Ashamed Of My Country.

[Longboarder]

The little one has had a better day. Steady progress being made. I learned a bit more today about the op. It was to remove a length of intestine that was not functioning and join the two cut ends back together. When I was doing surgery years ago one of my bosses said 'After resecting a length of bowel, joining the ends was like trying to sew together two lengths of overcooked macaroni while someone is gently pulling them apart!' Imagine doing it on a baby who is less than 4lb.

 

Nigel

 

Still fuming but does it matter?

[Guest The Modfather]

Still fuming but does it matter?

 

What matters is that baby and mum are getting stronger, and that mum is reunited with her.

Personally, and this is only my opinion, what use would it be taking this to an MP etc? This is just going to keep it at the front of her mind and she will never let it go. And what if she doesn't get what she believes she deserves? This will only make her feel worse, and I don't think she needs it at the moment. Make a formal complaint to the hospital, but don't expect a great response. She'll get an apology, but closely followed by their policies and procedure rules. Just glad that the op was successful, and I wish them well.

[Guest Getting There]

Nigel

 

My mate is a paramedic in Gloucester and I spoke with him this evening and out of interest mentioned this to him.

 

His reply was as follow:

 

The ambulance is only designed to carry 4 people and they would have been an ambulance technician, paramedic, acute nurse and specialist doctor. It is apprently quite common for this to happen and it is partly to do with cost but there is another good reason. If the baby gets into distress on the journey to the hospital some of the procedures that would be carried out on the baby to untrained eyes look very barbaric but very necessary, if the mother is in the ambulance she would get very distressed, this is then passed onto the baby and makes the situation 10 times worse. If the operation is required without delay the main priority is to save the life of the baby, and although very distressing at the time it is far better that they are seperated but the baby survives. Usually however the mother would be taken to the hospital by seperate ambulance / car, however (where the cost comes into it) due to new "cost saving" measures at night this is sometimes left until the morning unless deamed a mediacl emergency. I can see it from all points of view, it is a job I couldn't do no matter how much money is involved and some of this is down to the government cost saving.

 

Although very difficult to comprehend, could you imagine having this problem in any other country where the first thing the ask is for money before sorting the medical issues. As you have mentioned they have probably saved the life of the baby by their actions, and altough distressing at the time, in a few years time I am sure that they will be happy with the medical services (and work needs to be looked into with the situation with transport).

 

This is not my view just that of a paramedic, I just hoped that it might give you an insiders slightly different view point.

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[Longboarder]

Update on little Elladie. She survived her operation and was very poorly for a while in ICU in Bristol. She has gradually improved and is now out of the incubator with all the tubes out and most of the wires removed. She is feeding by mouth and was considered well enough on Tuesday to be transferred back down to the Special care baby unit in Plymouth. She weighs in at 4lb 4oz which is still a bit of a lightweight but it's all going in the right direction. Mum is well and recovering from her caesarian as normal and the P.E.T. is all gone and no damage as far as can be seen.

 

Nigel

[Guest TerryBarry]

Great news Nigel - Thank the Lord and may they all progress in the right direction

[Guest The Modfather]

Great news!

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Great news indeed and thanks for the update Ian & Carole