Joint Base San Antonio - Fort Sam Houston, TX –
She was due after the holidays, but decided to come early to
the party.
A few hours after the ball dropped in Times Square, Evelyn
Rose Prochaska made an appearance at 6:24 a.m. on New Year’s Day, marking San
Antonio Military Medical Center’s first delivery of 2016 at Fort Sam Houston.
“I was in the middle of pushing when the nurse told me that
I was having the hospital’s first born of the year,” said Air Force Capt.
Tiffany Prochaska, SAMMC Emergency Department assistant team lead. “I was, of
course, a little distracted at the moment.”
Prochaska’s due date wasn’t until Jan. 10, but she and her
husband, Richard, an Air Force veteran, decided to have a quiet New Year’s Eve
at home.
“We got invited to a bunch of parties, but I had a feeling
it wouldn’t be a good idea to go out,” she said. “It was too close to the due
date and I wasn’t feeling well.”
Prochaska’s gut feeling paid off when contractions kicked in
around 8 p.m. By 10 p.m., the contractions were closer and stronger and Richard
insisted they head to the hospital. A little over eight hours later, Evelyn Rose was born at 9
pounds, 2 ounces and 22 inches.
Col. Evan Renz, BAMC
commander, stopped by for a quick visit and to present the family with a “first
baby of the year” gift basket, packed with newborn necessities, donated by the
BAMC Auxiliary.
“I was shocked when I saw the basket,” Prochaska said. “It
was huge and filled with helpful gifts. It was a really nice thing to do for
us.”
The new mom said she was impressed with the care. “Everyone
was great,” she said. “I knew a lot of the people taking care of me which took
a lot of the anxiety away. I’m thrilled to work and receive care here.”