I was 35 weeks pregnant when I came into the hospital because I was feeling off. Kimberly was my nurse at the time I was admitted. I was given an ultrasound to check on our baby, and we were told he had no heartbeat. That was the most tragic moment of my life, learning we had lost our son. My husband and I were both in complete shock as we had no warning signs other than just an overall sense of feeling off. It was an out-of-body experience receiving the news, as I heard myself screaming and crying. Kimberly was by our side the entire time, holding my hand. Her presence was very comforting as she consoled us and helped us understand the next steps. Throughout Kimberly’s shift during our stay in the hospital, she checked in on us frequently and helped answer our questions. Kimberly went above and beyond in the way she spoke about our son. She spoke about our son like a real person, not just a deceased fetus. This meant so much to us because he was our son. We had so many hopes, dreams and plans that included our son. It wasn’t t just our son that passed but it was also our future as we had planned. Kimberly gently gave suggestions, gifts, and guidance as we journeyed throughout the induction and birth of our son.

During that time, we were so in shock and grief that our brains were blank. Kimberly made suggestions of things we could do with him, like sing lullabies, hold his hand, dress him, bathe him. While we couldn’t mentally handle all of the suggestions due to the reality of our loss, she suggested them without judgment, and the things we choose to do are memories we will hold onto for the rest of our lives. The manner in which Kimberly spoke showed her genuine care for us and our son which brought so much comfort through the most difficult moments of our lives. Once our son was born, Kimberly came back into the hospital hours after her shift had ended and in the middle of the night to take professional photos of our son. She volunteers for an organization to take photos when a family’s child has passed. This organization then takes those photos and has other volunteers professionally edit them. These photos that Kimberly took for us mean so much to my husband and me as they are the only images and memories that we have of our son. Leaving the hospital with empty arms the day after our son’s birth was a truly heartbreaking moment. However difficult the entire experience was, we were truly blessed with so many amazing nurses, doctors, and support staff at the hospital, especially Kimberly.

The next month, on our due date, Kimberly remembered us, remembered our son by name, and sent us a card in the mail. We were so touched by receiving this card, and it meant so much to us to see that someone remembered our son. One of the biggest fears grieving parents have is that their child will be forgotten. The world moves on while grieving parents are stuck in the moment of their loss. Kimberly’s card showed us that our son made a difference in her life, he matters, and he is important, not just to us, his parents, but he has made an impact on her life. Kimberly is such a genuine person and cares so deeply about her patients. She goes above and beyond to not just give patients high-quality medical care but to help her patients emotionally. She treats her patients as human beings, not just patients, through her compassionate care.