I’m convinced Aniyah Benjamin saved my life and my baby’s life. She had been my nurse upon admittance at labor and delivery at 31 weeks pregnant, and was my nurse two days later when all heck broke loose. After a few days in the L&D unit with a new preeclampsia diagnosis but stable, the physician placed my discharge orders. I was happily packing up my things and waiting for my husband to come get me. Before I left, Aniyah took one “final” blood pressure. It was bad. Further blood pressure revealed it was elevating fast, and I started having horrible nausea and excruciating pain. The physician on duty noted I was having a lot of anxiety and tried to get me to calm down, but right from the beginning, Aniyah believed me when I said it was something more.

When I was throwing up, screaming, and crying, Aniyah was right there, anticipating every need from a bag for my vomit to a gentle pat on the back. I’m so grateful she was my circulator when my downward spiral turned into HELLP syndrome and led me into the OR for an emergency c-section 2 months before my due date. After, as I was bed-bound on a magnesium drip, she was there, on time with my meds, explaining everything and providing emotional comfort. The following day, Aniyah returned as my nurse. She was there to take me up to meet my daughter the minute I was allowed off the magnesium drip, knowing how important that moment was. She and I had joked about how my husband took “dad photos” of my little one, and I could barely see her through the blur. So Aniyah made sure to take clear photos for me to look at when I went back to my room. Later, a physician told me she was confused by why Aniyah took blood pressure on someone with a discharge order, but “Thank God she did.” Whether it was instinct or just being thorough, Aniyah taking that blood pressure saved me from going into HELLP syndrome outside of the hospital, and I can’t express how grateful I am that she was there.