After an eight-year battle against infertility that led to IVF and our beautiful twin boys, we knew Northside was our best option for care, as our boys likely need ICU time. What we didn’t expect was to meet staff members who impacted us in ways we will never forget. I would like to shine a spotlight on Natalie, one of our nurses in postpartum care.

Natalie brought peace and so very many smiles to a situation that felt incredibly scary. Navigating c-section recovery and fighting preeclampsia left me at one of the lowest points of my life emotionally, as someone with no prior medical history or experience with anything beyond a regular doctor’s visit, paired with my husband and me struggling with our oldest son's admission to NICU. The medical struggle of my situation brought a lot of fear and anxiety that I did not know how to cope with. Sleep-deprived, overwhelmed with emotions, and stuck with no family/friends due to an impending ice storm, Natalie stepped into our room for the first time and radiated positivity and optimism. She continued this throughout our entire time together and became a friend/family member we so desperately needed.

As a patient, having an excellent nurse like Natalie can make a terrifying situation much less scary when you truly trust them. I knew when something would happen that if Natalie wasn’t worried about it, I shouldn’t be, either. She will never know how much that peace of mind meant to me during my stay. She was able to recognize when my anxiety was being triggered by seeing my blood pressures, etc, and made sure that I was not directly faced with the numbers when vitals were taken, and for that I was so thankful. I never heard her directly make this call, but I knew she had, and it truly helped ease my nerves. Seamlessly and expertly, she adapted to the situation and made sure that my care team met me where I was and provided the care I needed.

Natalie demonstrated empathy, flexibility, leadership, and compassion in a chaotic time for both the nurses of Northside and us. She and W single-handedly elevated a terrifying experience into a positive one that will always leave us in awe of the true kindness we met when it came to our stay. We are forever grateful for her and would like to commend her for being a part of something bigger than she or I by being a light for people like me who need it so desperately. Anyone can go to school and be a nurse, but it takes a special person to truly embody the values that make nursing such a work of the heart. Thank you, Natalie, for being a light for us and for helping us through one of the most difficult journeys of our lives. You are more precious than gold!