I really hope your administrators and other staff are aware of what an amazing person and caregiver Jennifer Gradek is. I am sure you have many good nurses in your facility, but in my opinion she is far & away above the rest. I have had many experiences with hospital staff over the years, at numerous facilities. When I encounter good help, it feels great. Having Jenni to work with was an absolute pleasure, amid a horrible and stressful day. We came on at the beginning of her shift and were still there when she left 12 hours later. I can’t figure out if she ever took a break or lunch for herself because she was absolutely there for me at all times. I know other women were in need that night and I am sure we were not her only concern but she treated us as though we were.
We came into the hospital on a really heavy note, having been told that our baby no longer had a heartbeat and would need to be delivered. When I walked in there I was barely holding it together and felt like I could have snapped at any moment. Jenni really took charge with a gentle hand and helped us through the toughest day of our lives. She began our experience with grace and dignity and to the very last moment she kept it the same. At a few times during my delivery she advocated for me, accurately depicting my wishes and medical history to doctors, anesthesiologists, and other nurses. If I told her something once, I never had to repeat it, and she was able to recall from memory to pass important information on to other medical staff. I believed even if I became incapacitated in any way, Jenni would be right there to speak for me and keep things going the way I would want them to go. This is super important.
Every procedure, policy, question and answer was explained with care and practicality and covered in detail without ever seeming cold and clinical, even when she had to explain things that were a bit harsh or uncomfortable. That honesty really helped me because I didn’t want anything sugar coated, I wanted the simple truth – but of course I did not want to be unnecessarily scared either. She knows exactly the right balance.
I had my husband, mother and best friend with me at all times and my daughters came in a few other times, so my room did get full. She never once acted as though this was an inconvenience and she treated my family with exactly the same respect and care that she did me. She went out of the way, in fact, many times, to make them feel more comfortable, bringing in extra blankets and even furniture to help us through a very long night.
My son was very small and frail, and as I said, he was born still. She handled him with love and compassion and a dignified gentleness that belied her busy and hectic schedule. When she was changing his coverings, or making his tiny footprints for us, she took the time to be sure his blanket bow was re-tied, his limbs positioned carefully, and to explain to us why she did certain things.
Jenni made all of the difference in my experience. I should mention, we probably encountered 10 other staff members during our stay there, and I have no complaints about any of them. All of the professionals who helped us were very good at their jobs, and if Jenni had not been there I suppose we would have come away from the experience feeling pretty good about it. But I will always be grateful that when the universe decided to flip my cards on me that day, we got Jenni as a consolation. I was able to handle my situation with a whole lot less stress and even a bit of humor, and I credit Jenni with a large portion of the credit for that.
Someday in the future I would like to have a normal delivery at your hospital and I would love it if Jenni could attend to it. Thanks once again for all of the wonderful care we received while at Lutheran General.