I had my first child via C-section. I was lucky enough to meet Elizabeth, my amazing and caring maternity nurse. I was so frightened to have had a C-section, and I had no idea what to expect really, so when I met Elizabeth and noticed right away how wonderful she was, all my fears subsided, and I felt so much at ease with her. Back then, we had a morphine drip, and I wasn't allowed to eat anything until the following day. But, by the end of the day, Elizabeth saw that I wasn't handling the medication well. She took me off the morphine and gave me new meds through my IV. She even slipped me a few crackers because I was starving! I felt like an old friend was taking care of me.
My husband had taken pictures right after the delivery with the camera from the nurse's station (it was the only thing we forgot at home)! Elizabeth got some paper and taped up the photos of our daughter in front of my bed. She made me feel like I was her only patient and like I was the most important person in the world. I wasn't embarrassed in front of her and most of all, she made me feel less scared or not scared at all, which was huge for me. The next day, on Sunday, Elizabeth worked again. I remember feeling so elated to see her face again. I would need my catheter removed, and of course, I was scared. I told her, and she removed it so fast, I didn't even know that it had happened. Elizabeth to the rescue again.
I am so grateful that she was my nurse for the birth of my first, beautiful child. I want her to know that I will always and truly remember her and that I will be telling my grandkids about her someday. I will tell them how she went above and beyond to care for me, that she had a calming and nurturing bedside manner, that she made me laugh, that she made me smile, she helped calm my fears, she helped me to enjoy the birth of my daughter because she took such good care of me, and mostly she was just a genuinely good person….something I had almost thought didn't exist anymore.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for all you did for me. Your smile and your kindness are never forgotten.