I will share my experience as a first-time mom at AllianceHealth Durant. I remember almost every detail about the day because of the team that transformed my experience from something scary into the best experience I could have ever imagined. My story began in the morning, around 7 am. I received a call from the doctor's nurse telling me to head up to the WC. We’re having a baby today. Those words stuck with me, as I never imagined having a family of my own due to my fertility issues with PCOS.

I walked in and checked in. They were busy, and I was an addition to their surgery schedule due to my baby being breech. Although they had two patients nearly crowning, they treated me with utmost respect and kindness, even though I was the patient disrupting their day. The WC director, Jamie, took me as her patient. I felt a wave of relief. As a student nurse, I was privileged to follow Jamie for a day, during which I got to start my first IV. While I observed, Jamie was excellent with her patients, and I remember thinking, “I hope I have a nurse like her someday.” And it turns out I got her. Jamie guided me and filled every role I needed in that moment; she was the nurse and the support I missed from my mother, who was unable to attend my delivery. I was so nervous about having a C-section; I had no idea what it would be like. Jamie started my IV and explained the procedure and what to expect. Then, she came in, said, “Let’s go,” and walked with me to the OR. My husband had to stay in the room and get ready and suited up while we completed my spinal. As I was preparing for the spinal, I couldn’t relax. I was scared. Jamie looked at me and said, “Fall into me, relax, and just fall into me-you’re doing great.” At that moment, I felt immense relief as I melted into her arms for the CRNA to perform my spinal. Throughout the C-section, having Jamie in the room provided me with a sense of comfort, and I knew she would take care of me no matter what happened. I felt assured everything would be okay when the scrub tech, with whom I’ve enjoyed working upstairs, asked, “What kind of music do you feel like listening to today?” From that moment on, I knew everything was going to be okay.