New experiences
Finished blogging yesterday and the phone rang. It was Jack's Mummy, ' I've just had a really sharp pain', I reassured her and carried on watching Hubby preparing my Roast Dinner, lamb, with all the trimmings. Just as he was making the gravy the phone rang again, I answered it, all there was for a few seconds was crying and someone trying to speak. Then daughter managed to say ' I'm bleeding, I'm really frightened'. Quick question and answer session followed and then I promised to phone her back in 5 minutes. I paced, while scratching my head, b****r, it's the weekend, no EPAC (early pregnancy assessment clinic), casualty?, out of hours G.P? I was lost, utterly, totally out of my depth. I made the decision and phoned labour ward to have a word with the obs/gynae Registrar, yes, the one had I wound-up a couple of hours earlier. 'Bring her in', she said without hesitation. So having phoned daughter back and arranged to meet her there, off I flew, dinner abandoned. I sat and played with Jack for what seemed like an eternity, but was in fact only about half an hour. Seems fine, but come back in the morning for a better scan.
Daughter phoned after her scan to say that all appears well, heartbeat seen, no obvious cause for bleeding. This is good news, but only reassures at the time. The bleeding is continuing, daughter is frightened and in need of constant reassurance, and here I am scrambling around trying to find the right words, hoping to calm her concerns, but not build her expectations up too much. I've done this before with patients, but these are women I have never met, they've been given my number as 'the midwife', they are a voice at the other end of the phone, not my daughter who, until twenty-four hours ago, was certain that she was going to be a Mum again. I have never experienced what she is experiencing, and I really wish we weren't experiencing this together now.
New experiences are not always good.
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(16.1.06 21:07) That's really scary, for her and for you. With your line of work, you've obviously seen this kind of thing before, but it must be so different when you're trying to help your own daughter. She must be so pleased to have you near. |
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(16.1.06 21:22) Iīm with Nicola. Knowing helps but when it comes to your own family... donīt you wish you knew less? Anyway, your daughter must feel relieved that her Mum can help and reassure her... |
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(16.1.06 23:12) Oh dear. Could it just be one of those bleeds when your period would normally be due thingies? Thinking of you both. x |
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(16.1.06 23:44) Nicola & MJ - It is really difficult. It's my daughter and a little 'coffee bean' who might be my Grandchild but I'm trying to maintain the realism of a midwife. Matilda - Thats what I'm hoping. It's just the waiting to see what happens, will it stop, carry on or get worse? |
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(17.1.06 17:08) nothing to add . |
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(17.1.06 18:46) *hugs* |
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(18.1.06 13:07) Hi (((hugs))) to both of you - the fact that they've seen the heartbeat is really positive (as you know but I know it doesn't feel like it at the time). Hope all is well. |
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(19.1.06 14:43) hope she's ok |
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(19.1.06 15:51) If the power of thought has anything to do with it all of you are really helping. Thankyou. |