Appt with OBGYN who decided to injur Ashley

[Lenni]

I have an appointment coming up with the Obgyn who chose not to do a c section after I had been pushing for 31/2 hours with Ashley! He figued I could push her out! Little did he know she would get stuck on my pelvis and need to be yanked by her beautiful head! I live in a small, isolated community, he is the only one here! I am looking forward to telling him all about Ashley and her OBPI!!! He knows about it but thought she would recover within 6 weeks!

[karenr]

Lenni, with all due respect, please reconsider meeting with this ob. Can you drive to another town for an appt. and completely eliminate this doctor from your health care? My reservation is that you'll walk away from that appt. really upset and more angry. the ob will never admit negligence, period. If you were to have another baby, would you really want this ob attending again? These are such hard decisions...I can't even bring myself to go to ANY obgyn after Elizabeth's birth 4 yrs.ago.

[admin]

I think this would be a very big mistake by going back to the OBGYN. I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but contact TCH to see if you should get her evaluated, it is very important to due this ASAP.

Also, I would NEVER speak to the OBGYN directly again. Even if you have to travel, find a new one.

The only contact with the OBGYN should be by an attorney. Be sure to get an attorney with experience with these cases and look at their record with these cases. We had to get rid of our first attorney and get a new one.

[admin]

Are you certain you want to do this? Are you going for an exam or treatment? Is this what you want and feel comfortable with? There is absolutely NO WAY I could ever do it, especially after all the lies in my records, and the fact that there was no apology or responsibility taken for the lifelong injury that my child endured. But if you feel comfortable with it and it is what you really want then you should. I would certainly want the doc to know how bad my child was harmed and this will give you that opportunity. One more thought, are you possibly pursuing litigation in the future, if so it would be best not to see him. I was advised to not communicate with mine, even when I wanted to confront her and tell her about the permanent injury. For me personally, I would drive 2 hours without thinking twice to find another doctor, and no way in heck they would touch me or another baby of mine!

Also, besides the c-section issue they NEVER needed to PULL on your baby's beautiful head. That is what the proper manuevers like McRoberts and suprapubic pressure are for, and most baby's come out easily when just one of those are done properly and there are others if those don't work.

Keep us posted. Good luck.

[christy]

My daughter too had to return to her ob right after the delivery. It was horrible for her and myself just listening to the cavalier attitude and some uncalled for remarks. It is of course your call and sometimes one doesn't have control over this. But I remember the turmoil this visit caused in our household and hearts.

[Tessie258]

I wouldn't go either...Good luck.
T.

[Susie]

Ditto on what everyone else said.

[Tracey]

If you plan to sue, I would not go either. In fact, the lawyers will tell you not to have contact with the doctor at all. Go outside of town.

Good luck,
Tracey

[admin]

Well, I also agree with what the others said. This is what happened for me...
Right after Ella was born I was having some problems so I went in to see the OBGYN who delievered her. At that time I was totally unaware of what Erb's Palsy was and I had no idea that it was his fault. So I went in for my appointment and it was very awkard looking at him. I couldnt keep eye contact with him and I didnt even know it was his fault yet. He told me he injured another baby soon after my delievery. He asked if he could see Ella, who was in her carseat on the floor, and so he went to lift the straps off of her and it hit her head a little bit so the doctor said, "Oh honey, I dont want to hurt you anymore than what already happened." I couldnt believe what he said at that time so I basically left the place wishing I never went. If only I knew more about everything before I went. This was only a couple of weeks after delievery and when I first came home I was so sick from spinal headaches so it was really a first time look at life since before Ella. I wasnt yet into the research of Erbs Palsy. I loved my doctor before this happened. Let me tell you, I still wish it never happened b/c I really did like him...BUT it did and there is nothing I can do to change that.
If I can give you any advice, it would be not to go. I don't think you will feel right. Are you going to be civil to him knowing what he did to your child? That may be hard. Are you going to be able to look at him in the eye and listen to him apologize or deny what he did? That may come up. So, this is only my opinion and by no means am I trying to tell you what to do. I understand that everyone is different and so are our feelings, but I just wanted to point some things out that may be uncomfortable for you.
By the way, since I left that last appointment with him I never went back. Although I am pretty sure that we are done having children, I cannot even bring my self to look at him. To me, that is just giving him the satisfaction.
Krista

[claudia]

I have to agree with everyone here.

I, too, had to go back to the ob/gyn soon after Juliana's birth. I did not yet know what exactly was wrong with her, and I was not yet able to deal with the idea that her injury was the fault of a man who had been my gyn for close to 20 years. Right after my 6 week visit I saw the ped. neuro and she really spelled it out for me. I saw a different doc in the practice when I went back for the 6 week check-up, but still it was awkward and he told me she would be better "soon." Even worse was that they found something wrong with me and I had to GO BACK. As time marched on, and I learned more about the injury, it made it horrible. I was so afraid of meeting up with the delivering doctor. I was afraid of what I would say to him.
Once we decided to sue, I did not go back. My mom and my sister also used these doctors. They also left them. Juliana was 18 months old before I went back to any gyn. And, I was much more critical of the docs.
Now I have a very good one, and it is no longer an issue for me to walk in the door. I used to blame all ob/gyns for what one doctor did.
I would drive to hell and back before I would lie down for the delivering doctor again.
I don't think you should go. I agree, btw, about the legal issue.
claudia