Dear Friends,
Thank you for your support while I have
navigated a complicated legal situation between myself and the
California Board of Nursing. In helping me, you help the cause of
womens rights during pregnancy and birth, and keep access to health care
options for the families of Chico California.
There is still not
a “final outcome” to this journey, but I do have some updates I would
like to share. First of all, the donations I received from the Chico
benefit concert in May and the Gofundme website have covered my legal expenses
and the fines I am to pay the Board of Nursing. My family and I are
deeply grateful for the relief of such a stressful financial burden.
But beyond that, this outpouring of support has rejuvenated my
strength and my spirit. Over the summer I spent a few weeks camping with my family. I had quiet hours to sit by a rushing creek under green old growth trees in Oregon. I finally had time to take in what a tremendous showing the Chico community made, when I reached out for help.
I thought about the benefit concert - the hundreds of people who came out and donated and celebrated with me. I thought of the 126 people who made online donations to my cause. 126! I remembered the sight of our crew of mamas, babies either strapped on or else still inside round swelling bellies, working all day to put on a party full of flowers , art, music, food, drinks, and silent auction. I know it was not for me, in an ego or personal sort of way. It was for me because of I am Chico's home birth nurse-midwife. It was a showing of love for myself and also for the families I have cared for over the last ten years.
Your response to my call for help has re-inspired me. I see how important my services are to the people in my community, and how much Chico values home birth midwifery. I won't give up! I will to continue to stand up for the rights of
women and babies to have safe, gentle home birth experiences. I
thought I would close my business this fall, because I was feeling exhausted and defeated. But thanks to all of you, I have changed my mind, and
am still helping families. Just last night, with the bright Super
Moon shining on us through the sliding glass door, I welcomed a
beautiful baby boy into the world.
Statewide, there are
positive steps being taken improve the situation for nurse-midwives in home birth practice.
AB 1306 has been tabled for the year, but it unanimously passed the
State Assembly, and will be on the ballot again in 2016.
In the
Superior Court of California, a judge ruled that the Board of Nursing
must allow nurse-midwife Yelena Kolodgi to continue her home birth
practice while on nursing license probation. This took a year-long
battle to get her back to work after her probation began, but hopefully
sets a precedent for other midwives (such as myself) placed on
probation.
Thank you for standing with me, and with Chico California mothers and babies.
Warmly,
Dena Moes RN MSN CNM
