After spending two days in the hospital with my wife in labor and almost 24 hours with her on Pitocin, Azing (and her orientee, L) came in on Monday morning and made such a difference.  She first asked my wife a few basic questions to make sure she was prepared for any possible emergency. Her calm demeanor, quiet confidence, and professional experience put us at ease at a very emotional time.  My wife mentioned that she had been having a lot of back pain for a little while, and Azing immediately helped her into a labor position that relieved the pain.

Though we did not come in with a formal birth plan, Azing went over the aspects of the birth that we hadn't thought of to make sure she was aware of our preferences and then wrote them on the white board in the room so anyone who came in would be aware.  She also said that she was going to come in very frequently to help my wife into various labor positions to help her have the best possible chance of having a safe, vaginal delivery.

After about an hour, my wife and I noticed that the baby's heart rate looked like it had dropped on the monitor, so we pressed the call bell for help. The call bell was answered right away, but before we could even finish explaining what we needed, Azing rushed into the room with a doctor and immediately helped my wife into a different position to help get the baby's heart rate back up.  That moment was probably one of the scariest moments of my life, and Azing's presence and the care she provided to my wife were extremely comforting.
At that point, the doctor told us that a c-section was strongly recommended, and Azing compassionately and patiently helped my wife prepare.

Once they were ready to start the surgery, they brought me into the OR, and Azing asked for my phone so she could take pictures, since I wouldn't be able to observe the birth.  I was extremely emotional in that moment, and Azing took a minute to reassure me that the team was doing everything to ensure my wife and baby would be okay.
After the surgery was over, Azing immediately helped my wife do skin-to-skin and breastfeed and ensured I was as involved as possible.

After writing this story, I realize that a lot of what she did is likely part of her job.  However, as nurses ourselves, my wife and I were able to recognize that each action she did was with so much care and compassion.  She truly devoted her full self to make sure that my wife was safe and that we both felt well taken care of.

Azing's presence on the scariest and then happiest day of my life was reassuring and so meaningful.