I wish I was more mentally present when I was there to be able to have her full information. All I know is her name was Katie, she was a nurse who did daytime 7-7 shifts. I’d love to say she’d remember me, but I’m sure she’s amazing to every one of her patients, and nurses are swamped all the time, so I wouldn’t be shocked if she didn’t. However, I may have made a lasting impression because I 100% acted like she cut my arm off when she gave me my IV, that arm was completely useless to me after that haha.

However, the reason I came to nominate her or try to nominate her at least, is because if I could find her in person to thank her I would. I was in my third pregnancy with two previous full-term perfectly healthy pregnancies. I had all of a sudden been in and out of the hospital with pre-eclampsia, and then found out it became severe and all the sudden was going to be having my baby at 34 weeks. They had to have psych come down and give me a consult before I made it to the ACU one of my admissions before the final one, because my anxiety got so bad due to this diagnosis. I was so terrified I was going to die, that I was having panic attacks, and they prescribed me Ativan, but I just couldn’t bring myself to take it, I was too anxious, as crazy as that may sound.

My whole pregnancy experience became miserable, and I was in the hospital in pain, feeling awful, and so scared. A lot of people were nice, but Katie actually noticed how scared I was, and would literally stay with me for a few minutes if I was scared and thought something was wrong with me. She got band-aids and ice packs when I’d freak out because something new was hurting, and explain why things were happening and that it was going to be okay. She taped an ice pack over my blown vein so I wouldn’t keep looking at it because it was making me panic. I truly could never thank her enough because something like that has never happened to me.

I lead a super normal life and never have even had my wisdom teeth out, never mind getting morphine from pain due to something with my liver while starting magnesium to prevent seizures, and then feeling just going into a fog and being exhausted while now having to push out a baby (which I did by the way, pushed him out, 6lbs 2oz). I was super proud the induction worked. But nonetheless, this was my first real health issue and I reacted insanely. And she’s the only one who brought me sanity. I owe her big time.