Let's Talk About Unexpected Miracles
Cami Smith:
Welcome to Centra Scripts. Here we talk about health, wellness, and practical tips for your everyday life. I'm your host, Cami Smith.
Cami Smith:
Welcome to Centra Scripts. I am Cami Smith, your host. And today I'm joined by a Centra nurse, and her name is Lauren Wade. And we are so excited that she's here with us today because she has a story that she gets to share about an experience she had here in our community. And I don't want to give too much away, because this really is a story about who Lauren is, but also just about the kind of caregivers that we do have here at Centra. And so, introducing Lauren Wade. Tell me a little bit about yourself. You're a nurse.
Lauren Wade:
Yes.
Cami Smith:
But, what is your role here at Centra?
Lauren Wade:
I play many roles. I am the Manager of Cardiac Pulmonary Rehab, Bariatrics, Endocrinology. So, I have eight locations to manage, and about 50 plus staff members to corral at times.
Cami Smith:
Wow. So, you have a busy day on any given day.
Lauren Wade:
Yes.
Cami Smith:
A lot going on. So you're a nurse, but are you bedside, have you ever been bedside?
Lauren Wade:
I was bedside years ago. My daughter is now nine. So, I've been out of bedside for about nine years. And so, now I'm the manager, but I do jump in with my staff in a heartbeat, and any time they need me, I will put my scrubs on and be at the room again or whatever they call me to do.
Cami Smith:
Okay. So, how did you get into nursing?
Lauren Wade:
Many years ago, when I was in high school, I went on a missions trip to help people. And I fell in love with just helping anyone. It doesn't matter who you are, what's wrong with you, I love just to provide a care, a hand, a touch, a soft gentle word to them. So then when I came home from that mission trip, I really was like, "Maybe nursing is for me." Plus, my grandmother never became a nurse, but took care of everybody. So, we got to share stories.
Cami Smith:
It was in your blood.
Lauren Wade:
It was in the blood already. Yes. So, we shared stories at lunchtime together. I'd be in nursing school, get out, and go have lunch with her. And she loved the stories. And it's really amazing, she died three days after I graduated nursing school. She couldn't come to graduation, of course. But I wore my cap and gown to her house right before she went into her little coma. And so, it's a very good way to end my nursing school, to know that she could see me do that.
Cami Smith:
That is so special. And what a great connection, too. So, you've been a nurse, you said you've been out of bedside for nine years. How long have you been a nurse?
Lauren Wade:
For over 16 years.
Cami Smith:
Oh, wow. Okay. So, where were you bedside?
Lauren Wade:
On Med Search. Actually, before they even built the tower at Lynchburg General, I worked on two north surgical. Worked there for some time, did a home health round, but I really love bedside nursing. I actually enjoy Med Search. And people are like, "That's not for me," but that is where my heart is. And then I've got to manage, but I had a family, so they came first. And so, I got out of bedside.
Cami Smith:
Okay. What was your favorite thing about stepping into nursing, especially stepping into bedside? And I don't want to say an extreme environment, but a more intense environment.
Lauren Wade:
It can range. There's a lot of things. A lot of times it's just when someone says, "Thank you." Thank you for even helping me walk to the bathroom, walk down the hall, or change a dressing on them. Just a simple thank you really fills my heart.
Cami Smith:
Yeah. Do you get a lot of thank yous?
Lauren Wade:
I do. Yes.
Cami Smith:
Good.
Lauren Wade:
Actually my job today, I have a lot more thank yous. Our patients are very happy usually.
Cami Smith:
Yes. Yes. So, tell me a little bit about what you do now. So you're a manager. But day in and day out, what type of patient interaction do you have?
Lauren Wade:
Depends on the clinic I'm at. So, cardiopulmonary rehab, cardiac survivors. So, heart attacks, surgeries or pulmonary events. They come and they actually exercise. My second love between nursing is actually exercise. So, this is a really great place for me, and I get to help them go through different routines, learn about nutrition, healthy lifestyles. And then at bariatrics, again, it's more of that nutrition, getting them back to healthier ways of doing things. And endocrinology, you just have a whole slew of patients that come in. So it just varies, but I get to do a lot of things with a lot of different people daily.
