There is so much to say about this awful, bittersweet story that has unfolded over the weekend. A blogger and friend, Diana from Hormonal Imbalances, nearly lost the identical twin boys she’s carrying at 18.5 weeks this weekend when her water broke and the hospital urged her to induce. She’s now on bed rest, fighting for their lives, and fighting a broken hospital system that is down playing her emotions, her struggles, and her right to fight.
I’m not going to get into too much detail, as it’s already been said beautifully elsewhere. Instead…
If you want to read more about Diana’s story, start here.
My friend Morgan takes a stand with Diana here.
And Diana talks about the whole experience, with a most recent update here.
The hospital she is at is University Medical Center of El Paso. (Shared with her permission.)
For now, the tides have turned, and she’s beginning to receive the standard of care she deserves. I have no doubt that’s in large part to the outcry from the hundreds, possibly thousands who witnessed her distress via Twitter and Facebook over the weekend and reached out, shouted for change. We are watching, UMC El Paso.
15 comments
Right on.
I’m so thankful that the hospital has changed its tune.
Yikes, will be praying for her. I have a friend whose water broke with her second child when she was 18 weeks. She lives in a remote town so was immediately flown to the big city and when she got to the hospital the doctor told her there was nothing to do but abort the baby. This was NOT an option for her so she was medivaced up to an even bigger city (which a NICU) where she was on strict bed rest (couldn’t even get up to pee) for 6 weeks before the docs just couldn’t stop the contractions anymore. Her daughter was born at 24 weeks and spent far too much time in the NICU. Their family overcame so many obstacles and complications, but today that sweet girl is a spunky, smart, sassy, ADORABLE 3 year old 🙂
I’ve been following this story. So sad how the hospital was treating her! Every mother should have the right to fight for her children!
I am taking it as a good sign that Diana’s site is currently down because we’ve overloaded it! GOOD! No woman should be forced to fight for her rights…and HER choice…no matter what that choice is.
Diana is in my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time for her and her family. How religion becomes the focus of the hospital, I can’t understand. It a mother fighting for her kids. Any human being should understand that, but that she needs to make this stand and continually argue is heartbreaking. Rock on momma, keep fighting the good fight…
I am utterly appalled by this hospital and their medical staff’s actions. How can another person be so heartless… Especially a doctor who’s specialty is supposed to be in helping to bring new LIFE into this world? When I went in for my wand sonogram with my 3rd daughter (who will be 4 May 30th) I was told that my HCG levels and sonogram picture didn’t “match” and that they were classifying my pregnancy as a miscarriage.The doctor proceeded to tell me that I should schedule a DNC for the next day! She was an inexperienced OBGYN and she NEVER apologized for her mistake. If I would have listened to her my beautiful, healthy Ava Maxine wouldn’t be here today. There is this misconception among people that the doctor is always right and that they know what they’re talking about. I’m glad Diane is fighting for her boys and pray that her fight for them has a happy outcome. Shame on those who treated her like an idiot for fighting for the life’s of her precious boys. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family!
<3
It’s just maddening. MADDENING. I can’t even form coherent thoughts about Diana’s situation because every time I think about how she was treated I get all RACHEL SMASH. I am so happy that she and the boys are starting to get some support from the hospital.
I can only hope a large news outlet picks this up so that the hospital will be embarassed even more. They need to learn their lesson. Poor Diana and her family. In my thoughts and prayers.
I think the Labor and Delivery MD should hear from us all! Just saying…
deganhouse@umcelpaso.org
Sadly my young niece just went through the exact thing the middle of March at around 20 weeks. She was in a small regional hospital in KS & when her water broke her doctor told her she needed to induce because she could get an infection. She refused, was sent home and was back in a couple of days with contractions. The contractions stopped for awhile, they refused to put her on IV antibiotics because it would “mask an infection” or bed-rest. The nearest hospital with a great NICU was two hrs away & the high risk dr they conferred with refused to even see her after talking to her dr & looking at her records. She was talked out of going to KU Med Ctr in KC where they said they’d accept her into their high risk program to monitor but couldn’t promise a positive outcome. Sadly she did develop an infection & they “had to induce to save her life”. Her little girl fought the entire time and was with us for 3 hours.
I pray Diana & her boys have a more positive outcome.
I first learned about Diana – and this horrible situation – through one of your Twitter posts, and have been following her updates ever since. Sending so many good prayers her way for a positive outcome.
I called as soon as the hospital’s name was tweeted out. I left messages with the Patient Liason Dept and asked for a chaplain to come up and visit. They told me I was about the 50th caller so far.
It s all b/c of twitter/FB/social media: news travels in a nanosecond, and has a chance to take care of things when they need to be taken care of.
I had a protruding sac at 17 wks, th ey gave my baby a 50/50 chance: with tilted bedrest we made it to 31 wks, and that baby who only had a 50/50 chance is now 15 years old.
Miracles happen.
Hi All,
I am in prayer for this sweet mama and her babies. It appears that she was treated really poorly during a horrific situation and I feel so deeply for her.
One thing, however, that I did want to point out is that these incidents often turn into doctor bashing and while there are bad doctors out there (like in any profession), the majority of these doctors train for 8-15 years after college to help people. They do not do it to hurt anyone or misguide anyone. Sometimes they have to deliver news that people do not want to hear and that makes people upset and angry. Of course miracles happen but the reason that we call them miracles is because they are unusual. In this case, it seems as though that news was inappropriate or at least not delivered with any sensitivity but please, please don’t hate all doctors. There are many of us who live years without seeing our spouses very much as they train for 80+ hours/week to become doctors because they feel called to help people.
Please lift Diana’s doctors in prayer as well as her that they be wise, discerning, and sensitive during this time.
Thank you for listening. I continue to pray for Diana and her boys.
Elisabeth