Family Thanks Dr. Auer and Childbirth Center Team

Henry Schomer may have seemed like one of the family to the staff at the Mercy Childbirth Center Jefferson. They all had been waiting a while for his arrival.

His parents, David and Megan Schomer were impressed by the love and care they received throughout and before their stay, so they wrote a letter to President Eric Ammons expressing their gratitude. Moved by their words, Eric invited them to share their story at the December Housewide Leadership meeting.   

David told their story while Megan held a sleeping Henry at the front of the room. 

I am here today to share my family’s story and recognize someone who showed incredible compassion that extended far beyond what we expected. That person is Dr. Melinda Auer.

In April of this year we attended our first appointment with Dr. Auer. As most first-time parents do, we had a lot of questions. In each appointment, Dr. Auer spent time with us and ensured we had all our questions answered. This level of attention put our anxieties at rest and provided us with confidence that we were following the correct prenatal regimens and doing what was best for our child. We left each appointment with a boost of energy and excitement for what was to come.

Our monthly appointments turned into weekly appointments as we got closer to our due date. At our last appointment, we learned that the we were going to be induced on November 7.  

On the day of our scheduled induction, we showed up to the hospital expecting to deliver our baby that day. Instead, Baby Henry decided that he was not quite ready to give up the comforts of the womb, and the induction process lasted two days before we started the actual labor and delivery at about 8 p.m. on November 9. 

Around midnight, and after four hours of pushing, Dr. Auer decided the safest way to deliver the baby would be through a C-Section. Although this was unexpected, we had the utmost confidence in Dr. Auer and her team due to the relationship and rapport that was built over the last eight months. Dr. Auer called in Dr. Jacob Peyton, and together their skilled hands brought a healthy baby boy into this world and treated Megan with the care and compassion that they would have extended to their own families.

Seeing my wife on the operating table is something that I will never forget.  It cannot thank you enough for care and compassion that you showed Megan during this very stressful time.  

After the C-Section, we were moved to a postpartum room. Around 1 a.m., we heard a knock on our door. To our surprise, both Dr. Auer and Dr. Peyton came into our room to check-in on Megan and the baby while she was recovering. I fully expected the doctors would have gone home. Dr. Peyton explained the procedure and recovery process to Megan in a way that was very easy to understand. Dr. Auer comforted Megan and explained the underlying reasons for the C-section, again, in a very easy to understand format.    

Days later, Megan and I reflected on that moment in time and came to the realization that when things go sideways, there is no one else that we would rather have in our corner. There is something special about the care we received. In addition to receiving the highest quality prenatal, labor/delivery, and postpartum care, we felt that Dr. Auer was an advisor and confidant accompanying us on our journey. This is the highest level of care and compassion we have ever received from a physician. 

My father is a cardiologist, and my mother is a pediatrician. They have a combined 40 years of experience. I am not a stranger to hospitals and have spent a fair amount of time around physicians. It is with this familiarity that I can say with confidence, Megan, Baby Henry and I experienced something very special. Something that transcends medical care and touches on the very essence of why we are all put on this earth to give love and treat each other how we would want to be treated.    

I work as a business consultant in St. Louis. During my career, I have worked with over 100 middle market companies and a handful of publicly held companies. I have learned that the “tone at the top” is not just a catchy saying taught in MBA programs. The “tone at the top” is the first ingredient for creating world-class service. 

The level of care and compassion my family received could not be learned from a text book or by attending a training. It appeared to be fostered by a culture of excellence. The OB/GYN team here is an example of creating an incredible patient experience. From top to bottom, the physicians, nurses, and other staff members all contributed to our exceptional experience. I hesitate to call everyone out by name, as I am sure I will be leaving someone out. That said, I would like to thank: Kendall, Kendra, Jessica, Michelle, Amber, Amy, Crystal, Barb, Kelli, Jessica, Heather, Bethany, Kim and Elena.

In closing, Dr. Auer you are an incredibly talented physician and have a gift to share with the world!  We will forever remember our experiences with you as our OB/GYN. If we are blessed with another child, there is no one else that we would rather have in our corner.