March 2021
Megan
Trelawney
,
BSN, RNC
Labor and Delivery
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital
Virginia Beach
,
VA
United States
Megan was so gentle with me and took her time.
My husband and I waited 10 years before starting to have children. I was 40 weeks and 4 days with our first born son. Being a naïve first time mom, it was about mid-morning when I realized I hadn't felt any movement. My OB sent me to Sentara Princess Anne to be checked out. I was by myself when I walked in and Megan was the first person I met. She assured me everything was okay, she'll just do a quick ultrasound and send me on my way. Megan took me into this little room with an ultrasound machine. It seemed like an eternity. I knew from having a non-stress test less than 24 hours prior to this where everything was fine, Megan should have been able to find the heartbeat. She couldn't. And I know she tried as hard as she could, but nothing was found and our son was gone. Megan ended up taking myself and my husband (who arrived late to this nightmare) into a room. She explained the room was the farthest from where other mothers would be delivering and she explained a card would be put on my door to allow people entering to know I would not be giving birth to a live baby. Even though other nurses were on duty and coming in and out of my room, none of them spoke to me. They treated me like they were scared. I could tell they didn't want to be in the room. This was never the way with Megan. She came in, she sat and spoke to me about the most mundane of things, but she made me feel normal in a very surreal situation. We talked about her life, we talked about mine. She helped me forget the pure hell I was about to endure, if for just a moment. During birth where I had to be induced to deliver my 8lb 14oz, 21 inch long son, Megan tried EVERYTHING she could to not have the doctor cut me to get my son out. I didn't realize at the time what Megan was doing was trying to save me the physical pain I was going to have to endure from being cut, since I was already suffering the mental pain. I realized that later. After birth, the other nurses stayed the same, scurrying in and out without speaking to me and literally forgetting to bring me something when I asked for it. But not Megan. I have vivid memories of her taking my son to the warming table and cleaning him ever so gently like she would a live baby. She swaddled him and placed a hat on his head and handed him to me. Later that evening when I needed help using the rest room, Megan was so gentle with me and took her time. I know Megan would say this was her job. But it wasn't. She could have rushed, ignored, and scurried off but she didn't. She turned an absolute nightmare into something I could find to be thankful in and it was her. I possibly could not thank Megan enough which is why I am nominating her. What Megan did to take this a step over and beyond, just a year later we were due to deliver our second child, a girl. I was being induced at 37 weeks because my mind could not take the anxiety of this baby not surviving. I asked Megan if I could tell my OB I wanted her in the delivery room and Megan agreed. I was admitted for induction on Megan's shift, but because my body wasn't ready, I was due to deliver when she wasn't scheduled. Megan made sure to stay in the nurse's lounge to be able to come when I was ready. And sure enough, as if the stars aligned just for us, Megan told me to push and on the second push, our baby was born into Megan's arms. My OB was not thrilled, but I think it worked out how it should. It was so quick I ended up ruining a pair of Megan's shoes. None of us were ready! It has been almost 8 years since our son was born sleeping and this nomination is long overdue. Please consider Megan Trelawney for this award. Thank you.