Results: Medical Mayhem (Part 1 of 4)

When I was expecting for the first time, I was treated by my husband's family doctor (who had delivered him). He said my pregnancy was going well . . . but during the eighth month, my husband unexpectedly found me lying on the bathroom floor having seizures. Have you ever had seizures?

I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, was briefly in a coma, and my survival was in question. It turns out I had an undiagnosed neurological condition called eclampsia. Have you ever been transported to the hospital in an ambulance?

Since I had attended all my prenatal doctor appointments, I was surprised my doctor disregarded the eclampsia warning signs of high blood pressure and elevated protein in the urine samples I had been asked to provide. My personal family doctor suggested that my pregnancy doctor must have done the "sink test" (meaning, he threw my urine samples down the sink.) Have you ever gotten severely ill because someone missed a diagnosis?

Since delivery of the baby is the most effective way to treat eclampsia, an OB/GYN stepped in, induced labor, and delivered a 5-pound stillborn boy. The stillbirth shocked my family members as my quack doctor had assured them he had heard a strong fetal heartbeat. The specialist explained that he must have mistaken the sound of the blood rushing through the placenta for the baby's heartbeat. Would you find it hard to remain civil interacting with a doctor who seemed to be this clueless?

During my week-long hospital stay, I was so out of it that when I asked my husband about plans for the funeral, he said it had been held the day before. Have you ever missed attending a funeral that was important to you?