Lorena Diaz 2, RN

Giving birth was by far the hardest thing I have done in my life, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Nurse Lorena Diaz. I felt an instant connection with her as soon as she took over. She was caring, funny, and made my partner and me feel comfortable.

Lorena talked me through everything that was happening and kept a very close eye on me while I was under her care. During my labor, I was in extreme pain from contractions, even after my epidural. It had failed on half of my body, and Lorena immediately called someone to come and fix it. She made me feel very heard.

While this all seems like a normal labor experience, it quickly shifted. When I started Pitocin to speed up my contractions, my baby’s heart rate started to drop. When I heard that, I felt my heart sink to my stomach. The delivering doctor came in and told me they were going to prep me for an emergency C-section. I was terrified because I thought I was going to lose my baby. At this point, I was inconsolable, crying and shaking, and the only thing keeping me present was  Lorena holding my hand and trying to keep me calm.

My baby’s heart rate picked back up, but I was dissociating at that point. She continuously let me know that everything was okay and my baby was safe. Lorena was also the nurse who helped deliver my baby. When I was in agony, she did everything she could to encourage me to keep pushing when I wanted to give up. There were moments that I truly believed I was never going to get my baby out, but she coached me and even let me try different positions for the pain. I could not have done any of it without her.

For Lorena, this may have been just another day in labor and delivery, but I will never forget her and the impact she had on me.

Note: This is Lorena's 2nd DAISY Award!