FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska   –   Pregnancy can be an anxiety-filled time for many women, especially when going through pregnancy alone. This is where Alyssa Roland found herself in this exact situation; pregnant, alone and anxious. Roland’s husband, Sgt. Byron Roland with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-25, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, was deployed and she could not forget the complications she experienced during the birth of their first child at a different hospital.
Roland began her prenatal care with Bassett Army Community Hospital certified nurse midwife, Maj. Lena Fabian where she felt a sense of support and comfort.
 
“What struck me originally about Maj. Fabian is she just kind of knew what I was going through and how I felt without me having to tell her,” said Roland. “She was so reassuring.”
 
Mental well-being was always a part of Roland’s appointments with Fabian.
 
“She hit those uncomfortable areas where you don’t want to ask the question, but she engaged and highlighted these areas, went into detail and assured me everything would be fine,” said Roland. “She always made me feel good about being pregnant. Some days you are just tired and don’t want anyone around, but when I left my appointments I was always happy and felt super optimistic about everything.”
 
Roland had more reason to be optimistic when her husband came home from deployment early.
 
“He got back right before all the craziness with COVID started and he was able to go to two appointments with me,” said Roland. Then the change to visitor policies due to COVID-19, and the closure of schools requiring her husband to stay home with their oldest daughter, kept her husband from attending appointments.
 
Like her prenatal care in women’s health, Roland was not disappointed with the support and care given to her and her family on the maternal newborn unit when she gave birth April 18.
 
“There was a great team of staff in the MNU including Ms. Angela, Ms. Rayna and other nurses who went above and beyond to assist me with every single thing I requested,” said Roland. “Dr. Alison Grajkowski was great too, genuinely just a kind human being.”

According to Roland, Fabian arrived just in time for their daughter Luci to be born.
 
“It could not have worked out any better,” said Roland. “It was like Luci was waiting for Maj. Fabian to get there before she decided to show up. The MNU staff made me feel like I was more than just a patient. Through their compassionate care, I truly felt like one of their own.”