I was scheduled for a repeat C-Section with my second child due to complications with my first birth, leading to an emergency C-Section. From the moment Cheyenne began her shift, she was attentive and cautious with my previous experience.

She took the time to hear my concerns and worries and was by my side throughout the entire second C-Section of mine. Post-op, she continued that care, going above and beyond to even bring in other nurses when she questioned my post-birth bleeding.

I was unable to breastfeed with my first child and expressed my desire to do so this time, and Cheyenne was amazing at offering support and resources for this, assuring me that just because I couldn’t last time doesn’t mean that would be the same this time. Even after her shift ended, she checked in on me to see how I was doing with recovery and my bleeding, as well as how my baby was doing.

We then came to the hospital four days after discharge for our daughter’s routine weight check in Pediatrics. There, we learned our daughter had lost 14% of her body weight since birth. Due to concerns, blood work was ordered. The lab was unsuccessful in drawing her blood, so nurses from L&D were called to Peds to assist, and Cheyenne was one of them. While drawing our daughter's labs successfully, Cheyenne checked in with me in the room to see how I was doing post-birth and answered questions I had regarding breastfeeding, recovery, etc.

Three days later, I came back into WH to have my C-Section incision looked at for excessive bleeding. I was immediately taken to pre-op to prep for exploratory surgery, where I had a very large hematoma drained and packed, and had to stay overnight in MedSurg. Upon arrival at MS, they called OB for a breast pump for me to use. Cheyenne learned that it was me and brought the breastpump herself.

I was initially told by the care team to dump my breastmilk for 24 hours due to the anesthesia and antibiotics that were administered. Cheyenne was talking to me about how I was doing, and learned of this information before returning to her workload.

Not long after, she returned with information that I could save my breastmilk because she went back and did research on the medicines that were utilized for my surgery/post-op, and she consulted with anesthesia and the lactation consultant on her findings to confirm what she learned was correct.

For a mom freshly postpartum who just had to undergo a second emergency surgery to save my life, Cheyenne went above and beyond her current duties to assist in helping with my recovery simply because I had been her patient and she cared about seeing me get better for my baby.

I’ve had many nurses care for me during both of my labor experiences, and I’ve never had one who cared about me throughout all of my issues after discharge as well. She went above and beyond because her nursing care didn’t stop at my discharge from L&D, but continued when I was finally better with no complications.

She remembered how important breastfeeding was to me and went beyond her duties of just bringing a breastpump to my recovery room to ensure I had resources available to provide milk to my baby.

The Choctaw Nation, as well as every L&D patient, is incredibly lucky to have Cheyenne on staff. She made a lasting impression on our lives, and we are forever grateful for her.