Cami Smith:
Yeah. I might have to get with you afterwards about the whole exercise nutrition thing.
Lauren Wade:
Okay. I go at 5:00 AM.
Cami Smith:
It's very intriguing. Yes.
Lauren Wade:
Yes.
Cami Smith:
Well, especially with a family. You have to get up early and get that stuff in on the front end. And I love that you're taking that love and passion you have in your own life, and you're pouring that into your patients. So, not only do you get to do what you love with nursing, but this really intersects with you in a different way with exercise and just a healthy lifestyle.
Lauren Wade:
Yes, it is. It's actually a work life balance, and I try to make sure all my staff have that too.
Cami Smith:
Yeah, that is so important. So, let's talk a little bit about your experience a few weeks ago. Just walk us through what happened at Sheetz when you encountered a woman who was in labor and you helped deliver that baby.
Lauren Wade:
We have to serve the whole day. So, the beginning of the day, because there are very small little moments, I'm a firm believer God is there daily in my life. And that day He was there big time, but leading up to it, He was there. So, as we talked about, I'm very busy. I actually got off early that day, surprisingly early and enough to run errands on my own.
Cami Smith:
Nice. So, that's even a win.
Lauren Wade:
Which is a win, yes.
Cami Smith:
As very big deal as a mom. Okay.
Lauren Wade:
Yes. So, that's a good win. And so, my parents have had my daughter, and they had been actually at my grandparents' house at the lake. And so the plan was to meet at Sheetz around 5:30. So, my parents called me, they're running late. And I'm getting a little irritated, because now I'm ready to go home. I've been on with the errands, done for the day, I want to go to my house and see my house.
Lauren Wade:
So I go, and I was like, "No problem. I'll go and run some more errands." So then I get to pick up my dog. She goes to doggy daycare, because I do work long hours, so did my husband. When I arrive, I'm the last one to get my dog. I'm getting now a little bit more irritated sitting there, everyone else's dog is running around and I'm like, "I'd like to go home." Again, my parents are like, "We haven't left yet." And I'm like, "Seriously?" Now looking back, those were those moments God was leading me to the exact big event. He was slowing me down.
Cami Smith:
So, your timeline was getting prolonged. And prolonged. And prolonged.
Lauren Wade:
Yes. And unfortunately, I wanted to override his doings, but He is always in control. And so, I arrived there at Sheetz. And so, my dog is crazy, jumping. There are boxes in my car. I was helping a friend move, and I had boxes in the car, and I am just fed up. And so I do that kind, put my head down, and I see a car pull up beside me. And again, I look over, and they look a little in distress. So, my first thought is, "Oh, she's not feeling well." Again, I am doing this number. And then finally I was like, "Okay, something's not right." So I kindly opened the door. And whenever I see people in distress in the community or even in the hospital, I'm always like, "Hi, my name is Lauren, and I'm a nurse. How can I help you?" And, "I'm in labor." And I'm like, "Well."
Cami Smith:
So she knew. She knew right away.
Lauren Wade:
Yes, she knew right away. Yes. And in my head, I was like, "Okay, it's about 5:45 now, and there's 5:00 traffic, Virginia Baptist is at least 30 more minutes. We've got to go if we're going to make it." But I kindly just said, "Well, how can I help you? Have you called 911?" And her boyfriend said, "Yes." And they hand me the phone. So the dispatcher is like... I could hear the dispatcher, they had on me on speaker. And so I said again, "I'm a nurse. Tell me what to do." And she's like, "Well, see what's going on." So I kindly just offer my services, and we set it up so the dispatcher was able to... I could hear her still. So, we put her on the car. And I'm just kindly, "I'm going to see what's going on and help you through this." And so when I realized where we are on the journey of giving birth, I said, "Okay, we've got to take some quick actions because I think we're having a baby now."
