Prior to my own labor and delivery experience, I would frequently express my appreciation for the way Lide connects with and advocates for her patients. I have watched her help patients through incredibly difficult social situations and often find myself thinking about how lucky her patients are to have her as a nurse.

I was pregnant with my first child, a baby girl. People would ask me where I planned to deliver and without hesitation, I would tell them that I was going to deliver at Riley. Many would wonder why I wasn’t going to deliver at IU North, which is much closer to my home. I would tell them that I wanted to deliver “with my friends” and that if anything were to go wrong, Riley was the place to be. As a “normal”, low-risk pregnancy, I did not anticipate any complications with my delivery.

My induction of labor was started, and though everything started out well, I developed an acute kidney injury by that evening. My body was no longer making urine, I was becoming confused, and I was in excruciating pain despite having an epidural. I recall repeatedly saying that the pain was not related to contractions and that “it was my bladder”. Though Lide was not my primary nurse that night, she was brought into my room to help figure out what was going on and how to proceed. I remember very little from that night, and since I was becoming increasingly confused, I was having trouble speaking for myself. According to my husband, Lide was able to communicate with me and help me decide that proceeding with a C-section was our best option.

Luckily, I got to have Lide as the circulator for my C-section. She knew that something was wrong with me and that I was in pain so she worked to expedite the process of getting me back to the operating room. Some of the best staff members were with me in the OR, all worried about my condition. Toward the end of my C-section, the anesthesiologists and OB doctors determined that I needed to be transferred to the ICU. My kidneys were failing, and I was in metabolic acidosis. I’ve never felt so unwell before. Lide was repeatedly telling everyone in my care team that they needed to take good care of me and to keep communicating with my worried husband.

Despite being a hectic delivery, Lide made sure to take photos in the OR. This wasn’t something I asked for but she knew it was something I would’ve wanted and that it was something I would never be able to get back. She took photos of my baby and of my husband holding her for the first time. My memory leading up to delivery is limited, and I do not remember the first several hours of my daughter’s life. I am grateful to have those photos to look back at since I was not present at that moment. While I often feel sad or guilty for missing out on bonding with my daughter after delivery, I find comfort in knowing that my coworkers were there with her. I am certain that Lide loved on her while I was unable to.

Lide supported me and advocated for me throughout my pregnancy, so I was fortunate to have her as a part of my delivery. It has been difficult to process the way that my labor and delivery unfolded; however, it helps to know that I had a great care team. Lide has helped me fill in gaps in my memory and process everything that happened, which has been invaluable. My husband is forever grateful for the care that Lide provided to me and for the support that she provided to him while he felt scared and helpless.

While Lide is a coworker and a friend to me, I know that she gives the same kind of care to every one of her patients. She helped me communicate my wants and needs when I was not able to do so for myself. Between her protective nature and courage to speak up for what she feels is right, Lide is a fierce patient advocate. My husband and I will never forget the way she cared for my family.