I was admitted and had to have an emergency C-section. I was not in good condition and they thought they were going to have to take me to the ICU. My boyfriend went to go check on our daughter in the NICU and Stephanie was her nurse that night. After she had heard what was going on with me, she got permission from the doctor and brought my daughter up to my room to see me. This was the first time I had actually gotten to see and hold my daughter. She even helped me try to breastfeed her. Many of the nurses who were on my floor were in shock and said, “this never happens, this is amazing”. I can not thank Stephanie enough for what she did. I was upset from having to have an unexpected emergency C-section, scared because our daughter was in the NICU and I could not see her, and heartbroken because it had been 8+ hours since my delivery and I hadn’t held my daughter. She made a very stressful and hard day so much better.

After I was discharged, we spent every day in the NICU until our daughter was discharged. Whether Stephanie was our nurse or not, she would check on us and ask how I was doing. It was so hard to leave our daughter every night in the NICU but it made it just a little easier knowing our daughter had an amazing nurse taking care of her and truly cared about her. I am also a nurse at Carle and I was so impressed with Stephanie. I hope to impact my patient’s life someday the way she did mine.