I am a nurse on a unit at GMC. The roles were recently reversed and I became a very sad and scared patient. Last month I heard the words a pregnant mommy never wants to hear "there is no heartbeat". It was this moment I began to live my worst nightmare. That afternoon I checked into labor and delivery to prepare to meet my angel baby.

The day I met my little girl is the day I also met my living angel nurse, Karen Zalewski. When she came in I was terrified, she came in when I was in the most pain and I was dilated to 10. It was time to have an epidural. I probably waited too long but she made sure I had what I needed.

To be honest at first I didn't think I wanted her to take care of me. I was overfilled with emotions and this stranger was coming in at the scariest point in this journey. The delivery was scary but I was in no pain and was very relaxed. I spent a couple of hours with my little one and she made sure I had this special time with her. At one point my legs were numb and my husband was having a breakdown. She picked him up for me, slid me over and put him in bed next to me. All day she was with us and treated us like parents. When I imagined how this day would unfold I imagined we would deliver her and just be treated like a surgical patient and sent home. This was not the case at all.

Karen made my husband and me feel like parents that day. She made us realize that we are parents. This was my first pregnancy and the worst outcome possible. She was so kind and gentle. I have only been a nurse for one and a half years and I look at Karen as the nurse I strive to be.