comfortable as possible. Not only did Bri help her to and from the bathroom, but she took good care of M throughout all the tests she had to perform on her, and helped answer ANY questions we had as new parents. I could talk endlessly about the passion, professionalism, and friendship that Bri showed us. She set the bar very high for our hopeful future labor experiences and I only hope that she can be there for us when that day comes again. To top off how great she was, she wasn't even set to work the floor we were on when we were discharged, but she made it a point to come to say goodbye to us and her newest friend, M.

Looking back on our stay, and I know my wife would agree, it is a nurse like her, who makes scary and unknown experiences like that in the hospital, worthwhile and comforting. She deserves this award and I can't help but think this will be one of many for her.

The second Nurse we would like to nominate is Kelsey, also in the labor and delivery unit. Kelsey was our night nurse Friday and Saturday. Labor and the birth of M was a big moment for us and our first couple of nights with our newborn brought on so many different emotions. Both the biggest and most noticeable for me and my wife was fear. Were we cut out for this? What do we do now? What do we do if she cries? Those are just a few questions I had for myself and I am sure other new parents have. But Kelsey had all of the answers for us. She was also incredible, friendly, professional, smart, and just cared about us. The first night we were so overwhelmed that we couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep, let alone relax. We were on a high alert for our daughter because she had been spitting up fluid and it scared us to death. Kelsey checked on us constantly and was always there to reassure us that it was going to be okay. Because M was spitting up, it had taken a toll on us. It was our first night with the baby and we just felt defeated and lost. Kelsey not only recommended a gastric lavage for M (which ended up helping tremendously) but she offered to watch her for a few hours so that we could get some much-needed rest.

Kelsey's quick thinking, problem-solving, and ability to sense when my wife needed to be comforted are what make her such a fantastic nurse and candidate for this Award. My wife and I were so surprised at her willingness to help overnight but couldn't be more thankful for her offer.

Kelsey was someone we had met just hours before but she made us feel like we had been friends forever. She was easy to talk to and made asking the difficult, awkward questions very easy. Even if she didn't know the answer she was willing to stop at nothing to get you the answer to make you as comfortable as possible. Kelsey disclosed to us that she had prior experience at other hospitals working in the NICU. The information not only made us even more comfortable that M was under her care but also showed us that she absolutely loves what she does.

Kelsey had so much love for our newborn and one can only assume that she treats all other patients and their babies the same way. She is another nurse that made our experience unforgettable. We hope to have her again in the future.

I can't thank the staff at Northwestern Medicine Huntley enough for their unforgettable amount of care for us during our stay. And I can't stress enough how lucky and blessed we were to have had those two angels, Bri and Kelsey, as our nurses. I would recommend that both for the DAISY Award as they fully deserve to be recognized for their outstanding care and concern. They made our first experience as parents with a newborn one that we would choose Northwestern Medicine Huntley for over and over again.