Mercy Nurse’s Teammates Save Her Life After Labor Complication

The phrase “the right place at the right time” is familiar for many, but it has new meaning for Mercy’s Heather Ulm.

The labor and delivery nurse at Mercy Hospital Springfield was among her colleagues in the delivery room when her first child, Adeline, was born last winter. That’s when she suffered a rare complication that takes the lives of nearly 80 percent of those affected.

“If it hadn't been for the staff, the exact people being where they were at the exact time, I don't think I would be here," Ulm told KY3 news.

Ulm had what’s called an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). According to Dr. Geoffery Stanczyk, who was part of Ulm’s lifesaving team, surviving AFE doesn’t guarantee a clear path ahead.

“Eighty-five percent of people actually have neurological impairments,” he told KY3 News.

Ulm, however, is back to living a normal life and working alongside the team that saved her. To watch her incredible story, click here.