For Chay and Alex Sefton, their experiences at the Women’s Center at Decatur County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) have given them more than memories of welcoming their children into the world. They’ve given them lasting relationships with the nurses and the doctor who cared for their family.
“Our nurses Brooke, Ashley, and Tricia were there for us during each pregnancy, and now they’ve each become our friends,” Chay said.
That connection has continued well beyond the hospital. After one of the Seftons’ babies was born, one of their nurses even brought meals to their home. Even sweeter, the nurse who brought a meal to their home was in the midst of her own transition back from maternity leave at the time, making the gesture all the more meaningful. When that nurse had a baby of her own, the Seftons returned the favor. What began as clinical care grew into a genuine friendship.
Personal care has been a consistent part of the Seftons’ experience at DCMH, from the Women’s Center to the Family Medicine clinics. They’ve built relationships with medical assistants, doctors, registration staff, nurses, and others they’ve encountered.
Dr. Rayles has been a particularly meaningful part of their family’s journey. She knows each of their children, not just their names, but their interests and personalities.
“She knows us and all of our kids,” Chay said. “She always goes out of her way, and we’ve never felt like just another patient.”
Each of the Seftons’ pregnancies brought its own experiences and uncertainties. With their oldest, there were no medical concerns, but as first-time parents, they felt the natural nerves and uncertainty of welcoming their first baby. During their middle child’s pregnancy, inconclusive results led to additional testing and appointments in Indianapolis. Even while the family was receiving care outside of DCMH, Dr. Rayles continued to support them and check in on their care. Their youngest required monitoring beginning at 35 weeks, bringing another round of nerves and questions.
During their second pregnancy, Chay and Alex arrived at the hospital at night and will never forget the excitement on Brooke and Tricia’s faces when they first came in to check on Chay. It was their first time meeting, yet the nurses were genuinely excited for the Seftons and their growing family. As they got to know Brooke and Tricia, they realized that the joy they found in being mothers themselves seemed to naturally carry into the way they cared for the families around them.
“Anytime you’re in here, whether it’s your first or your third, it’s a different situation and different circumstances every time,” Chay said. “There are always new things that make you nervous, and yet this team helped us feel calm.”
Through each experience, the Women’s Center nurses helped make those moments feel less frightening. Brooke, Ashley, Tricia, and the rest of the team took time to talk with the Seftons, share stories about their own families, explain what was happening, and simply be there.
“You can tell taking care of families is a calling for them,” said Alex. “Being here is not just a job.”
The Seftons felt supported and reassured throughout each pregnancy and birth, and they knew they and their children were being cared for by people who genuinely cared about their family.
“We wanted to find a way to show them each how thankful we are,” said Chay.
Wanting to give something back to the people who had given their family so much, the Seftons began thinking about the Women’s Center itself. During their labors, they had spent time walking the hallways, waiting for labor to progress. They began thinking about the families who would walk those same halls after them.
“We thought about the moms who might be walking these halls, maybe not progressing, maybe anxious or scared, and we wanted to do something that could encourage them,” said Alex.
The Seftons decided to honor Dr. Rayles, Brooke, Ashley, Tricia, and all the Women’s Center nurses by presenting them with a warm, heartfelt painting of a woman gently holding her newborn. They hope this image will offer encouragement during a long labor, ease nervousness, or remind families who come after them that they are surrounded by people who care.
Dr. Rayles, Brooke, Ashley, and Tricia were also recognized through the Hospital Foundation of Decatur County’s Thankful Hearts program. The program allows patients and families an opportunity to recognize DCMH caregivers whose compassion and kindness made a meaningful difference in their care. The Thankful Hearts program was another way for the Seftons to thank the people who had become such an important part of their family’s story.
For the Seftons, it is the people who make DCMH’s Women’s Center special. It is not simply where their children were born, but where they found a community that supported them through uncertainty, celebrated their growing family, and became friends along the way.
Do you have a DCMH caregiver who made a difference in your life? You can recognize them through the Thankful Hearts program and help celebrate the people who make compassionate care possible in our community. For more information, call 812-663-1220 or visit dcmh.net/foundation
From L to R: Mandy Lohrum, Hospital Foundation of Decatur County Director, Tricia Buhrow, Brooke Payne, Ashley Saylor, Dr. Jami Rayles, Chay Sefton, Addilyn Sefton, Grayson Sefton, Alex Sefton, Camden Sefton, Tammy Sidell, Women’s Center Manager