How do you begin by showing or explaining gratitude towards someone when it's so unexplainable what this person actually did for us?
Nine years ago we were getting ready to bring twins in this world that we didn't even know if it was possible. My husband has cystic fibrosis so the path to have children would be a difficult one but to know me is to know I don't give up easily. The excitement and happiness we had to know we were getting twins, a boy, and a girl, was probably felt a mile away. Unfortunately, we found out we lost our baby S all while our son J was still growing. Leading up to J's birth our fears and sadness about what would happen were strong. We didn't know what to expect, how people would act if we would get to hold her if we would see her. What will happen? We went in for our scheduled C-section. We met Melanie Chichester who stayed past her midnight shift for our scheduled surgery at 8 am. How can you describe someone who immediately puts you at ease, makes you feel like you've known them for years, and made you feel like your baby who wouldn't come home with you was so important, so important she was willing to take time away from her own life to help us in ours? I still don't know, but she did. Melanie made that birth experience so much more bearable for us. To be honest, we meant to write this then, but we got caught up in our new roles as a mom and dad. Melanie was our angel.
We never expected we would see Melanie in that same aspect only 5 years later. We tried for another baby and it took a few years but we became pregnant with another little girl. Our hearts were so excited. Again, we didn't expect that it would come crashing down. I immediately went over to the hospital that early afternoon. I never thought we would say we were lucky that Melanie was on that night and came walking into that room and just hugged us before saying one word. Her hug at that moment was a relief I can never explain. The comfort knowing this person was with us at our worst the last time was something I can never repay her for. She knew us, knew what we would want and knew the exact moment to hold my hand, rub my back, let me cry on her shoulder, she made me feel at ease during a horrible time. She even made sure my husband was okay. She knew what we needed before we did. After her only being on her shift for 55 minutes, I had our baby. Melanie knew all we wanted was to hold our daughter and have memories to cherish forever. She made sure she was cared for. Grateful doesn't encompass what we were for her. Again, we said we have to write something because we just wanted Melanie to know that our gratitude could never come close to what she deserved.
Now years pass and we try for more. We did have another early miscarriage in 2016 and then in 2017, I had a little boy. Thrilled. We got to take home a baby. Our oldest son was beyond over the moon, as were we. We didn't get to share that with Melanie and I wish we had. It's definitely a regret. We went on to try for our last baby and we fell pregnant with a little boy.
Unfortunately, 4 years from losing our baby girl, we headed back to the hospital because I couldn't find our baby's heartbeat after finding it the night before with our home doppler. We were in complete disbelief that we would be going through this for the third time. We got checked in and immediately asked if Melanie was working. The last time the process was much quicker so we thought we would have him before she was due to come in but it didn't happen like that. I can't tell you but when she came in and hugged me it was like happiness and sadness all in one and in her hug, I knew she knew. She held my hand in silence and at that moment I knew as hard as this would be, with her it would be okay. She knew what to do even though we didn't. She knew when to come in and let us vent when told just hold my hand, how to make sure anyone who came in respected us and our unborn child, she was protective, my advocate and my voice. She knew me. She knew my husband. She would talk to us about what we were dealing with and life in general. She put us at ease. She made sure every step we went through wasn't a surprise. She even respected my wishes as far as pain management even though she knew I was in the room in pain but trying to be tough —so she came in frequently to make sure I was okay. She was letting me guide the way without judgment. She made every decision I made the right one, she let me know she was there for me. The support was and will forever be with us. She made sure my husband was involved and hugged and was a part of everything.
When the baby didn't come the next morning I was upset because although the staff was great, it wouldn't be her. Well, our sweet O must have known because he didn't make things easy, he waited. Melanie came in on her off time to make sure she got to meet O also thinking we would have had him. Seeing her walk in and sit down holding my hand just to see how we were was something I can't explain. She showed us we weren't another patient yet again in her eyes. We were a family losing another child and she made it a priority to make O important. And our O made sure Melanie would be there. She came in for her shift and a few hours later I began laboring which was all new to me. I never had to labor like this. She walked me through everything, let me be the guide, and was at our side every moment. When I gave birth to our baby she had my husband cut the cord, which he will never forget, and she made sure that from that moment on, O would be in our arms. She admired him too, held our hand, gave us time alone—somehow, she knew the exact moment we would need her.
I will never be able to explain what Melanie did for us. She was a comfort in a moment of utter sadness. She was our voice when we couldn't talk behind our tears. She was strength when we barely could stand. She made sure we weren't just a patient but people who needed her to support. She even had information for our oldest, whom she helped bring in this world. She was ready for him to be there if that was our choice. And to be honest I wish he was ready although he didn't want to be sad, but had he came he would have met Melanie for the first time since his birth.
She thought about us as a family, not just at that moment. Her ability to anticipate what we needed is a gift. As a nurse of almost 15 years, I can't stress enough what a gift Melanie is to Christiana. You can't just learn what she does. She is an amazing nurse, person, and honestly a friend. Melanie will forever be a part of our birth stories and the love we have forever will never go away. No award can ever repay her for what she did but if anyone deserves one, it's her. Thank you, Melanie, for loving our family the way you do, you are an amazing person, and we will forever be thankful for you. Forever.
Note: This is Melanie's 2nd DAISY Award!