December 2018
Margo
Layman
,
RN
PACU
Memorial Hospital of South Bend
South Bend
,
IN
United States

 

 

 

I was a patient in 2001 and found out the prior evening that my baby had passed away in utero at 20 weeks gestation. This was the most painful experience of my life. But one nurse, Margo Layman, got me through it all. She advocated for me to the physicians and she held my hand when I was scared. I hemorrhaged post vaginal birth and had an emergency D&C. Margo is the only fond memory I have of that day. I often thought of her through the years and remembered how I couldn't have gotten through that birth without her at my side.
I recently ran into Margo in the PACU when I became the educator for the unit. Her name tag rang a bell and then I put it all together. This was her! This was my hero! I went home and pulled my medical record and found her name on my paperwork. It was confirmed. I found her and I want to thank her properly for being my savior all those years ago. I will never forget Margo and can only hope there are more nurses out there that she has touched to mirror her compassion, empathy, and advocacy for patients.