I delivered my first child earlier this year. I am a pediatric nurse in the Syracuse area. I am a nurse today because of an extraordinary nurse I had following heart surgery at the age of four.
With that being said, I understand the impact a person can have on one's life, one's moment. How crucial a friendly face, gentle touch, compassionate attitude can turn a moment around. Which brings me to my daughter's birthday.
As a first-time mom, my husband and I entered Crouse hospital early morning with a delivery plan and excitement! We were triaged following a night of labor pains and admitted an hour later for the arrival of our daughter. We were admitted to the labor and delivery unit where we met the RN that would be caring for us. Her name is Dawn Bezon.
Before I continue, I would like to share the sensitivity of my delivery. Two weeks prior to my delivery, a close friend of mine lost her baby at 40 weeks due to a true knot in the umbilical cord. With this in mind, during my weeks leading up to delivery and during labor, I could not help but pray that my little one would be safe. I shared this with Dawn as she admitted us so she would understand my heightened nervousness.
As my labor progressed, Dawn was in and out of the room to offer suggestions to help ease the pain as well as offer assistance to my family. My parents and two friends joined my husband and me. After dilating to 3 cm with back labor, I quickly changed my "natural birth" plan to a confident "I want an epidural" plan. Dawn was quick to advocate for me. As labor continued, following my epidural, my little one had a few decelerations. Dawn was quick to enter the room and assist me with position changes that would correct the heart rate. As time went on, my progress slowed and Pitocin was started.
It was around 6:50 pm, the end of Dawn's shift. She had brought in the night shift nurse to introduce me as well as do their bedside check. During that time, my little one started having decelerations again. As they helped to reposition me, I heard the heart rate continue to decline on the monitor. The thought of my friend and the loss of her baby started to flood me with emotion and I started to wonder if it was happening to me. The next few moments happened quickly as more staff entered my room, followed by my OB. I was being repositioned by multiple people, oxygen was being applied and then I heard someone call "code c". Being in the medical field, I know what a "code" is but at that moment I could not comprehend what a "code c" was. I just knew that something was wrong.
I was told I was going for a C-section and was quickly disconnected and reconnected to things in preparation before being rushed out of my room. I remember being so terrified, I was so scared as I left my family behind. I remember asking if my husband could come and Dawn telling me she would make sure he got there.
As staff rolled me to the OR, I continuously yelled: "please pray for her, please pray for her?" The thought of losing my little girl was paralyzing.
Once I got into the OR and on the table, my OB checked the fetal heart rate using a Doppler. My daughter's heart rate had returned to normal. The urgency and panic had subsided in the air but I was still in disarray. Once the C-section was in progress, my husband was brought in. I held his hand and waited to hear the sound of our little one. While I was trying to comprehend everything, a staff member leaned down to me and told me everything was going to be OK. It only took a few seconds for me to realize the person behind the mask was Dawn! I couldn't believe it; her shift was over yet there she stood! I remember saying "you stayed?" before my emotions took over. I cried for my friend and her loss, I cried because of the event that led us to that exact moment, I cried because of the overwhelming emotion, I cried because Dawn stayed!
At 7:14 pm my daughter was born. 6 pounds 11 ounces, 19.5 inches long, a head full of hair and healthy!
As I think back to the delivery, a moment in my life where I felt helpless and afraid, I think of Dawn. I think of the comfort she brought me. The trust that had developed in the earlier labor hours. I know what it is like to work 12 hours and want to go home. To give report to the oncoming nurse so that your day can be done. Nursing is more than a job, it is a continued effort to give a piece of yourself, to show compassion, to build trust, to make a difference in the moment. Dawn is an extraordinary nurse. The compassion she showed and displayed for me and my family is remarkable. It is people like her that make me proud to be a nurse myself.