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John Gallegos had been feeling a bit off for almost two days when his niece, Sarah Padilla, finally convinced him to go to the hospital. Sarah worked in records management for Lovelace Westside Hospital, which was where John found himself driving around 4am.

“I didn’t know it then, but I’ve done a lot of research,” John says. “Now I know you don’t remember anything after a cardiac arrest.”

When Karen McCallum went to have a routine blood test done, she didn’t think anything was wrong with her. When her results came back, Karen found out from Dr. Angela Sanchez with Lovelace Medical Group that her thyroid levels were at 1200, when they should have been 3. “I’m a menopausal female who works in advertising and had an answer for every symptom I had,” Karen shares.

Vanessa Moreton, RN works in the same unit today that she was hired into as a new nursing graduate 13 years ago. However, don’t assume that means her career at Lovelace has been under the radar in any way. From starting out on the night shift as a staff nurse on the post surgical services unit, Vanessa moved to days then into a role as a clinical educator, and then ultimately the director. “I was asked to do this on an interim basis and ended up taking it on a full-time basis,” she says of accepting her new and current role in 2010.

It’s bedtime. I’ve worked hard all day and my children are finally asleep. I sit back and enjoy the quiet for just a few minutes. There is some relief, but sometimes I ask myself, “Did I stop and say I love you today? Did I smile at my child today? Did we make eye contact?” My life is set on “run” every single day it seems. I wish I could find ways to strengthen my bond with my children without adding an extra activity.

Most people have heard of postpartum depression (PPD). What about prenatal or perinatal depression (depression during pregnancy)? Women who have perinatal depression may feel ashamed to admit their unhappy feelings when they are in their first few months of pregnancy. Isn’t this supposed to be one the happiest time of a mom’s life? Feelings of agitation, anxiety and stress keep many women from asking for help, or from recognizing they have depression.

We are honored to announce that Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Westside Hospital and Lovelace Women’s Hospital have been listed by Modern Healthcare on the Best Places to Work in Health Care as 15th, 46th and 43rd, respectively, of the top 100 organizations overall. In the provider category, Lovelace Medical Center was listed fourth, Lovelace Westside Hospital was listed 17th and Lovelace Women's Hospital was listed 16th. The rankings were announced Thursday evening in New Orleans, LA at the awards dinner.

Organizing your life for childbirth and your subsequent stay at the hospital can feel overwhelming. Lovelace Labor of Love is here to make it a little easier. We guide you from finding a provider to prenatal education, all the way to pre-registration for delivery. We are there for you every baby step of the way. We also offer a listening ear and advocacy across the spectrum of your needs. If you need parenting classes, home visiting or counseling for an unexpected event, please call so we can connect you with quality resources from our community, many of which are free.

For the third consecutive year, Lovelace Women’s Hospital and the Anita Salas Memorial Fund (ASMF) have teamed up together for Lovelace’s annual Girls’ Night Out event. The event is focused on awareness of breast health and wellness, all while enjoying a fun girls’ night out together! The activities for this event include mini manicures and massages, spa and jewelry vendors, a fashion show, raffle and much more.

“My mother would run into patients at the grocery store,” shares Lovelace Regional Hospital – Roswell Nurse Andrea Lentz, RN of an early impression her mother’s career had on her decision to become a nurse. “I saw how grateful they were. I wanted a job that meant something.”

On any given day, Borca Dodson, RN, is walking into a new, yet familiar, work environment. Most of us have one first day on the job. With each new assignment, Borca faces that experience repeatedly. As a member on the Lovelace Resource Team, Borca rotates between Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Women’s Hospital and Lovelace Westside Hospital. Quickly, she becomes part of a new team with one goal in mind – deliver the best patient care possible.