I was scheduled to be induced with my second child at 6:00 AM. It was a little after 7:00 that morning when I met my nurse for the day, her name was Nancy. As soon as Nancy came in and introduced herself, I knew that I was going to be in good hands! The first thing that morning, Nancy sat down with us and went over everything that was going to go on as I progressed through the day. She even went into such detail as to show us and explain everything on the monitor. Throughout the day it was not uncommon for Nancy to spend 20-plus minutes in our room at a time. I was surprised by this because I have never seen a nurse dedicate that kind of time to a patient. I know how busy nurses are, as I have been a CNA for 7 years now. Nancy came into my room constantly to ensure I was comfortable at all times and to sit and talk with us. Any time she saw my baby was not tolerating a certain position, she came in immediately and changed my position. Although my mom couldn't make it to the hospital until later that evening, I felt as though she was with me, in a way, because of Nancy!
Something I really appreciated about her was that when she came into our room she would sit down on the stool or even my bed to talk with us. It made me feel so special. Not only did she take care of me, but she also ensured my husband was taken care of. She brought him coffee to help keep him going because he was so worried about me. She also made me a cranberry spritzer, which I really appreciated at the time.
At 7:00 PM, after 13 hours of labor, I was ready to deliver the baby. Nancy kicked it into high gear and started directing me. Unfortunately, it was time for her shift to change and around 7:30 PM Nancy had to leave and a new nurse took over. Nancy wished me luck and told me that everything was going to be alright. I was so sad that she had to go, but I understood that she had been there for over 12 hours.
That day I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy little girl. I never got to thank Nancy for all that she did for me. Nancy inspired me so much with her compassion that I decided to get a job at SSM Health Good Samaritan, as well. One day, I hope to see her while I'm at work so that I can personally thank her for all that she did for me that day. Nancy is an absolute angel in disguise. I know she probably doesn't remember me, but she really is an inspiration to me because of her phenomenal care. Thank you from the bottom of my heart - Nancy you are amazing!