To the original poster, I HEAR YOU!!!
i wasn't at QMH, i was at PWH in ShaTin and am only grateful that i made it past my "preterm" mark of 35wks so i could deliver privately. I was carrying twins, and was admitted last year to PWH with large Kidney stones. i was told, "pain!! no problem. you wait for doctor" (it was close to 3hrs AFTER being admitted) ... for those who aren't familiar with K.stones, THEY ARE EXCRUCIATING!! I've had 3 c/sections, and teh pain from that doesn't even compare... (in my experience) --of course, i always had enough pain meds w my c/sections.
the worst part of my stay (apart from NEVER being understood) was that they (jr drs) wanted to perform an open surgery to release the pressure from my kidney (it honestly felt like, "hey, let's try this" with no regard to the extreme risks of preterm delivery). LIterally put a hole in my back ... i was only 32wks at the time. I went so far as to call my private OB and get his advice and he even spoke to the intern and expressed his opinion (that it was unnecessary). They still pushed for the surgury. ONLY after the head of high-risks at PWH was called in, was i informed by him that this surgury was unnecessary and the whole schmoozle stopped... but that was literally 30min-1hr before i was supposed to go into the OR. I just thank God that this head Dr stepped in!!!
NOW on the positive side, they DID provide me with a "grandma walker" to get to and from the toilets (i couldn't stand solidly on my own for pain); they didn't freak out when my husband showed up outside of VHours (tho it only happened 1 or 2x); the nurses did respond to my yelps of pain, but only becuase other expectant mums (my neighbors in teh wing) would get up (mid their own contractions) and go to the nurses station to report i was (agian) in tooo much pain. I had the bruises on my legs from teh shots of pethidin (sp?) for weeks after (they don't waste any time/empathy there -- even my bedsheets had streaks of blood from the different holes in my legs :-0)
HOWEVER .... one of my boys did spend time at QMH NICU and THEY WERE OUT OF THIS WORLD FANTASTIC, SUPPORTIVE, INFORMATIVE, REASSURING, COMFORTING, CALMING ... should you need them, THOSE nurses in NICU QMH ARE the ones who will hold your hand ...albeit quickly ... in comfort and understanding.
(most) frustrations/problems in the public system are a direct cause of this overload. I know/understand why it's happening, i just don't know why it's being "allowed" to happen. surely if residents/patients AND MEDICAL STAFF are being effected soo much, somethign more should be done. what i find even more shocking is how it's affecting the private system sooo much too. i was lucky; at least with all of my births, i never once had to worry about "where" i'd be going. but then my last delivery was in january 07 ... perhaps before the current crisis. (tho at the time PWH was DEFINITELY feeling the stresses of overcrowding)
BUT AGAIN, in the end, the most important thing to remember is your lifetime with your blessed child
ps. regarding the meds.. my drs always prescribed more than enough meds, at least for the first few days. i remember being on something super strong, plus pethidin if i needed, then it was reduced to pethidin and dologisic, but they slowly weened me off over the 5 days (even discharged w dologisic for home --- but i'd stopped needing anything after day 4) ... as long as it was written in a chart or the dr was phoned, meds shouldn't be a problem ... and YES i was bfeeding
ok not so much a quick post
