I arrived at the San Francisco Geary Kaiser facility around 1 am Sunday morning and after 36 hours of labor, I finally gave birth to our first son. During this time we were treated by many nurses and doctors as they rotated through their shifts. I experienced a particularly difficult labor full of complications, ranging from pain management, induction, multiple drops in baby's heartbeat, and ultimately a cesarean. Through these challenges, there was one person who stood out and made a huge difference in our experience at Kaiser. Her humanity, sweetness, and understanding were only the first things we noticed and really appreciated. Additionally, she offered me different options to try to accelerate my labor which was a huge difference from the one track path the other staff members were pushing. Happy to try anything, she helped us through many different positions which helped me to dilate, when nothing else seemed to be working. Even though we had issues with the baby's vitals when I moved, I had complete confidence in her. With her gentleness, she seemed to know my body perfectly. This was a huge contrast from other nurses who were more forceful and resulted in several scares. Throughout her time with us, she talked me through the process and I felt completely supported, giving me force to push on. Lastly, and not least important, was her attention to cleanliness. I always felt clean and in good hands with her.
Kat made the difference to not only my experience but my family's experience, who were living that moment alongside me. They would also love to give credit to her amazing job. Nominating Kat only seems like a small way for us to show our gratitude for her excellent job as a nurse and utter compassion as a person.