The Making of a Miracle
Story by Kate Vanskike • Photos by Gary Matoso
The bond between a mother and daughter is one of the strongest connections experienced in this life.
It’s particularly powerful in life-changing events like childbirth. For many a woman, having her own mother present at delivery is as important as having the baby’s father there.
Such was the case for Suzie Klaus, who considered her mother, Connie, one of her best friends. Unfortunately, advanced ovarian cancer threatened the opportunity for Connie to welcome her newest grandbaby into the world.
But thanks to the tireless efforts of Providence staff, three generations of Klaus girls were able to have their special day.
Balancing Life and Death
Having fought ovarian cancer for years, 55-year-old Connie Klaus was not ready to lie down and die—especially not with a new granddaughter arriving in two weeks.
“Despite having been told she only had days to weeks to live, she refused to talk about dying, hospice or anything other than being here for the delivery of her daughter’s baby,” says Debbie Ridgley, RN, nurse coordinator of Palliative Care at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.
“My mom was very good at trying to hide her condition,” says Suzie. “She always gave the impression that she was strong.” In reality, Connie was undergoing daily blood transfusions and growing continuously weaker as her body began to shut down.
 |
| Connie Klaus was passionate about animals and, above all, her grandkids. |
Suzie, who was pregnant with her first daughter, says, “All I wanted was for Mom to watch her grandbabies grow. The heart-wrenching feeling of watching her slowly fade away, the realization that there was nothing I could to do to save her … it was unbelievable.”
Lisa Stiller, MD, palliative care physician, feared that Connie wouldn’t be able to make the trip to Providence Holy Family Hospital, where Suzie’s delivery was scheduled. In tears, Suzie called her physician, Ron Hardy, MD, asking if he would consider moving the birth to Providence Sacred Heart instead, because of her mother’s condition.
“Fortunately, Dr. Hardy was more than willing to accommodate the request to deliver at Sacred Heart,” Suzie says, and staff went to work on the logistics of bringing both patients together on the day of Baby Olivia’s birth.
Waiting for Baby Olivia
Connie had been her children’s hero. The woman, who deeply loved caring for her garden and her animals, was most passionate about her grandkids.
She “enjoyed life as it came to her,” Suzie says, and that’s why she held on for Baby Olivia to arrive.
It was a tenuous wait, however. She was extremely frail, failing quickly. In fact, the night before the expected delivery, caregivers and family members were sure Connie would pass away.
That rough weekend passed and on Monday morning, Suzie kissed her mother’s hand and cheeks, and left to be admitted to the Birth Place, where Olivia would enter the world.
Despite her weakened state and the effect of major pain medications, Connie awoke acutely aware that this was the day she had waited for. Ridgley accompanied Connie from the seventh floor to her new private room at the Birth Place, stopping at Suzie’s delivery room, where staff pushed the two women’s beds together.
“I love you,” they said to each other as they clasped hands. “Hurry up and have that baby,” Connie urged. Then she was moved to her room next door, where she received continuing treatment and was periodically updated on the labor’s progress.
“My mom lit up with the biggest smile and everyone
couldn’t help but cry, grown men and all!
I think my mom felt her life was complete
with Olivia in her arms.”
— Suzie Klaus
Three generations, together at last
Finally, at 4:18 p.m., a 6-pound baby girl, perfect in every way, arrived.
Connie prepared for seeing her by straightening her cap, putting on lip gloss and arranging the pastel blanket over her. The medical center staff moved Olivia and Suzie next door to Connie’s room, where the three generations enjoyed their first moments together.
“My mom lit up with the biggest smile and everyone couldn’t help but cry, grown men and all! I think my mom felt her life was complete with Olivia in her arms,” Suzie says. “You could totally tell she was happy; she had a glow around her and she said she was in no pain.”
The following day, Connie was awake, smiling, talking about the new baby girl and eating doughnuts and popsicles, despite not having eaten in a week. At this point, she would no longer receive transfusions but would be kept comfortable. With her spirits roused, she lingered for three joyful days with her new grandbaby. She held Olivia one last time before slipping into unconsciousness.
 |
| Suzie enjoys a playful moment with her husband, Roy, daughter, Olivia, and son, Kayleb. |
A beautiful goodbye
“My mother was my best friend,” Suzie says. “We often had a girls’ day out for shopping, or a road trip to visit friends. I still feel lost without her. A chunk of my heart is missing and it belongs to her.”
But, she says, the efforts of staff members and physicians at Providence Holy Family and Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center made their last days together easier.
“It gave us a sense of closure, and accomplishment, that she was able to get her last and final wishes. Saying goodbye is never easy, but we all thank our lucky stars for the time that we had with Mom.
“Our experience at Sacred Heart was a blessing,” Suzie says. “The nurses, doctors, hospice, and the labor and delivery staff were all amazing. They were doing their jobs and creating a miracle at the same time.”