During what was the hardest and scariest time of my life, Serani, and the other maternity staff, got me through safely. I presented to the Maternity Pre-Assessment Clinic (PAC) with high protein levels. I was 25 weeks pregnant, delirious, and as we found out later, hours from death.
The midwifery team pulled me back from the brink, kept my husband calm, and held our hands through the following week as we found out that my baby hadn't been receiving adequate oxygen for some weeks, was measuring small, and would probably not make it.
Unfortunately, we woke up in the hospital to no heartbeat, and later that evening our little sleeping girl was born. My husband and I survived this with dark humour, and these ladies laughed along with us. These bloody amazing women let us know that we weren't heartless, that we were allowed to cry, but we were also allowed to make jokes and laugh still.
September 2019 I was back in PAC for a much happier reason. I was giving birth to a healthy little girl. Except of course she decided to make a dramatic entrance, almost dying in the meantime, and then I tried to bleed out as well. The angel team returned. Looking after bubs, hubby and I, helping us crack jokes again, remembering who we were and what we went through.
Although there are a number of midwives I could nominate for this award, Rani - she's tall and blonde and hysterical - was so special to us. We named our rainbow baby after her.
Thank you for giving these amazing health professionals the recognition they deserve.