Grace had a plan. There were things she wanted to ensure were in place before and during the birth of her baby girl. She was going to interview staff members to make sure she had the “A Team” on standby at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Alliance for delivery day. She had ideas of who would accompany her to the hospital. That all changed, thanks to COVID-19.

“Being able to plan is a big deal for me,” Grace admits. “Having to give up control made me uneasy and truly scared. Although I have been a nurse myself for 13 years, I have never been in labor or worked around a Labor & Delivery environment. This was all uncharted waters. I was looking to have some control by getting the best nursing staff to help me during the unknowns of laboring and delivery.”

Care that Doesn’t Disappoint

As delivery day approached, Grace turned to her obstetrician and hospital nursing staff to calm her concerns about safety and not being able to be surrounded by loved ones (other than her husband Andy) during the birthing process. First and foremost, she put her trust in Kristin Rameriz, M.D., of the Texas Health Alliance medical staff. Dr. Rameriz was the reason the couple chose to deliver their baby at Texas Health Alliance, following her all the way from their home on the other side of the Metroplex.

She took the time to answer Grace’s many questions and made sure the 35-year-old expectant mother was comfortable with the in-office and hospital policies and procedures that were in place due to the pandemic. Grace credits the information Dr. Rameriz provided with greatly decreasing her family’s anxiety. “The hospital is truly lucky to have this doctor on staff. She is one of a kind.” 

Once at the hospital, Grace was grateful for the nurses who understood when she asked them to sanitize her room and equipment to help ensure her safety. She was also thankful for labor nurse Beverley Strong, RN, who spent her 12-hour shift by Grace’s side to serve as an advocate and cheerleader.

After a hard night of laboring, Grace thought she was near the finish line when her baby began having decelerations. Early decelerations can happen when the baby’s head is compressed while descending through the birth canal. Grace was whisked off to surgery for an emergency cesarean delivery—something also not in her plan.

“An emergency c-section is never in a person’s thought process,” Grace says. “Even though I went through this scary and traumatizing time, the staff stepped up yet again to ensure the safety of my baby girl and me.

Pam Matlock, CRNA.

I was so impressed by the urgency and precision with which the whole team executed my emergency. One person I really want to thank is Pam Matlock, the certified registered nurse anesthetist. She talked me through the entire procedure, focusing on me while everyone was frantically doing their jobs to rescue my baby!”

Although Grace’s husband was on hand to help welcome the couple’s newborn, he missed much of the delivery while he was rushing to get scrubs on fast enough to join Grace in the operating room.

“It was an emergent situation, but everyone kicked into high gear,” Andy remembers. “All of the nurses and medical team, from triage to post-op, were superb. Kelly, Jennifer and Diane are a few names we remember, but we know there are many more that should be recognized.”

Paying It Forward

The family is now getting settled into their new routine in Wylie, but Grace can’t stop singing praises for the staff at Texas Health Alliance.

“As a nurse, it is hard for me to trust another medical staff because I know that not all health care providers are equal. So I was blown away by the quality of nurses I had. I could write a book about all the little things the staff did to make my stay as comfortable and safe as possible, but I really want to drive home that this department and its leadership are amazing. L&D does not get the ovation they deserve because for most of us, having a baby is a ‘normal’ part of life.

Our family is doing well, and we cannot be more thankful for everyone who was a part of our journey. It may have been just another shift for them, but it was life-changing for us. I will take my time on the other side being a patient and move forward to treat my patients with more empathy due to this experience,” Grace adds.

To learn about having a Texas Health baby, visit Women and Infant Services. Read more pandemic birth stories at Right There With You. Whatever Comes.