Cami Smith:
Oh my goodness. Okay. So, how are you feeling in that moment? You're coming from a really stressful-ish day. You're already out of sorts because... And I've been there. When the dog is in the car, you're waiting for the kids, things are running late. That's a lot to transition from. So, how are you feeling?
Lauren Wade:
I've actually been told I have a really great poker face. I can be very nervous and stressed and anxious inside, but my face will not show it. So-
Cami Smith:
That came in handy.
Lauren Wade:
So, I'm hoping that I gave that picture when I was there. I saw there was blankets in the car, so I was like, "Oh, we're going to use those for some privacy." And I just was like, "Okay, I've had a child. I understand the pain that she's going through at this moment." And now I have never delivered a child a day in my life. Nursing school, I've witnessed it, but never did the actual action. But I was like, "I mean, how hard can it be," I guess at this point, cause we have a baby no matter what, the way that the process was going. And so I said, "Just hold the blankets up," and I had the dispatchers, "I'm going to coach you through it." And so I said, "Let's just breathe." And when I'm nervous, I will joke, try to liven it up. So, we were chit chatting, and I was trying to be like, "What's your family? Where are you from? What's your name? I don't know who you are."
Cami Smith:
Yeah. What's your name? What an interesting question to ask someone that you are helping deliver a baby. "By the way, what is your name?"
Lauren Wade:
And when, I don't know, three minutes, which felt like eternity, she just said, "I can't take it any more." And at that moment we had a baby. And it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen because, the baby was crying. And so, not only instantly was like, everything was going to be okay, I now just had to focus on, "Okay, is there an ambulance coming? Do I hear it yet? And what would happen if the baby was to go into stress?" But none of that happened. And we just kind of hung out, I guess you could say, while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.
Cami Smith:
Yeah. I'm trying to wrap my mind around this moment that you just described, because it's so much. And what was happening around you all, do you think anyone was aware?
Lauren Wade:
I look back upon that, and that was another God moment there, too, because in the moment I had given privacy, my body was protecting her from anyone seeing. The way we parked, no one saw in any direction that any cars came in at that Sheetz. It's busy. That Sheetz is crazy busy. No one came over to help. And I'm okay with that, now looking back. Because that's an intimate moment that the world doesn't always have to see, and there just needed to be mom and dad. And luckily me to hold the baby and help out.
Cami Smith:
Mom, dad, and hopefully a nurse nearby.
Lauren Wade:
Yes. Luck of the draw, I just happened to be there to catch the baby kind of deal. And, her boyfriend got in the car, and he gave her a hug and a kiss. And just that moment, I was just like, "Oh, this is so good."
Cami Smith:
I love that you got to be a part of that.
Lauren Wade:
Yes. And we just kind of sat tight. I mean, she was hurting, and I know. I had that child in the moment of no medicine, unfortunately, either, so I could relate to the pain she was going through. But I was in a controlled environment, she's not. And so, when people arrived... And I think the best part was when we went to cut the umbilical cord, and her boyfriend looked at me and I looked at him and I said, "Dude, you're doing this. We're in a parking lot. We've just delivered a baby together. You're going to cut this cord, buddy."
Cami Smith:
I love it. I mean, that's typically a lot of dads get the opportunity to do that. And that was still a part of the process for them.
Lauren Wade:
Oh yeah. It was great. EMS was phenomenal, the dispatcher. Once they arrived, dispatcher hung up. I don't know who she was. She was phenomenal. She was so encouraging. I remember her even saying my name, "Lauren, you've got this. You're in control. You can do it." And I think at one point, I know I can feel my leg was visibly shaking, and I was like, "Okay, the nurse can't get nervous. The family is already nervous. I can't be nervous." But I was shaking so hard. And I think that was when she said you got this. And so I was like, "We do. We're going to do it." And so, all was well when they arrived, and they took her baby to the ambulance, took mom to the ambulance, and I got up and I walked to, I don't know. The fireman, police officer, I don't remember who he was. And I just said, "Can I have some hand sanitizer?" And I just went in and washed my hands.
