(November 2021) When Abby and Bob Alario decided to start a family, they wanted their medical care delivered with compassion, kindness, and a sense of community. After careful planning and consideration, they knew the best place to meet their needs was Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

“We had lots of friends and family members that have had babies in major cities and realized a lot of hospitals treat labor and delivery like a factory line and don’t provide dedicated care,” said Bob. “We wanted something more, and we are so grateful we chose Nantucket Cottage Hospital.”

As it turns out, Abby’s delivery was more complicated than anyone expected. After 10 hours in labor, Abby was rushed to the operating room for an emergency c-section, where Jack Sampson Alario was safely delivered.

As Jack was handed from mother to father, the joyful occasion took a turn for the worse. “The fantastic team of nurses monitoring me realized that I was hemorrhaging, diagnosed the issue and rushed me back into the operating room, all within about 30 minutes,” said Abby. “If it wasn’t for the nurses’ constant presence, diligence and care, we would have missed it and this life-threatening situation may have gone undiagnosed.”

As the NCH medical team worked through the night to save Abby’s life, nurses stayed by her side to calm her and guide her through the procedures. “It was terrifying but there was constant reassurance and someone leading me through the steps. It could have been so overwhelming, but they were with me at all times,” said Abby. “It would have been far scarier if we were in a different environment.”

After extensive intervention, Abby was cleared to resume her recovery and return to her family waiting outside the operating room. “The next day I was thinking about how our friends didn’t get the care they needed during delivery because doctors didn’t have enough time to spend with them, it was comforting knowing we went through this scary and joyful experience with the best possible care,” said Bob. “My mother worked in a hospital, I spent a lot of my life around nurses, I know the difference between good care and bad care, and this was great care.”