So I have 4.
The first was when I’d had my child. I had been incredibly unwell with blood clots. I’d managed to get home after a month. Few days later I had the most severe back pain. Because of what had happened my husband said to go get it checked out. I went on my own because he had to stay at home (baby was in neo natal). Plus I thought I’d be seen and go home. I got taken into majors straight away and was being hooked up to an ecg machine. At that point. It suddenly felt like an elephant had sat on my chest and I couldnt breathe (I was panicking. Because I couldn’t t breathe! ) I still remember so vividly the dr. He was blonde. Very young. So the nurse who was hooking me up called him over. He said incredibly loudly. Nor young lady. You’re having a panic attack. You just need to stop making such a fuss. You’re just being silly. As soon as you’ve managed to control yourself I’m sending you home!!! So the nurse unhooked me and I started to leave. I got lost in the corridors and ended up down this random dark one. I collapsed at this point. Next thing I know there’s a huge group around me and this dr shouting at me. He’s saying stuff. Finally he says to me. I’m the consultant of the a and e department. I’ve been trying to find you. I think you’ve got blood clots on your lungs. He was right. I had massive bilateral clots on both lungs. (Most people have one tiny clot that kills that. Mine covered 80% of my lungs. Lots of tiny clots. One of those broke off. That’s it). Apparently I’d got roughly another hour and I would of been dead. I still see him. As the clots left some damage. I took my child with me last time. I say to him every time. You’re the man that saved my life. He always replies. I trained to be a dr to save people. I’ll always know I saved at least one. So it was all worth it.
Next was my midwife. She was the first midwife on one born her name was Kay. Older lady. Ran the midwife. I’d had a good midwife up until that point. But she blasted her away. So there was many things. Drs kept saying they would give me a c section that day. Then 5 days later. Then tomorrow. So i was told it wouldn’t be till Wednesday. So go get food. So I did. When I came back Kay put me on the trace. She said wait there. I need the drs. Next thing I’m being sprinted down the hallway. They are running!!! Because I’d eaten they were fussing over giving me a general. It was decided that they would try an epidural. If it didn’t work within 3 mins. They’d put me to sleep. I then saw Kay in theatre scrubs. (So apparently in her whole career which was 35 years. I’m the ONLY person she’s ever gone into theatre with). So whilst putting in the epidural. The dr was talking to me. Me being me. Tried to turn to talk to him. Which made them all scream at me. Kay said. It’s ok. I know you. You’re just being polite. You’re trying to talk to his face. I get it. But please. Don’t move again! After my c section. Which gave me a 2 lbs baby at 32 weeks. She’d stopped growing when the pain had started which was 24 weeks. and all my issues. Wish they’d listened to me at that point. But I spent some 6 weeks in agony (there was a reason. An incredibly rare disease which there are only 200 cases in medical history.) anyway. After she’d stayed with me for 16 hours. She took me to see my baby in the bed. I said to her. Will I know who my baby is. She said of course dear. There were 4 babies in there. My child had been taken not only to neo natal. But to the ICU and high dependency unit. Within neo natal. So there were only 4 babies in there and it was awful. They were the sickest babies in the hospital. One died. Alarms kept going off. Anyway when I went in there. I wouldn’t of had a clue and kept saying. But they doesn’t look like my baby! She kissed me and had tears in her eyes (I don’t know why). Said goodbye.
I saw her 2 years later. She didn’t have w clue who I was. Which I was so sad at. However I realised she’s looked after many babies and mothers.
