Jessica made extraordinary efforts in helping my son, D, and his girlfriend, H, while they were at Banner UMC for the delivery of their baby girl. D and H were ecstatic when they found out they were expecting, and while they are young and we were all a little nervous, we were excited to be Papa and Yaya to a new grandbaby. I worried throughout H's pregnancy about whether or not I had adequately prepared D to be a father, but I had faith in the kind of person he had grown to be and would grow to be.
H was advised to go to UMC immediately after her doctor had received some test results. Although D was not able to go in with her, he accompanied her to the hospital to wait in the parking lot for further news. After H was diagnosed with preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, they received the most devastating news possible - H's life was in danger, and the only possibility for her to live would mean that their precious baby would not survive.
Everything was made even more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. We were not able to be there at the hospital to stand by our children and support them during their heartbreak. Our babies were having to say goodbye to their baby without any family support, and that was one of the hardest things I've ever experienced as a parent. All of my questions about whether or not I had prepared my son for what was to come were answered in a shattering blow - never could I have prepared him, and now I couldn't even stand by his side.
The one bit of comfort I had in all of this was when my son told me that he and H had been shown such great compassion and had received such excellent care from the staff at Banner UMC. I know that medical personnel are such special people and that most of them choose their career path because of a desire to help others, but Jessica provided a light to D and H during their darkest time and was "family" to them when their family could not be there.
As I waited at home, my heartbreak was mixed with dread that H and D would miss out on precious experiences simply because they did not know to ask. My mind and heart were put at ease when D told me they were given an opportunity to hold their baby girl and to say their goodbyes, there were photographs taken of their sweet angel, and they were given a keepsake box to keep their memorials of her.
Please express my sincere gratitude to Jessica, as well as the other labor and delivery staff. I cannot express how thankful I am for their efforts to save H, to ensure that she and D had precious time with their angel, and to provide care and comfort when we could not.