Call the Midwife continued...

[AnneEyhtMeyer]

Just saw we were dangerously close to filling the last thread so have taken the liberty as starting this one.

Ah yes, Christopher Plummer as the Captain does things to me too.

Ida - Those pictures are amazing! He looks better out of his dog collar!

How lovely that she got to hold a baby one last time

Ooh yes, I'd forgotten that. Reading that line in your post has me welling up all over again!

(note to self - get a grip woman, it's only a television series!)

I know, I keep feeling sad this morning but happy-sad. I wonder if the real Sister Evangelina died in a similar way, it was fitting, wasn't it. She went out with one of the younger midwives, helped a baby into the world and sat down by the fire for a nice cup of tea after a job well done and just never got up again.

Perhaps earlier than her time, but I couldn't imagine her getting old and frail. It would have frustrated her. It was sad but it was right.

I didn't realise people had no compensation if they'd taken somebody else's :( How awful. There just wasn't the knowledge that something like that could harm a pregnancy, was there?

Thalidomide is used for I think two patients worldwide or something? And it will be heavily controlled. There is a drug for treatment of acne which causes birth defects which is strictly controlled. I remember a MNer was recommended to go on it but they wouldn't allow her unless she was using at least two forms of birth control, even though she was a lesbian! They take it very, very seriously.

I had a friend at university who believed she was a victim of Thalidomide but her mother had no evidence to prove she'd taken it. IIRC there were two lists of children, the 'Y' list and another list. The children on the Y list all had evidential proof. She was on the other list and was still battling through the courts in 1984. Sadly we lost touch so I never knew if she got anywhere.

Thalidomide is prescribed for leprosy apparently! So unlikely to be used on women of childbearing capacity - or if they are thalidomide is likely to be the least of the concerns. Roaccutane is prescribed for women now, but you have to be on contraception too. Or used to be, assume that's still the case. At the very least they make very sure that women taking it know the risks.

I knew two sisters born within 11 months of each other, 1960/61, so were in the same year in school. The eldest's mother took thalidomide because of morning sickness, but thankfully did not have any effects from it.

Such a wonderful series. I need to replenish my hanky box.

That's the one, Vince.

I thought it was just a morning sickness drug was a revelation last night that it was used for anxiety and everything else in between

Yes me too MrsJayy i didn't know it was used for insomnia as well.

I really felt for Dr Turner good old Nurse Crane stepping in

My mum was prescribed thalidomide too, for she her terrible morning sickness whilst expecting me.

Fortunately for me, my mum never took them because she 'doesn't agree with taking drugs'

So, there but for the grace of God go I....

I'm not feeling the love here people...

"It shouldn't be prescribed for women of childbearing age unless they're sterilised."

ppeatfruit, thalidomide is a really useful drug for myeloma and some leukaemias, so to withhold it would be wrong as well. There is a HUGE amount of paperwork to complete to give it to anyone, male or female, monthly pregnancy tests, needing to be on two forms of contraception for women (condoms for men even though there is no proven risk for their offspring) etc. No one gets it without it being made very, very, very clear how dangerous it is and how it shouldn't be shared around.

Lots of drugs we prescribe are dangerous in pregnancy, but that doesn't mean that we should withhold them.

I got all teary when the entire East end came out for Sister E's lying in, if that is what it is called? Then the Indian lady was there for the funeral when she should have been resting (as she said was tradition). The last baby she delivered was at her funeral. Oh and the undertaker - he got me too

The undertaker tipped me over and Sr MJ

I couldn't watch last night, so have just caught up now - I am emotionally drained, what a heartbreaking episode

I think I'm going to have to torture myself watch some of the earlier seasons, Sister E's scenes will be especially poignant now.

Which is silly because I know realistically, all of the older midwives must have been dead for decades in real life. The younger ones are elderly now.

Just watched it on iplayer. Gutted at sister evangelina dying poor Fred finding her
When sister julienne and sister Mary cynthia were laughing about what sister e would have wanted with her dress then sister j started sobbing I was sobbing with her. And poor trixie, I remember that feeling of not belonging and always feeling like a spare part, horrible. Hopefully nurse crane will support her (love nurse crane ).

We should set up a Nurse Crane fan club.

Ida yes! Please can I be in it?

My half brother's mum (same father as me, different mother) took Thalidomide for morning sickness at the crucial time, but it didn't help her morning sickness and she carried on throwing up - obviously drugs and all. There but for the grace of God...

Sorry Shelagh. It is nothing personal!

Ida - count me in!

Oh yes the asian woman was meant to be resting forgot about that

& me!

Thw nurse crane aporeciation society

Utgh spelling