My wife and I went into the labor and delivery unit at Lowell General for what had become our routine NST and ultrasound, expecting the usual. Then we got news that her blood pressure was at a concerning enough level that it was actually time to induce, and that we’re going to be having our baby a couple of weeks early. There was a lot of emotion over the next four days, and we were scared, nervous, and excited. I don’t think that the experience would have been nearly as positive as it was if it weren’t for one nurse in particular. Nicole showed up on the morning of day 3, and while everything was getting more and more scary, as we were adding intervention after intervention, her calmness and dedication to being there for us really helped us stay calm and get through some scary and challenging times. We were so thankful for the time we had her, and we were waiting with bated breath for our next steps when her shift ended, and we were sad to see her go. The story could have ended right there, and we would have always remembered her for her help and encouragement, but it didn’t. When I woke early the next morning, who did I see helping with my wife’s monitors but Nicole. I said excitedly, “What are you doing here?” And she said, “You know I was just really committed to you guys.” While I know she was probably just joking and it was just time for her next shift, we did really feel her commitment, and we were both really happy to see her back.

That day, things happened slowly at first, but then everything started happening really fast, and a lot of our success in getting things going I attribute to her being there and helping every step of the way. She came in to help with countless shifts of my wife, who was on an epidural, and helped to keep us as comfortable as we could be. One thing that really helped move things along was when she suggested we try a hands and knees position, which involved Nicole in a very awkward position, monitoring the baby for as long as my wife wanted. That really helped move us into a more active labor, and that’s when things started getting real. My wife then spiked a fever which was concerning, but she was there to keep us calm and got the medicine ready to go for us before the doctor put in the orders. When the time finally came to start pushing, she was a great coach and gave my wife the confidence and instruction to not be a “crappy pusher” (my wife’s joke), and we had that baby in what felt like no time at all (it was an hour and a half). The cherry on top was that we knew her shift was scheduled to end at 7, so when we were still pushing at 7 o’clock, I was worried she would have to leave, but she stayed on with us until the baby was born to see it through, and then even popped by later to congratulate us and hold the baby. The whole L&D department was great. We loved all the nurses and doctors who helped us in our 4-day stay, but I will always remember Nicole for staying calm through it all and helping us bring our beautiful baby into this world.

I know this is L&D specific, and I don’t want to discount all the nurses on this floor. Literally everyone has been wonderful. B was cool as a cucumber when my wife’s BP spiked to like 166/100, which made all the difference. Thanks again for everything, and I wish you the best of luck in getting some needed upgrades to your floor!