Candyce Drinkwater
August 2023
Candyce
Drinkwater
,
BSN, RN, RNC-OB
OB
Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital
Huntley
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

I completely put my trust in her hands and in a very vulnerable state I trusted her whole heartedly.
(Note: this patient called the DAISY Foundation to make sure we had indeed received the nomination - and really reiterated how she thinks of Candy, daily!) I was admitted for an induction on May 4th to deliver my first baby. At the end of the following day, May 5th, I started to have contractions and started labor around 4 pm. I was in an immense amount of pain and after getting an epidural, which gave some relief, I was exhausted - and that’s when I was introduced to a nurse named Candy. I could barely keep my eyes open but Candy introduced herself and told me we’d get through this together. She was by my side constantly helping me find the perfect position when my baby was in mild distress and while I was dead tired, I completely put my trust in her hands and in a very vulnerable state I trusted her whole heartedly. I started to feel like I had to push before my doctor was in the building and Candy jumped right in and said I was doing great and she’d be able to deliver my baby herself if she had to. Again, just knowing she had complete faith in me, made me have complete faith in her. Once my baby was out I had uncontrollable postpartum shakes and developed a fever. Candy was by my side constantly bringing me warm blankets, food, and also taking care of my newborn when I was too weak to. Once I got transferred to recovery I told Candy I would miss her and she promised she would visit me the next day. To be honest I didn’t think she would, I’m sure she was saying that to make me feel better, but Candy strolled in the next day to check on me and told me she was proud of me and that I looked so much better. I knew right then that I had met an angel. Candy absolutely and without a doubt deserves a DAISY award. I could not have done anything without her. Every time I look at my new baby I think of how Candy helped me bring him here. She is truly a beautiful soul.