In November of 2023, I found myself in an unimaginable situation that no parent ever hopes to find themselves in, especially during the last month of their pregnancy. Our son, P, was discovered at a routine OB appointment to have no heartbeat. To say my son’s death was a devastating loss is an understatement to myself and my husband, especially after years of infertility.

We checked into Memorial North to begin our labor induction. When I say that every single individual we encountered that day was nothing short of an angel on earth, it is an understatement. However, our two nurses, Meagan Wester and Amber Williams, forever changed my life through their kindness, compassion, and above and beyond care that they gave to not only me and my husband, but also our family and our son.

Throughout the day, Meagan kept us updated on the process we were undergoing. Additionally, she gave us the ability and opportunity to ask questions, understand the process, and gave us time and space to process our loss. Every time we needed something, or our family, no ask was too big or small, Meagan went above and beyond to make us as comfortable as possible. As the day wore on and I had little to no progress in my labor. Meagan came to our bedside and explained our options and gave us time to process the various options. Meagan stayed late that night to ensure that I was comfortable during our procedure.

Additionally, while she was supposed to be off the next day, Meagan talked to her manager to come in the next day to help us with our delivery. Before Meagan left for the night, she hand-picked our next nurse, Amber. Amber explained that she was a new graduate, and her compassion, poise, and excellence in nursing were those of a veteran nurse. During the night, I had a difficult time with pain management and keeping my oxygen saturation up. On top of these complex problems, Amber continued to wipe away my tears and comfort me during these difficult hours. When I became fully dilated in the early morning hours, Amber worked to coordinate Meagan coming in to help us deliver our son, as well as our OB, who had been checking in continuously with her throughout the night.

At 625, my son was born with his wings on. Meagan and Amber worked to make a complicated and difficult delivery as smooth as possible. Including staying at our bedside long after their shifts began/ended. They bathed my son and dressed him, found clothes that fit him more appropriately due to his small size, called the chaplain to coordinate a blessing ceremony, organized a photographer for us so we could have photo memories of our son, helped me shower, and so much more. At the end of our time with our son, Meagan hand-carried P down to the lab herself to ensure that he was appropriately handed off to begin an autopsy process. As a parent, I felt so much comfort knowing that he was in her hands, and she was the one helping him make that final walk.

As a nurse myself, their care reminded me not only of the power nurses have within our patients’ care, but the impact nurses can make in our patients’ lives. While I have the privilege to work with several nurses, it is rare to work with nurses who exhibit this kind of compassion, excellence, and integrity. I cannot think of two nurses who are more deserving of a DAISY Award for their above and beyond excellent care and being our true angels on earth. Meagan and Amber blessed our lives beyond measure, and I will forever be grateful for them.