The next one was the dr who looked after me when I had my blood clots. A haematologist. The kindest man you could ever meet. The best in the world in my condition. And seeing as he’s the ONLY one in the world. Thank god he works at my hospital! I saw him privately a few tines and when I went to pay the bills. I was told by his secretary that he’d paid them for me. Because he felt I could use the help. Made me cry. Amazing kind man. Adore him
Finally. When I had my second child. Understandably. I was under a high risk obstetric dr. That pregnancy also went very south very quickly. But because of him. I was saved. So one day when I’d had a growth scan. Around 26 weeks. They said my baby was small. I was really upset. Understandably. They took my blood pressure and it was threw the roof. But they thought it was because I was upset. But they needed to keep an eye on it. I’d been in and out of the hospital. A mix of anxiety because of the first and a mix of cock ups yet again by the staff. He said I’d need to get it checked daily. So next day I ring the unit and say. I don’t feel well. I felt really out of it. They asked me to go down. I do. My bp is super high. They send me to the big unit. I go and wait. Wait. Wait some more. Finally I go in. First off I hear the midwifes discussing everyone’s case. Loudly and I hear them slagging off pretty much 3 of the people in there. Next they take my bp and it’s borderline. Tell me to go home. I say I’m not comfortable going home. They say tough. I start. Crying begging them to please just quickly take my bp. They go away. Loudly slag me off. The dr starts saying how anxious I am and how she can’t bear to deal with me. That dr then comes to me. Tells me I need to ‘chill’ and go home. I beg her to take my bp. But she steadfast refused. On the way home I just show up my local unit and say please could you just check it. It was 170/120. my midwife goes nuts. I mean nuts. She’s so cross at what’s happened. She ring the hospital and demands in seen. I speak to this lady drs. On the phone. She says she’s so sorry at what’s happened. She can’t quite believe that it even did happen. (This was 12pm). She says I’m here till 5 pm. I’m clearing my diary. I’m waiting here to see you specifically. I say I’ll be right up. Be about 30 mins. She says when you get there. Tell them I’m waiting for you and you only
So. I do all that. I get there. When I get there it’s the same staff. Who see me and I’m not kidding. They groan. They tell me to wait. So I wait. I wait. I wait about 3 hrs. I say that the dr is waiting for me and goes home at 5. They say we’re not ready. Wait. They take me in at 5.05pm. I say I need to see this dr who is waiting. They say she’s gone home. (To this day she never knew I did as I said. But she probably got told I didn’t turn up in time. I wish I could remember her name). I’d reached my limit at this point. I couldn’t bare the treatment anymore. So I rang my obstetric dr. I leave a message with his secretary and 3 mins later he’s in my room. He takes my bp ( I joke that I can’t believe I’ve got a incredibly high up consultant. Taking my bp!). He says right. You can’t go home with that bp. Now. Do you want the tablet that gives you a headache. Do you want the one that makes you feel sick. Do you want the one that affects your baby slightly. Or do you want the one that makes you dizzy. I was like. Jesus. Shitty choice there. You choose. So he picks the one that gives me a headache. I’m then an impatient for 3 weeks. During that time I get sicker and sicker. He visits me daily. He often has students with him and you can see they are visibly scared of him. He wasn’t a scary man to me. But he had a presence. I knew exactly why. He was very tall. Very quiet. You know? This student tries to take my bp and can’t do it. He takes over and I joke again that this is now the 3rd time he’s taken my bp and I feel honoured! Anyway. Finally I get really sick. He comes to me and says. You can’t do this any longer. You wanna have a baby today? (I was 35 weeks and although my other child was born at 32 weeks. I really wanted a vbac and a full term baby!). I say please can we wait. He says no. That’s it. You’ve come as far and the baby will do better in the outside world. I ask him if he can do the surgery. He says he will try. He didn’t make it as it ended up being another emergency. I was on some meds as well that made the anaesthesia dr not want to do the surgery on me. Which worried the shit out of me. Anyway. My child was born at 35 weeks weighing 3lbs. they peednon the dr. Which made everyone laugh. My dr visitors me everyday. It turns out my bp wouldn’t lower. Which again is rare. I ended up being in resus again as one day I hemmoraged and my bp was 210/140 (which is brain shutting down territory). He can’t in and say me down. Held my hand and said you’re going to die if we can’t get your bp down. I have to warn you of this. Im so sorry. They pumped 4 types of bp medicine into me and it finally came down.
He saw me for then next 6 months. The day I last saw him. I gave him a card and a present and he gave me a hug and said he’d really enjoyed looking after me as because of my conditions and subsequent problems. I’d really challenged him and that’s what he became a dr for
Right. That’s it. That was a long post. But my god. That’s really helped me
Thank you so so so so much for this question
I could however write a longer post on how badly drs have got it wrong for me. Which is sad. But hey!
Stay safe.