I met Julie Singleton on one of the hardest days of my life.
My husband and I had found out the morning of September 4, 2020, that at 36 weeks gestation, our son no longer had a heartbeat. That night when we were admitted to the hospital, we met Julie at shift change.
Julie was my nurse through the night until the next morning. She began by connecting with me and telling me that a close family member of hers had also lost their baby.
I vividly remember the compassion that she showed to me and my husband. Looking back, it felt like she was treating me as if I were her own sister. She made sure that I was comfortable and taken care of through the whole process of labor and delivery, but she went above and beyond what was expected.
Julie knew just the right things to say at just the right time. After our son Case was born, she bathed him and dressed him for us. She made his handprints and footprints, an impression of his foot, and took several photographs for us to remember him by.
Julie made sure to let me know that the things that I was feeling were valid and reassured me that this was not my fault – something I desperately needed to hear.
Julie addressed our son by name – something that was very important to us – and, throughout the process, talked to us and explained everything that she was doing. She made sure that we had the chance to hold him as much as we wanted. She even went down to the café and brought us back supper late that night.
Julie made sure to let me know that the things that I was feeling were valid and reassured me that this was not my fault – something I desperately needed to hear.
The impact that Julie had on me in those 12 hours still affects me to this day – and will for the rest of my life. The time that my husband and I had with Case in the hospital during Julie’s shift is the only time we will have with our sweet boy on this side of Heaven, and Julie recognized the weight that those precious memories would have on us for the rest of our lives.
Julie is everything we could have ever wanted in a nurse and so much more. Honestly, she’s one of the reasons that I felt like I could go through pregnancy again.
Recently, I was able to reunite with Julie and introduce her to our new baby boy, Bowen! Seeing Julie holding him filled me with an overwhelming sense of thankfulness and joy.
Julie’s actions and compassion have helped make my journey through the grief of losing Case a little easier. She was truly a light in the darkness that continues to shine over a year and a half later.
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About NGMC’s Women & Children’s Services
At Northeast Georgia Medical Center, life’s most sacred moments happen every day. Choosing where these precious moments are created is important. From the very first embrace to caring for your children when they are sick, we treasure each moment just as you do.