Family history

YNHH is not just my place of employment, but more like a dear old family friend who has been a part of my family's life for almost 75 years. A total of 44 members of my family have been born here.

In 1928 my mother was born in the Private Pavilion. Three of her siblings were also born there. My mother gave birth five times, once in Grace Hospital. I was the first of the next four children who were born in the brand new Memorial Unit of Grace-New Haven Hospital. Many years later, my mother remarked how wonderful it was when she experienced "rooming in." She thought it was great that you were actually "allowed" to keep your baby with you—all day long!

One of her sisters, Elsie Sloane Bobeck, graduated in the late 40's from the Grace School of Nursing. Elsie worked briefly in the Operating Room, but worked most of her career on Labor and Delivery. Elsie was the Assistant Head Nurse on the night shift for many years and retired in 1985.

My aunt, Patricia Sloane Bernadoni, recently told me this story that took place during the summer of 1966 (when there were riots in the streets of New Haven.) She was in the hospital for the birth of her fifth child. One night, she approached the nurses' station to ask if the hospital was on fire. Her room smelled heavily of wood smoke, and the mothers were all concerned about the safety of their babies. The nurses calmed and reassured them that it was not the hospital that was on fire, but the house on the block nearby. Indeed, when she looked out the window, she could see the flames of the engulfed building.

In 1971 my cousin Cheryl Bobeck Rabb, became a YNHH employee. Her position was "Unit Secretary", weekends in maternity. Cheryl was also a nursing student, inspired by her mother, Elsie. When Cheryl graduated, she became a member of the 4-East, Postpartum staff. She recently celebrated 30 years as an employee and continues to work on the maternity floors of West Pavilion 10 and 11 as their Assistant Patient Service Manager.

In 1973 another one of my cousins was seven years old and experienced in what was then a "state of the art" open-heart procedure to repair a hole in her heart. Her surgeon was the groundbreaking Dr. Whittemore. This surgery has enabled her to lead a healthy life, giving birth herself in 1991, right here at YNHH.

Also in 1973 I entered the nursing program at Southern Connecticut State College, inspired as well by my aunt, Elsie Bobeck. All I wanted was to be a nurse who worked with babies, like her. I was much too eager to wait until graduation to be a part of the YNHH family, and in 1975 I was hired into the very same Unit Secretary position where my cousin had worked just a few years before. I knew right then that I was right where I wanted to be. I graduated in 1977 and was one of only two newly hired RN's in maternity. I worked on 4 West, Cheryl on 4 East, and Elsie on Labor and Delivery. I have just celebrated 25 years of employment and have been a Labor and Birth nurse for 22 of those years. I love my job today as much as I did when I was newly hired.

My family's story does continue. The decades of the 80's and 90's saw a whole new generation of my family born here. My four children, as well as of eight of my nieces and nephews and 16 of my cousins' children were born during those years. My youngest child was born healthy after complications during that pregnancy confined me for three weeks to the wonderful unit known as Maternal Special Care. I will always be grateful to the fabulous nurses in the Newborn Special Care Unit who cared for Danny the first week of his life.

Compassionate staff members of YNHH have taken care of my family through many illnesses and some surgeries. Sadly, when my mother was diagnosed with cancer, this was also at YNHH. With the superb care that she received, she was able to live her last few months with a good quality of life and died with dignity when modern medicine was no longer able to help her. Again, it was the staff of YNHH who cared for both Mom and our family during that long, sad night.

My daughter is now an employee of our hospital, as she helps pay her way through college. Today, the position is called a Business Associate. In reality, it is still the same Unit Secretary position that Cheryl and I worked many years ago.

When I attended the Founder's Day Celebration, it was really evident that everyone that day was part of a family. Employees proudly wore his or her T-shirt like members of an extended family at a family reunion. For one day, we were all the same—no green PCA shirts, purple EA shirts, or multi-colored nursing clothes.

As we continue in this new century, there will be many more advances in medicine, but I am especially reassured that it will be the fine people who work at YNHH caring for my family, because without them, there is only a hospital but no heart.

Sincerely,

Kathy Murray, RN
Labor and Birth

P.S. On my unit, we call the long time employees "lifers." I really think this applies to me. I jokingly tell people that I was born here; I have worked my entire career here; and there is no doubt in my mind that some day I will take my last stroll (or more appropriately roll) through these halls-on my way to Brady!