Lyndhurst Gyn ... Like a Family

By Guest Blogger Beth W

My journey with Lyndhurst Gynecologic Associates began 18 years ago as I was prepared to get married and realized my days of visits to the pediatrician were over. I needed an OB/GYN. My fiancé was coaching YMCA basketball at the time and this “cute first grade girl” whose dad was a doctor (Dr. Pollard) was on his team. He said I should give him a call…and the rest is history.

After three years of marriage it was time to start a family. Dr. Pollard was encouraging. We thought, “Great ! Let’s do this!!” Well, of course, as many of you know, it was not that easy. So a year later we were referred to Dr. Parker and his WONDERFUL nurse, Kathy Poole, who are the infertility gurus at Lyndhurst. After two years of pills, shots, dye tests, etc., we got the news that we were going to be parents. This was how my journey and relationship with Lyndhurst began. There were the girls in the insurance department who were so kind, and we became friends on a first name basis. There was Linda at check out who would cheer me up when I would walk out in tears. And there were many others who were always there with a smile, comforting hug, and an encouraging word.

Those next nine months were filled with fear, questions, elation, and many emotions. The staff at Lyndhurst was always patient and caring. Dr. Parker and Kathy Poole took the time to make me feel like I was the only patient they had. On December 12, 1997, Dr. Parker delivered our son, Jim!! My first stop after leaving the hospital was Lyndhurst, so I could show Jim to my Lyndhurst family.

A year later we wanted to go for number two! It was back to the “infertility gurus” to start the process again, and to our surprise, it happened quicker and easier this time This comforted pregnancy resulted in the birth of our daughter Maggie, born January 3, 2000. This birth was just as wonderful as my first, but was followed with a horrible dose of post partum after coming home from the hospital. How could this be? My life was complete. I remember Dr. Parker and Dr. Pollard calling to check on me, and Kathy Poole coming to my home to make sure I was OK. Once again “my Lyndhurst family” rallied around me.

When our children were three and one my husband said let’s go for number three. At that point I was feeling overwhelmed with motherhood and because it was so easy to get pregnant the second time I said let’s wait. I thought it will not be a problem to get pregnant, so a year later we decided it was time.

Or course, it did not come easily and once again I found myself in the throws of that painful journey of infertility. For three years, “my Lyndhurst family” was there again to walk with me. I kept thinking I should not feel this way, I have two beautiful children, but sometimes I felt like it was even harder this go around. Kathy was there every step of the way. She listened to me cry, justified my feelings, and went with me to get cokes at The Loop, dinners at Diamondback, and long walks. She listened and encouraged me. I became very close to many other staff members at Lyndhurst as well. After those three years of trying, we decided to call it quits. I still did not feel like my family was complete but we knew we had done all we could medically and financially. Over the next 8 months I found myself sad about not being pregnant and also missed “my family” at Lyndhurst.

Well, we all know that God can have a sense of humor and my husband had always been adamant that he did not want children after he was 40. Well, with his 40th birthday only two weeks away, I discovered I WAS PREGNANT. No doctors or drugs were needed. Two days after his 40th birthday, we were getting ready for church when Kathy called from work and asked if I wanted to come in and see if we could see a heartbeat. Of course, I was out the door as quick as possible and told my family I would see them at church.

It was pure joy to lie on the exam table and look at the little heart beat blinking at me. As we were finishing up, I hear Kathy say oh my gosh and panic overtook me, what she said next was, look here and look here... two heartbeats. A double portion, twins!! When I arrived at church all my husband and I could do was laugh!!!

The next eight months were pure bliss as we waited for the twins to be born. On September 9, it was a big party in the OR. It was by far the most memorable day of my life. All my favorite people were there. Dr. Parker and Dr. Pollard were there to deliver, Dr. Washburn was on call and came in to “hang out” Kathy Poole, was there to video, and that “cute first grader”, Dr. Pollard’s daughter took the day off from med school to be there. Around noon our identical daughters were born. We had not picked out names yet and my husband has always been insistent on using family names. We stayed true to that tradition, because as I have said, Lyndhurst became family and one of the twins, Kathryn Chandler, is named after Kathy Poole.

Almost four and a half years have passed since that day, and my visits are not as frequent to Lyndhurst, but they remain family. My twins and I like to go by from time to time to get M&M’s from Kathy Poole or candy from Ms. Pam. Dr. Parker’s daughter is our twins #1 babysitter, and my two older children were in Dr. Pollard’s daughter’s wedding last year. Looking back, there were days that it was hard to put one foot in front of the other as I yearned to have children. Yet, if I had not gone through those experiences I would have never developed the friendships at Lyndhurst Gyn. I do not know if there are many doctors’ offices like this one, but I do know that Lyndhurst is truly a special place!!!

Posted by Triad Smarty Pants at 5:00 AM