I'm currently an RN on the PARU at Sanford so having a nurse background myself made being on the patient side even more difficult and unnerving. Due to blood pressure issues, I was induced. I had no idea what to expect during labor yet my subconscious was filled with anxiety of the unknown before I arrived that day. After meeting Lydia my worries were completely wiped away. Lydia constantly reassured my husband and I of what was to come and she knew exactly what I needed to hear every step of the way.
After having to painfully wait for an epidural, Lydia was by my side the whole time supporting me. She made sure I knew I was being heard and my feelings were valid. I couldn't have done it without her guidance; she made my experience so calming even when everything was happening so fast.
Once my daughter was born, she, unfortunately, had to go to the NICU and I also ended up hemorrhaging. Although everything didn't go as expected, I never doubted the care we received and knew we were both in good hands. Lydia willingly stayed 16 hours with us that day and had multiple patients, yet I truly felt like I was her only. We got the pleasure of having her the next day on postpartum as well and I couldn't have been more pleased with how she treated us. Since our daughter was in the NICU, Lydia was constantly asking how she was doing and made it so easy for us to be with her. She made sure vitals, checks, and medications were coordinated with us so we could be in the NICU as much as possible.
Lydia is an exceptional nurse, coach, and person. We were so so so very lucky to have her included in our journey of meeting our daughter and I can't thank her enough for being a part of our experience. Lydia is such a compassionate nurse and controls chaos so the patient always feels safe. I can't help but thank her for her hard work that weekend. It didn't go unnoticed and I feel so privileged to have had her as my nurse.