Dear Joy.
What a sad experience that must have been for you all :(
My deepest sympathies. It seems though, that the experience of such a
tragedy was made easier by you being there, and some good staff.
It is still so sad :(
I wish Reuben well in his time in the NICU, and that everyone heals from
this as easily as possible.
Thoughts are with you all.
Jo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joy Cocks" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Ozmidwifery" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, June 08, 2002 8:51 AM
Subject: Update on our babies (long)
> Hi everyone,
> What a week, so much has happened so quickly! I'll try to tell you as
> briefly as I can - here goes.
> Sally admitted to tertiary hospital on Wed 29/5 with ruptured membranes on
> 1st twin, on oral antibiotics, submitted to daily CTG's (but never could
get
> a "good" trace), told that she would need a C/S because both babies were
> breech ("and it will probably be a classical C/S and you will never have
> another baby naturally" [by a doctor]). Very upset, of course. However,
> even with the "best" in the ultrasound department, no-one seemed able to
> agree on the position of the babies. The plan was for bed rest in hospital
> to try to keep these babies inside for as long as possible, provided there
> was no infection. All going along OK, her partner came back to Bright (3
> 1/2 hr drive) on Sun 2/6, I was going to come back with her little 4 y/o
> boy, Tasman, on Mon 3/6. However, a phone call to me at 5.30 am Mon from
> L/W - "Sally is having a few niggles, and would like you here, no need to
> rush". I got there at 6.30 am - "quick in there, she's delivered!" I
went
> in to find that she had a little girl (twin1) and a little boy, the 3rd
> stage was being delivered. Masses of people in there - the 3rd set of
twins
> for the night! Matilda had come out as a head/shoulder presentation and
> Reuben was vertex. Matilda a little stronger than Reuben, but of course
> lines, monitors and tubes everywhere. Both up to NICU after seeing Sally
> briefly. I stayed with Sally, who was in total shock with it all. She
> didn't even feel like she had given birth (and had only just started to
> enjoy that real blossoming feeling of pregnancy) and of course had
laboured
> and birthed with none of her own support people present. She was up in
> stirrups, and they were still trying to put on the CTG and talking C/S
when
> the midwife said "she's pushing". The doc even was trying to put on a
scalp
> electrode at this stage and ended up cutting Matilda's (Tilly) neck with
it.
> However, no C/S and no stitches, so Sally's recovery has been excellent.
I
> helped her with her shower and then we went up to NICU to see the babies
> (her partner was still on his way). Both stable, Tilly a little stronger
> than Reuben, actually mostly breathing on her own, both on "routine"
drugs,
> treatments, etc. They weighed 880g each. Tilly was bruised around her
> shoulder and Reuben's head was bruised. Tilly had a lumbar puncture that
> evening and she was diagnosed with meningitis, however, the staff were
> pretty confident that she was going OK. Those poor little mites were on
> more drugs than Sally has had in her entire life!!
> Then, on Tuesday Tilly was looking as if she was having a little bit of
> seizure activity, CT etc, late Tuesday revealed she was haemorrhaging into
> both sides of her brain, she had also developed scepticaemia and looked
like
> she was bleeding into her abdominal cavity. Wed 5/6 - I had seen them
early
> in the morning before doctors' rounds and she was constantly fitting
despite
> Morphine and Phenobarb, etc. I was with Sally when she was called to NICU
> and this information was given to her and her partner when he rushed over
> from across the road. They made, what to me, was the only choice and that
> was to cease treatment and turn everything off. The staff were fantastic,
> giving us all time, privacy and space. My other daughter was there,
Sally's
> partner's (Russell) sister and brother-in-law were there. Sally and
Russell
> spent a long time just touching and looking at Tilly until they were
ready,
> while we made sure that someone was with Reuben and touching him as well.
> We held hands and surrounded them while Sally washed and dressed Tilly.
> They then carried her into a private sitting room and held her as she died
> which was almost immediately. Sally had asked me to be with Reuben as
they
> turned Tilly's machines off and as she died. He gave a little cry and
> stopped breathing momentarily at that time, then settled. I saw Tilly's
L/W
> summary which described the whole labour as being a total of 31 mins!
> (however, Sally had actually been having niggles all night but tried to
> convince herself that it wasn't labour and hadn't told anyone). When
Sally
> and Russell were ready, we went in to hold and kiss Tilly and I brought
> Tasman in to cuddle his sister. "She won't grow up big will she, but my
> brother will!"
> Reuben is doing well, having periods off his CPAP, having 1 mil of EBM
4/24,
> but we still have a long road in front of us.
> It has just been SO awful, but some positives as well. It is so awful to
> see your child go through the pain of losing her own child, which (of
> course) is also your grandchild.
> Thanks to everyone who has sent their thoughts, love and prayers, all of
> that has helped enormously.
> Joy
>
> Joy Cocks RN (Div 1) RM CBE IBCLC
> BRIGHT Vic 3741
> email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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