Beth's Story

In late October of 2021, Beth and her husband Aric found themselves at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan. The couple’s child was due in 10-days, but the soon-to-be, first-time parents became keenly aware their daughter was ready to make her appearance into the world.

Arriving on a Thursday evening, Beth was prepared to spend the night at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital as she and her husband waited for their baby to arrive naturally or by inducing labor. Through the course of the evening, Beth would learn firsthand how nurses at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital cared for and support their patients during stressful situations.

“My nurses spent a lot of time with me in my room,” recalled Beth. “One nurse sat with me for four hours to monitor my condition during my sleepless night. She was so caring and understanding.”

Beth didn’t get a lot of sleep and was admittedly a bit stressed, but she found comfort in her nursing team in the late hours of the night, as they took time to comfort her despite having a fairly busy evening.

“I would never have known how busy their floor was unless they told me,” said Beth. “They were taking time out of their evening to help me relax by just being kind and talkative. That meant a lot to me.”

The following morning, after a couple of hours of sleep, Beth’s OBGYN, Dr. Jessica Leszczynski, administered medications to induce labor. It wasn’t much longer until contractions began occurring on a regular basis, and Beth’s water broke. It was around this time Beth’s nurses noticed her baby’s heart rate was dropping after each contraction.

“I was getting anxious,” said Beth. “I believe it may have been on a subconscious level. I knew something was wrong.”

Thanks to the skill and diligent monitoring of the nurses, it was determined Dr. Leszczynski would have to perform an emergency C-section. The baby’s umbilical cord had dropped through her mother’s cervix into the vagina, and oxygen was becoming more and more limited to the unborn child.

“My nurse told me she could feel the umbilical cord and that we had to transfer to the operating room now,” said Beth. “Within moments, four or five nurses were wheeling me down the hall explaining that I needed an emergency C-section.”

As chaotic as the moment was, Beth remembers the nurses remained calm while they thoroughly explained what was happening to her. They also shared what needed to happen in the moments to follow, to help ensure her baby was safe and healthy.

“My nurses remained calm through it all,” said Beth. “They were preparing me for this emergency procedure and at the same time reminding me to continue focusing on my breathing.”

Beth was medicated for the emergency procedure and does not recall much of what happened during the next 24 minutes. The only reason she knows how long she was out for was because medical records indicate when she was prepped for the procedure, and when her happy and healthy newborn baby was brought into this world.

“It’s remarkable that they could prep me for surgery and get my baby delivered within 24 minutes,” said Beth. “If it wasn’t for my care teams’ knowledge, compassion, courage and long hours of training for situations like this, my daughter may not have made it.”

On October 22, 2021, Beth and her husband welcomed their daughter Kennedy, into the world. It will be a date her parents will forever remember as one of celebration of their first born, rather than of heartache.

“If not for the team at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital we’d be remembering this date with sorrow and tears,” said Beth. “Thanks to my doctor and my team of compassionate nurses, we will instead forever remember this date as a joyous day when my family welcomed our first child.”

 

Those who call Sheboygan and its surrounding communities home have trusted HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital to care for them and their loved ones for more than a century. Our longevity in the community and commitment to continuously evolve with the latest in modern medical care ensure patients like Beth and Kennedy can receive the best care possible, close to home. Thank you for choosing HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital.