I delivered my son at the Wexner Medical Center a little over a year ago Judy was one of my postpartum nurses. My husband and I STILL talk about how wonderful she was, so I find it only appropriate to nominate her for this award.

At the time of my son's delivery, I was a first time mom. Looking back, we were probably a very ordinary set of parents to the nurses, with a fairly ordinary delivery, but to us, this was obviously a life changing event. I was so clueless, nervous, and not to mention, tired. Judy seemed to acknowledge all of this, while calming our anxieties and preparing us to take our son home. Judy somehow gave us the confidence to feel like we were equipped to be parents. She single handedly helped us navigate through the initial stages of breastfeeding and made it seem like something that was possible to do (I was so anxious about breastfeeding and wasn't sure I even wanted to try but somehow she made it seem like I was a pro). She helped us change our first diaper and give our first bath. While she was in our room, she seemed totally focused on us and our success, while still being able to manage everything else that was undoubtedly going on in her day. Her expertise was obvious, but she didn't make us feel dumb she just gently guided us through our first days of parenting. She didn't seem to think any of my questions, or my husband's questions, were silly, although looking back they totally were. But she understood that we were just nervous, scared and excited and managed to keep a straight face when I asked, "I just fed him, how can he be hungry again?"

I can't put my finger on just one moment with her, it was every time she walked in the room, I felt a sense of relief that "its ok, Judy is here. She'll know what to do." She was there when I needed her and I'm not talking about answering my call light she was present and concerned for us when we needed her to be. I remember getting ready to leave, and as Judy was reviewing our discharge instructions, I started to tear up. She had meant so much to us in those 2 short days, that I was sad to leave her and scared to go home. She gave my husband and me each a huge hug and reassured us on our way out that we were going to be great parents. It was just what I needed.

We just celebrated my son's first birthday and my husband and I fondly reminisced about those first few days after he was born. We laughed about how clueless we were, and that our wonderful nurse Judy, never once made us feel that way. I figure if we are still talking about her a year later, she deserves a DAISY Award for how she made us feel.