Kim was the night shift nurse that cared for our pregnant daughter, S, during the most difficult time of our lives. S was admitted to the hospital after Dr. Pankratz and Dr. Adam could not find a heartbeat for her baby. Rita had been our day shift nurse and Kim took over for the night shift. Kim is a loving, caring, compassionate nurse that truly cares about her patients. She spent a great deal of time with S and the rest of the family. We bonded with her because we could tell how much she cared about S and the rest of us.
The first night was spent trying to induce labor and it progressed slowly so Kim encouraged all of us to get some rest and made sure we were all comfortable. She watched over S and her care was outstanding. She went home the next morning assuring us she would see us that evening when she came back. When she returned for her night shift, she found that S had still not been able to give birth and was having a great deal of pain. She was an advocate for S making sure that she was given as much medication to dull the pain as possible. She was our coach! Her calm demeanor was so reassuring and helped guide us through a very painful and difficult delivery. She helped deliver our beautiful baby, O. He looked perfect! She helped Dr. Adam place him on S's chest so there would be time to bond. She cried with us, she hugged us, and she cared for us during our darkest hour. We had a lot of family (A Lot!) that came to the hospital and she made sure that they felt welcome.
Her care continued to include our beautiful baby. She and Ananda bathed him and arranged for a photographer to come and take pictures. They created molds of his feet and hands then delivered a box full of all the mementos for us to take home. She stood at our door during the night watching over us just like an angel! Actually, she is an angel! We were so fortunate to have her as our nurse and wanted to tell her how grateful we were for her wonderful, outstanding care. On top of that, she was at O's funeral and has continued to check on S. How lucky you are to have this wonderful nurse! Thank you, Kim, for everything!
S was admitted to Mary Lanning by a kind, compassionate, and very knowledgeable nurse, Rita Petska. S and I were immersed in grief and although both of us are nurses, I must admit we were scared to death. Rita calmed our fears by taking control of the situation, introducing herself, and then wrapping S in her arms. She took the time to clarify what we should expect and reassured us that she would be there with us during this difficult journey. She was empathetic and understanding, never brushing off our emotions. Her kindness and compassion for us as well as other members of our family were beyond what we ever expected. This was not the outcome we had hoped and dreamed of and Rita understood. At the end of her shift, Rita brought the night shift nurse in to tell her about us, not just S, but the whole family. She didn't have to read it off of a piece of paper because she had spent hours talking to us and learning all about us. She made us feel like we were the most important people in the hospital and asked the new nurse to do the same. Rita returned the next day to help us through the day. She spent a very long day with us. As we neared the time of delivery she continued to help us in every way possible. How lucky we were to have such a wonderful nurse such as Rita with a wealth of experience and expertise. She took this horrible situation and made it tolerable. But to top it off, Rita took the time to attend our beautiful O's funeral. S saw her and the other nurses that came to the service when we walked into the church. Can you imagine how she felt? We were so grateful. We will never forget what she did for us and will never be able to thank her enough!

The first nurse to greet us was kind and compassionate Deidra. She worked behind the scenes to help us through this terrible time. She was our nurse on the final day of our stay. She helped us to transition from hospital to home. Her love and support will never be forgotten. She was one of three nurses who came to O's funeral and continues to check on S from time to time. On top of that, she bought a bear that was sent to S that is the same weight as Owen so that she can hold him and feel the weight of her baby. What a kind and generous gesture. Thank you, Deidra, for all you have done. We cannot express how much we appreciate you!
Ananda helped with the delivery and then helped Kim bathe our precious baby O. Together the nurses made molds of his hands and feet that we could take home with us. She was a great support to S and the rest of our family. She cried with us, she hugged us, and grieved with us! Thank you, Ananda for being there to help us during this very difficult time.