United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

ROPBI Dad

I truly could not add anything to John's post.
He expressed all of my feeling regarding this injury.

I had no idea how this injury impacted my family.
My parents died before I could ask how much this injury changed their life. They never shared their pain with me.
I assumed it made no life changes for them. I thank God that I was not aware of their pain because I would have felt guilty.
I was treated as a normal child.

I also agree with KateP no doctor does this intentionally.
I feel the medical schools are ignoring this medical emergency.
They fail to educate younger doctors on how to be prepared for SD delivery and the importance of being prepared for it at all births.
I do not, nor will I, ever excuse those doctors who injury multiple children and cover up.

Enjoy your sweet baby.

Kath robpi/adult/68


Message was edited by: Kath

I just feel that given the incredibly screwed up medical establishment regarding this injury (no education, no hands-on training in most places, no required remedial education of multiple "offenders" etc etc etc!) that it is sheer luck that more kids are not injured.

The system is broken. Doctors graduate medical school completely unprepared to handle shoulder dystocia in nearly all cases (they have an ACOG "bulletin" and watch a shoulder dystocia video - MAYBE - and that's it?!? If you take a CPR course you get more training in doing CPR than most docs get in handling shoulder dystocia!). It's absolutely no wonder more don't cause multiple injuries. And when certain doctors do show that they really are far below the norm in terms of standard of care... nothing happens! Lawsuits don't put doctors out of business! For crying out loud, hospitals keep track of infections and have major audits if their infection rate starts getting too high! Procedures are changed. Equipment is renewed. Retraining is implimented. Why on earth birth trauma is not tracked in the same way is totally unbelievable. Maybe if more HOSPITALS were successfully sued for allowing uneducated dangerous doctors to deliver there, THAT might have some lasting good. If the hospitals' bottom line was affected, then maybe... just maybe... they would start requiring advanced training in shoulder dystocia management, and exclude doctors' whose injury rates were high?

But the sad thing is... if you put a few "bad" doctors out of business - or more likely, just drive them to another state - with lawsuits, there are many more ready to take their places, educated and trained by the same failed system that produced the ones thrown out!

I agree that doctors should be sued for negligence. The future needs of the children harmed by their mistakes should be taken care of. But I see so much energy and anger focused on anger at individual doctors. I can't help but wonder what good all that energy and anger could do if it was directed at the SYSTEM that produces these lousy docs and allows them to continue hurting babies.

Kate

She will never know what you have gone through and the heartache you have felt as you watch her sleep at night or while she plays. She will never know the torment you have felt when trying to make the "right" decisions for her care, always wondering is it enough or necessary. She won't care if you're broke. She'll remember how much you love her and the way you look at her. She'll be who she is becoming because of you and her mother. She never has to know what you have been through. It's not her burden to bare. Talk with your wife and tell her what you think about. She won't judge you or get scared. Be strong and know you will all survive if you stick together. You are all eachother has.