May 2012
Stephanie
Allen
,
RN
Women and Newborn
Littleton Adventist Hospital
Littleton
,
CO
United States

 

 

 

Steph was a Godsend during the scariest time of my life. On 3/18/12, my wife had an emergency C-section. During the operation she suffered from an air embolism. Her case was so rare that clinics on air embolisms are nonexistent. My baby inherited my wife's blood disease, spherocytosis. Both my wife and son were put in separate ICU's. I went from the 5th floor to the NICU and back for two days. My wife lost her short-term memory for several days. I was scared.

Over the next four days Steph built me up. She gave me encouragement and compassion and had boundless patience explaining and re-explaining the situation, e.g., what happened to my wife and how to breast feed over and over as my wife continuously forgot just about every interaction she had with me and the doctors and nurses on an hourly basis.

Steph was kind and respectful and offered prayers for my wife and son. I've never been in a situation like this before, and it sounds like the hospital has never seen an air embolism either. In a time of uncertainty Steph remained calm, steadfast and positive. I don't think I could have been as strong for my wife and son if Steph wasn't there to help. I call her my LAH angel. I thank God for assigning her to us.

My wife is recovering and the one person she remembers taking care of her was Steph. Thank you Steph.