Cami Smith:
I'm ready to... Yeah.
Lauren Wade:
Yep. I washed my hands, got in my car, and I was just like, "All right. Time to go home."
Cami Smith:
Wow.
Lauren Wade:
Yes.
Cami Smith:
So, not a normal day for you, not a part of your regular routine or responsibilities. So, it's been about a week, two weeks at this point, mom and baby are healthy, which is incredible to know, especially there was nothing that lingered after... Healthy baby, healthy mom. That's what everybody hopes for. And so, that's incredible. So, what do you take away from this?
Lauren Wade:
When I got home, and it was all over Facebook and the world knew who I was and everything, it was just to me, if I was not a nurse, I probably would've done the same thing, because I do love people. I love to help them out. At first I didn't feel like it was a different day. I just felt like, "Hey, 911 does it all the time, so I just happened to do it for them today." I did eat a lot of M&Ms that night to calm my nerves a little bit, I think, finally after a while.
Cami Smith:
I love it.
Lauren Wade:
But my sister came over to talk to me, and she was just really excited that everything had gone so smoothly. And she reminded me, the beginning of the summer, I witnessed a really bad motorcycle wreck. Unfortunately, I couldn't administer life saving measures. It was too bad of a sight. I was with the gentleman as he took his last breath. But I was with the baby as they brought their first breath of life. So, a full circle all came to... It's all what God needs you to do, and you just have to be the faithful follower. And that's what I am. And so, that kind of helped me like, "Okay, it was all worked out that right way."
Cami Smith:
Yeah. That's incredible. You were there in that moment on purpose.
Lauren Wade:
Yeah, exactly.
Cami Smith:
Yeah. It's always interesting to me, the things that you just think are happenstance or things will work out the way they work out, and there is. There is a unique timeline. There is just supernatural things out of our control. I am so thankful that you were there. So, have you been in contact with the mother since this all happened?
Lauren Wade:
Yes. We actually connected through Facebook. And then Friday before she was going to go home, I messaged her and I said, "Are you up for a visitor?" And she was like, "I can't wait to see you." And so, I got to go love on the baby. And it was just a beautiful moment. I could stay there all day long, with the little sweet thing.
Cami Smith:
Oh yeah. Well, it was probably really encouraging for her to see someone who was with her in probably one of the biggest moments of her life and baby's life, and so to make that connection. Because I imagine you weren't able to make that, "Let's exchange information," as you are being taken away.
Lauren Wade:
Yes, yes. Even after when I left, honestly, if someone had asked who she was, I would not have known. In the moment, I don't think I would remember her name. And actually that night before I even got to connect with some of her family on Facebook, I was going to bed and not knowing her name, but just knowing I did the right thing.
Cami Smith:
Absolutely.
Lauren Wade:
But luckily I did get to connect with them. And so I waited. I didn't want to be pushy. This is her moment. This is all about mom and dad and sweet little baby. But then finally I was like, "I got to go love on her." So, just meeting them, and they're just the sweetest, and they have a beautiful family. And so, I know that we'll stay connected. We have a little bit of some history together now.
Cami Smith:
Absolutely. And well, I love how you share it in the beginning one of the reasons that you became a nurse is because you love helping people. And it doesn't matter at all who it is. And that's such a testament to who you are in that moment. You immediately stepped out of your comfort zone because you were already down here, not really hoping to engage with anybody. And so, that does. That speaks to why you became a nurse and why you were the one who got to be there to be a part of this moment. So, I love it.
Cami Smith:
Well, thank you for coming on.
Lauren Wade:
Thank you for having me.
Cami Smith:
Thank you for sharing that part of this story. And thank you all for joining us. I'm a little emotional. I'm trying to be very careful, but it is. It's a beautiful story, and I love that you got to be a part of it. And I love that our caregivers can see that kind of heart that's shared among our nursing staff and our providers, and just the people who we get to work shoulder to shoulder here with at Centra. So, thanks for joining us again today on Centra Scripts, and we will see you next time.