October 2022
Lovely
Tan
,
RN
FMC
Sentara Leigh Hospital
Norfolk
,
VA
United States
My husband could NOT calm me down, and no one could rationalize with me. So my Nurse Lovely stepped in. She calmly told me that she can help me and that it was going to be okay.
I was at Sentara Leigh to deliver my first child. The day was full of unknowns and labor was quite long. I had some bodily reactions that were not expected, and Nurse Lovely reassured me that everything was okay. Her calm demeanor, beautiful attitude, and professionalism were beyond exceptional. I know that she directly attributed to my positive birth story. If I had another child, I would want Nurse Lovely there!
***
I came to the hospital at night having contractions 3-4 min apart and not dilating past 1 Cm. And I was in a lot of pain. My pseudo tumor was acting up, and I was having flashes in my eyes and an intense hypertension headache that wouldn’t quit. So, it kept me up for 3 days and everyone was trying everything to help me dilate, and I was scheduled to be medically induced. I’m still having contractions in pain, very tired, restless, and annoyed at this point. I was super aggravated, and I was over it. I didn’t want to meet any new nurses at shift change, and I refused to repeat how I feel and what was going on because I felt like everyone could read the notes. I was becoming uncooperative and upset. So that morning my water broke, and I began to dilate faster than a New York minute. I was in so much pain that I began to cry and shake, and I was having severe pains in my rear end. I kept yelling “I need help”. I yelled that a few times. To make matters worse I decided to get an epidural, and then I still couldn’t stop shaking and yelling. My husband could NOT calm me down, and no one could rationalize with me. So my Nurse Lovely stepped in. She calmly told me that she can help me and that it was going to be okay. She told everyone she would be right back and just to hold on. She was only gone a very short time, maybe 3 minutes if that. She comes in with 2 cups of broth, one chicken, and one beef broth. She made them for me.
I chose the beef broth, and as I sip my broth I began to calm down as I listened to Lovely assure me that my baby was making her way down quickly. The broth was so good because she seasoned it and made it with love, and I calmed down to where the anesthesiologist could then give me my epidural. I continued to sip my broth as she checked to see if I dilated, and I went from 1cm to 7 cm in an hour or less. Then she created a brilliant strategy she used her resources and got me a pregnancy ball. She positioned me to allow my baby to continue to drop down. I’m sorry I failed to mention that my baby kept turning transverse, and she was able to get the baby in the right position. And I told her that I felt like I wanted to push, and she did a quick check. I was dilated to 10 cm, and she calmly said to me it was time for me to deliver the baby. She prepped me and my Husband for what would happen. She showed me breathing techniques to help me. My midwife came in came, and Lovely had my bed transformed ready for me to deliver. She helped hold my legs up which felt heavier than 2 water Buffalos and helped my husband. She was so calm that I became calm, and I pushed the baby as she counted. After only 2 quick pushes, my daughter was born. I could NOT have gotten through this without Lovely. She made my day special and really helped me through it. I was so grateful and happy that we named our daughter after Lovely. My husband and I will never ever forget Lovely. She deserves this award!!!!!
***
I came to the hospital at night having contractions 3-4 min apart and not dilating past 1 Cm. And I was in a lot of pain. My pseudo tumor was acting up, and I was having flashes in my eyes and an intense hypertension headache that wouldn’t quit. So, it kept me up for 3 days and everyone was trying everything to help me dilate, and I was scheduled to be medically induced. I’m still having contractions in pain, very tired, restless, and annoyed at this point. I was super aggravated, and I was over it. I didn’t want to meet any new nurses at shift change, and I refused to repeat how I feel and what was going on because I felt like everyone could read the notes. I was becoming uncooperative and upset. So that morning my water broke, and I began to dilate faster than a New York minute. I was in so much pain that I began to cry and shake, and I was having severe pains in my rear end. I kept yelling “I need help”. I yelled that a few times. To make matters worse I decided to get an epidural, and then I still couldn’t stop shaking and yelling. My husband could NOT calm me down, and no one could rationalize with me. So my Nurse Lovely stepped in. She calmly told me that she can help me and that it was going to be okay. She told everyone she would be right back and just to hold on. She was only gone a very short time, maybe 3 minutes if that. She comes in with 2 cups of broth, one chicken, and one beef broth. She made them for me.
I chose the beef broth, and as I sip my broth I began to calm down as I listened to Lovely assure me that my baby was making her way down quickly. The broth was so good because she seasoned it and made it with love, and I calmed down to where the anesthesiologist could then give me my epidural. I continued to sip my broth as she checked to see if I dilated, and I went from 1cm to 7 cm in an hour or less. Then she created a brilliant strategy she used her resources and got me a pregnancy ball. She positioned me to allow my baby to continue to drop down. I’m sorry I failed to mention that my baby kept turning transverse, and she was able to get the baby in the right position. And I told her that I felt like I wanted to push, and she did a quick check. I was dilated to 10 cm, and she calmly said to me it was time for me to deliver the baby. She prepped me and my Husband for what would happen. She showed me breathing techniques to help me. My midwife came in came, and Lovely had my bed transformed ready for me to deliver. She helped hold my legs up which felt heavier than 2 water Buffalos and helped my husband. She was so calm that I became calm, and I pushed the baby as she counted. After only 2 quick pushes, my daughter was born. I could NOT have gotten through this without Lovely. She made my day special and really helped me through it. I was so grateful and happy that we named our daughter after Lovely. My husband and I will never ever forget Lovely. She deserves this award!!!!!