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From: Kelly Nelson
Email: kmahar@sympatico.ca
Category: Induction/Pitocin
Date: 06 Aug 2005
Last November my labor was induced. I was having my first child and I was 28 years old. I went to the hospital on a Thursday at am and they administered Gel to my cervix(I had only dilated approximately 1-2 cm and my cervix was not softening). I was in the labor and delivery room for about an hour when labor and delivery ward got busy and a nurse came in and told me they would have to move me into the maternity ward because I would be awhile(they needed my room). The nurses left me in the maternity ward until 11:30 that night and then brought me back to labor and delivery where my doctor checked to see if my cervix had softened and dilated. I hadn't progressed any and I had to stay the night.the nurse INSISTED I take a sleeping pill (Ativan) despite my concern for the baby and request not to. The next morning around 7am before my doctors shift was over she again checked my cervix and nothing had changed. She broke my water and administed more gel to my cervix and she told me around lunch they would start the pitocin drip. By 11:30 when the nurse checked me again nothing had changed my cervix was still ridged ( mostly on one side) and I had not dilated anymore. They started the drip just before 12:oo. A few hours into it I requested an epidural and recieved one. They checked for dilation a few times throughout the day and evening .I was dilating slowly, but one side remained very ridged. At around 11:30 that evening they notified me that I had recieved the maximum dose of pitocin. When the nurse checked for dilation I had progressed to 6 cm and the babies head was pushing on the cevix. One side of my cervix would not soften. The nurse then told me that the babies head was beginning to cone and I may need a c-section. She told me she was going to leave it for awhile and she would be back with the doctor. The doctor checked me around midight or 1 am. and informed me that Yes I would need a c-section. I was brave as they preped me and my husband dressed in his scrubbs and as they wheeled me down the hall my husband Graham and I joked and laughed about how many more times we would go through this. I was shivering really bad from the epidural and I remember being so worried tha he would think I was scared so I kept telling him as they layed me on the table, to not worry it was the medicine making me shake. I am a very bossy person when it comes to my body so I kept asking what they were doing and what were the cutting while the were making the incision. I don't know to this day what time it was, but they finally delivered my beatiful son Oscar.The doctor held him up so I could see him over the curtain and he was so big and I was so in love. He was being carried over to the scale(I hadn't even held him yet!)when I heard the doctor request blood from the blood bank and I asked what they were doing. the doctor told me they were delivering my placenta and there was some bleeding. Oscar was 10 lbs. And the nightmare began! They took my husband out of the room. Everyone in the room was rushing around. They were tring to put needles in me but my viens were collapsing. The doctor told me they may have to remove my uterus. It was acting like a sponge and would not contract and the bleeding was gettig worse. They brought the baby next to me and all I could think about was that he needed me and that I couln't die. I told them not to wait to take out my uterus, but they waited. My chest hurt and felt heavy then they told me the would have to put me out because they were putting in a central line. All I could see was Oscar. I said good bye I thought I was dying. I woke up the next morning in intensive care. I was hooked up to my epidural still and could not move my legs. I also had a tube down my throat and out of my arms and neck. I didn't understand, I was crying And i didn't want to see anyone. On the happiest day of my life I realized I couldn't have anymore children. After a couple of days in intensive care and 5 days of hard work in the hospital. I went home with my amazing son. I was on bed rest for what seemed like a decade. Whenever I ask a doctor about why this happened, they all say the same "you just had a big baby" But could it have been the pitocin? I was told by the surgeon that they had to leave a little tiny piece of my uterus in because of the bleeding. I was warned that I may experience a little bit of spotting like a period from time to time. Just before Xmas I started to bleed, not spot, bleed! I was so scared and my family doctor didn't know why.By the time I saw the doctor who did the surgery (2 months later)the bleeding had come and went 5 times. She informed me that the uterine lining may have fallen into the cervical stump which they had to leave in and it may be reacting like a normal uteus would. I too call the monthly bleeding a reminder. I am currently waiting for my test results to see if the stump needs to be removed and the best way to do so. Oscar is doing great and is 5 months old and now 20lbs. Sorry for all the posts. For some reason my computer wouldn't let me continue to type. I am so thankful my sister found and told me about this website now I don't feel so alone .
Just for the record, all information posted here are personal experiences/stories. There are no Doctors/Nurses answering questions on the board. This board is for sharing stories so we can learn from each other! If you have any problems with the board, please email me at Angela4KP1@comcast.net