This lapsed Quaker is so mad she could deck someone.
Well, I heard the story last night of how my friend found out that her baby might have Downs. And I am spitting mad.
The baby had the cord wrapped around its neck, causing its heart rate to drop with every contraction. However, they never told my friend this, they just suddenly grabbed the forceps and reached in there like they were trying to get the last olive out of a jar. So that’s issue number one. One second, you’re in labor, the next second, you’re a claw machine someone’s trying to get a prize out of, and you don’t know why. I understand the need for swift action, but couldn’t somebody have said, “we’re doing this because the cord is wrapped around the neck?” What, a nurse couldn’t have spoke up?
That didn’t work, so she had an emergency C-section. While she’s still laid open on the operating table, immediately upon seeing the baby, one doctor says, “Oh, this baby has Downs.” Another doctor looks over and says, “Yep, I’m confirming that. It’s a Downs baby.”
Meanwhile, my poor friend is laying there, confused, groggy, doped up, split open, and hearing that something is irrevocably wrong with her child. Of course, she was crying. She didn’t get to hold her baby until the next day, and naturally she had some bonding issues as to whether she even WANTED to hold the baby at first. What an awful trauma to go through.
Now for the potentially good news. Those doctors had said that the baby had seven out of ten visual markers for Downs. Well, their geneticist came in yesterday and looked at the baby, and he says he disputes four of those markers. So now the baby only has three out of ten visual markers for Downs. So now, nobody knows WHAT to think. They’ll be waiting for the blood test, which they hope to have on Monday. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.
I cannot imagine a greater insensitivity on the part of the two delivering doctors than to immediately break that news to my friend in that cavalier a manner when she was so traumatized. And they were apparently way off in their assessment anyway, so Jeez Louise! They had just been pulling the baby’s head with forceps so hard that my friend’s husband said he could see muscles straining in the doctor’s arms. Her head is still bruised. You think that might have had something to do with the face looking a little odd? And if not, couldn’t they have waited until they were out of the room to say, “let’s call a geneticist, and I’ll talk with the father about our suspicions?”
My friend is not an object to have a procedure performed on. She is a wonderful woman, and a new mother with all the uncertainy and confusion that moving into that role brings. I swear, if one of those doctors was in front of me, first I’d scold him into submission, then when he was on his knees I’d give him a boot to the head.
My daughter developed a cold last night, so I’ll be watching myself to see if I develop any symptoms. If I don’t, I’ll go see my friend again today. If I run into the doctor in the hall, I’ll smack him, and no jury in the land will convict me.
And these are the same doctors that’ll screw up a woman’s right to anything else based on how little they feel like being sued for being STUPID ASSHOLES.
I read ‘Runaway Jury.’ If they do pull a jury together for you clocking this ass, I’ll derail it. Best to your friend, and hope your daughter feels better soon.
And these are the same doctors that’ll screw up a woman’s right to anything else based on how little they feel like being sued for being STUPID ASSHOLES.
I read ‘Runaway Jury.’ If they do pull a jury together for you clocking this ass, I’ll derail it. Best to your friend, and hope your daughter feels better soon.
That’s terrible.
That’s terrible.
and this is how malpractice suits get filed….or you could just smack them with a spoon til they bleeds for being indecent human beings.
and this is how malpractice suits get filed….or you could just smack them with a spoon til they bleeds for being indecent human beings.
Personally, I’m leaning toward leaping from the shadows and assaulting his head with a pair of salad tongs. Let’s see how he likes it. The jerkwad.
Personally, I’m leaning toward leaping from the shadows and assaulting his head with a pair of salad tongs. Let’s see how he likes it. The jerkwad.
AUGH. And people wonder I hate Doctors!
Asshats. I’m very sorry your friend had to go through that crap. 🙁
AUGH. And people wonder I hate Doctors!
Asshats. I’m very sorry your friend had to go through that crap. 🙁
Give ’em an extra smack for me.
I’m at that “start watching the physical exertion” point, otherwise, I’d offer to come do it myself.
Thanks.
Give ’em an extra smack for me.
I’m at that “start watching the physical exertion” point, otherwise, I’d offer to come do it myself.
Thanks.
::stare::
I’ll join the Salad Tongs Brigade. We’ll show those damned doctors what it feels like!
::shakes tongs::
::stare::
I’ll join the Salad Tongs Brigade. We’ll show those damned doctors what it feels like!
::shakes tongs::
I’m not sure you should tell for friend this for fear of getting her hopes up, but it might make her feel better. When I was born, they thought I was a Downs baby, too. Apparently somewhere in my mish-mash genetic heritage I have some Mongolian ancestors or something. The doctors saw my somewhat almond-shaped eyes, looked at my parents who are both pretty Western European white-looking, and assumed the funny shaped eyes were due to Downs.
~Leika
I’m not sure you should tell for friend this for fear of getting her hopes up, but it might make her feel better. When I was born, they thought I was a Downs baby, too. Apparently somewhere in my mish-mash genetic heritage I have some Mongolian ancestors or something. The doctors saw my somewhat almond-shaped eyes, looked at my parents who are both pretty Western European white-looking, and assumed the funny shaped eyes were due to Downs.
~Leika
Thank you for this. Both my friend and her husband are adopted. Although both know who their birth parents are, I’m not sure how much they know about their genetic family trees. As much as I want to tell my friend this story, I think you’re right that it could be painful to get their hopes up. Hopefully we’ll have results today from the genetic testing.
Either way, their baby has been gaining weight, and they should get to take her home today. I’m sure that’ll help things feel more normal for them.
Thank you for this. Both my friend and her husband are adopted. Although both know who their birth parents are, I’m not sure how much they know about their genetic family trees. As much as I want to tell my friend this story, I think you’re right that it could be painful to get their hopes up. Hopefully we’ll have results today from the genetic testing.
Either way, their baby has been gaining weight, and they should get to take her home today. I’m sure that’ll help things feel more normal for them.