Jamestown Hospital has last baby; JRMC its first
As Jamestown Hospital closed the door on its former facility this weekend, two new windows were opened in the form of tiny little lives, clothed in pink and blue.
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As Jamestown Hospital closed the door on its former facility this weekend, two new windows were opened in the form of tiny little lives, clothed in pink and blue.
Jamestown resident Jennifer Kross, along with husband, Aaron Pearse, gave birth to the last baby born at Jamestown Hospital. Miles Alexander Pearse was born 7 pounds, 10 ounces at 5 p.m. Saturday — nine days after his due date.
Gackle, N.D., resident Jenaya Duval gave birth to the first baby born at Jamestown Regional Medical Center. Lilly Marie Duval was born 5 pounds, 10 ounces, 16 days before her due date.
After a decade of planning and development, the Jamestown Regional Medical Center opened its doors and admitted patients Sunday. The move was a transition for hospital staff, including Marla Wegner, Family BirthPlace nurse.
With 38 years of experience with Jamestown Hospital, the move was an emotional one, Wegner said.
“I had a hard day. I didn’t know if anybody else cried, but I did,” she said.
But in the new Family BirthPlace, with its larger rooms, new equipment, state-of-the-art security system and other features, Wegner as well as fellow Family BirthPlace nurses Karen Bundy and Mallory Bear agreed they were thankful for the new facility.
“I don’t have patient concerns being up here,” Bundy said.
Jennifer, Aaron and Miles’ birth experience is surely unique to their family. Although Miles was born at Jamestown Hospital Saturday, Jennifer and Miles were transported to Jamestown Regional Medical Center by ambulance Sunday morning.
“It was kind of weird walking in (to the old hospital). All the boxes were there and we felt like we were the only patients,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer said she and Aaron prepared themselves for the possibility of Miles’ birth at either the old or new medical facility. In fact, even Jennifer’s mother, Marilyn Kross of Boynton Beach, Fla., was unsure where to go when she arrived by airplane Saturday.
“If I need to take a taxi, what hospital do I tell them to go to?” Marilyn said she remembers asking Aaron.
Despite the two different facilities, Jennifer said she was satisfied with the care at both locations.
“We had the birth experience that we wanted,” she said.
As for Aaron, he said he preferred staying in the current building over its predecessor.
“The cot was a little rough the first night,” he said jokingly.
Brainerd, Minn., resident, Andy Lane said the medical center’s furniture for visitors is some of the best he’s ever slept in. Lane was visiting his friend, Jenaya Duval, at her home in Gackle when her water broke Sunday.
Jenaya said she had taken the medical center’s prenatal classes, so she knew to go to its new facility when her contractions started.
At both the former and current facilities, patients and their guests on the maternity floor, were allowed cellphone use. At the regional medical center, patients may also share the facility’s wireless Internet.
Duval said she and her sister used the Internet to keep in touch with friends on Facebook.
Medical center marketing director Bill Kennedy said Lilly may have some big shoes to fill.
The first baby born at Jamestown Hospital was Dick Hall in 1935. Thirty years later, he headed the hospital of his birth, Kennedy said.
“So Lilly, 30 years from now, has a good chance to be the CEO,” he joked.
For more information on Jamestown Regional Medical Center, visit its website, www.jrmcnd.com.
Sun reporter Katie Ryan-Anderson can be reached at 701-952-8454 or by email at kryananderson@ jamestownsun.com
Tags: local news, news, hospital
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