Press Release

On January 2, 2004 at 10:25 am, River Parishes Hospital greeted its first baby of the New Year. Danny and Jenny Keller of Paulina welcomed the arrival of their new son, Zachary John Keller. Zachary weighed 7 pounds 8.7 ounces and was 20.5 inches.

“I’m just glad he’s healthy,” said Keller. “And, he’s bigger than I thought he’d be.”

Keller said she was surprised it was a boy, but her husband knew all along. When her ultrasound was performed, Dr. Antoine Faucheux handed Danny a slip of paper stating the sex of the baby. Still, as the delivery drew closer he became a little unsure, asking if Dr. Faucheux had ever made a mistake with a baby’s gender.

The Keller’s also have a daughter, Caroline, who is two years old. She was delivered by Dr. Faucheux as well.

)”He’s kind of the family doctor,” said Keller. Keller’s mother and her three sisters are all patients of Dr. Faucheux.

This delivery was extra-special for the hospital because Keller has been a registered nurse in the Obstetrics Unit for the past three years and her nurse was Joleen Hays, who is the Director of Women’s Services.

“It was so exciting to be able to deliver here and have Joleen, my boss, as my nurse,” said Keller. “Joleen was wonderful and everyone of the staff treated me like family. It was overwhelming to find out that I had the first baby of the New Year as well.”

“It is always exciting to be able to help a mother welcome the arrival of her new baby,” said Hays. “I was honored to be able to take care of one of my own employees as she welcomed the arrival of the hospital’s first baby of the New Year. My nurses are like my extended family.”

To make the arrival a special event for the Keller’s, they were presented with a basket of gifts from the hospital and other community businesses. Included in the basket was $100 worth of baby items from the hospital’s gift shop, and a $50 Wal-Mart gift certificate, donated by River Parishes Hospital; a $50 savings certificate from Louisiana Federal Credit Union; a dinner for two gift certificate from Bull’s Corner Restaurant; a portrait package from Portraits by Susie; a Chenille stuffed elephant from Roussel’s Antiques & Gifts; and $50 worth of baby items from A Bushel And A Peck Gift Baskets.

Congratulations to Danny and Jenny Keller and to Zachary John for being River Parishes Hospital’s first baby of the New Year 2004!