I first met Maureen in 2016 when she helped deliver my son. She started her shift during what I remembered as the worst part of my labor. My contractions were coming quickly and I started getting sick. Maureen immediately did everything she could to help make me comfortable which included keeping me distracted. We realized at one point that we were practically neighbors, and our kids went to the same schools, small world! By the time I was ready to deliver, I truly felt like I had a friend supporting me through it and I was so grateful.
When I found out I would need to have a C-section to deliver my next baby in 2019, I was incredibly nervous. I reached out to Maureen to see if she was still in her position at Lutheran General. I was so happy to find out she was but disappointed to hear she was not typically scheduled when I was scheduled to be there. She offered to do her best to switch her shift so she could be there to support me again. (Even though it was on a Sunday at 7 am.)
I was so happy when we checked in and Maureen greeted us! After getting prepped for surgery we were informed that there was another patient who had arrived that needed to be seen before us, and then another and another. I was extremely anxious about the surgery and Maureen was aware. She kept us informed the entire morning on how long we could expect before making it to the operating room. While we were waiting, she took the extra time to explain what I could expect from the time we arrived in the operating room until we were moved up to the Mother Baby Unit. Knowing in better detail what to expect helped ease my nerves. She regularly checked in with her team to let them know we were ready as soon as we could get going. When talking about her team, she spoke very highly of the anesthesiologist, the other nursing staff and my doctor. The way she talked about them gave me a great sense of confidence. Knowing I was nervous, she advocated for me and made sure my husband could stay with me the entire time. Once in the operating room, she helped me voice my concerns to the team so I could focus on getting ready to meet my baby.
After my son was born, the NICU needed to attend due to meconium being present. She kept me informed as they cared for him. She also explained to us what it meant when we were told he had a True Knot in his umbilical cord. Because I couldn't see my baby immediately, Maureen asked my husband to use his phone to take pictures so I could see him before they were even able to let me meet him. In a situation where I had very little control, she made me feel informed and assured that I and my son were in the most capable hands.
I will never be able to fully able to express my gratitude for Maureen's ability to anticipate my needs, advocate for me, and help empower me during two of the most important and vulnerable times in my life.