Abandonment by VBAC doctor at 40w+2 days

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9/28/11 at 8:21pm

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I am just going to type on the events of the weekend. Basically, I had seen signs in this OB that came so highly recommended by members of ICAN that he was not as great as he seems. He kept going out of town for a "sick wife" who was living at their other house in another state. Whenever he was out of town, if I had a problem, I was out of luck and left with no care. One time, it was a virus with a fever and dehydration at 19w5d. The other time, it was stabbing back pain and a head ache at 26 weeks that turned out to be a UTI. In both cases, I was told no one would see me because I was not in labor. His back up doctors were only there for labor and since this was not labor, no one would see me. I had to go elsewhere and find care both times. I had no troubles after that for the next few months to call in for. There were other issues where I could not get my appointments. Early on, I was being seen 7 weeks apart even though I was told 4 weeks apart by the doctor. When I tried to talk to the office staff person about it (Rhonda was her name, and she was the same one who would tell me no one was on call for the OB when I had the UTI and the fever). and Rhonda got rude and nasty with me about it and told me that 7 weeks a part was "good enough." So, I was seen at 8 weeks, 14 weeks, 20 weeks, 28 weeks, 32 weeks...then it got regular at that point. This was because Rhonda refused to allow me to be scheduled closer. Dr C (the OB) had said I was supposed to be 4 weeks apart, but didn't do anything to fix her refusal to allow me to schedule sooner.

In August, I was told he would be gone Sept 4-19. My due date was the 22nd. I talked to him about it and he assured me he would only be gone actual labor day weekend. He insisted and seemed like he was telling the truth. I believed him. At this point, my husband was coming to all my visits to try to get control of the abusiveness of that staff member named Rhonda. Rhonda left me alone from then on once I started bringing my husband. We figured she would not say those nasty things to me anymore if I had my husband there. We were right. So, my husband and I were both duped by Dr C. He said he would be in town once labor day weekend was over and we believed him. He said no worries, don't worry, all will be fine, and so on. He seemed to comforting. Then, we were in his office Sept 12 and he made no mention of changed plans. That was a Monday. Then on Thursday, when I was in his office, his staff let it slip that he was going to be gone for 3 days. Oh, and he did not leave anyone on call who was willing to do vbamc. (vbac after multiple csect). I was 39 weeks pregnant! And he was going to be gone for 3 days leaving behind no one on call who was willing to do a VBAMC. I was going to have to just have a csect if I went in to labor while he was gone or just be without medical care, or I don't know what. I was very upset. This was horrifying. After 9 months of pregnancy, to catch him in this bold faced lie and that if I went in to labor, I was being told I would just have to have a csect and he had known this for weeks and lied to me and my husband to our faces like that!?!?!

So..I did call a different labor and delivery at this point to see what would happen if I came in, one closer, over the weekend, They hooked me up with an OB who would take me at the last second. We did not know for sure how this OB stood on the vbac, but the OB tentatively was OK with the vbac and we would come in and discuss things better during the week and this was a Friday by now.

I did not go in to labor over the weekend. I was very upset that I was put through this. That brings us to this past week where I was due Sept 22 (Thursday). I met with that doctor on Wednesday and they were explaining to me while they are not going to force a csect, she is not comfy with a vbac. So, I went on ahead to my appointment with Dr C on Friday. I was 40w1d by then. On that Friday, I woke up with strong and painful contractions. I tried to call the office but they said they were very busy. They told me to just come in for my appointment that afternoon. I came in and the contractions were still hanging about 20-25 minutes apart. When they did happen, I would cry because they hurt that much. They did a NST and they only ran it for about 10 minutes so I had one contraction in that time. Then the doctor came in (Dr C) and checked my dilation and I was a zero. He said this was not real labor, it was false labor. I was crying and telling him I was in so much pain, I did not know how much longer I could take this. He said he would schedule an induction for Monday. I asked him under what circumstances I should come in sooner. He said contractions needed to be 5 minutes a part or less, for at least 1 hr, preferably 2. I tried to talk to him about how worried I was about the pain, but he basically laughed it off and said labor hurts and that sort of thing.

The next day, the contractions built to where they were so painful, they were unbearable. I had had vaginal birth before and even vbacs, and this pain was completely different. It did not feel like normal contractions. They were not getting consistent on time either. But the pain was over the top extreme. I could not even function. My husband and I tried to call Dr C. We got his on call doctor, Dr B. Dr B was nasty. I told her I needed Dr C called, something was wrong. She said if I am in labor, I need to go to labor and delivery. I told her I was not in labor, the contractions were still between 15-25 minutes a part. They were not getting closer together, but the pain was unbearable. I felt something was seriously wrong. Dr B informed me I could go to labor and delivery to see if I am in labor, but if I am not in labor, I would be sent home. I told her again that I was not in labor, but something was obviously wrong and I needed to be seen. She said I would not be seen unless I were in labor. She said I am welcome to go to labor and delivery and be checked for labor, but I will be sent home if I am not in real labor. I begged her to call Dr C, she refused. She said unless I am in real labor, she will send me home and won't even look at me or call the doctor. She said IF I am in labor, I am welcome to go get checked to see if I am. But if I am not dilated, and having contractions at least every 5 minutes, she will NOT allow me to stay, I will be sent home and not admitted, and she most certainly NOT call Dr C. Then she asked if I was going to go to labor and delivery to get checked, but reminded me unless I was in real labor, I will be sent home. I said "no, I would rather jump off a bridge than drive all the way there in this kind of pain only to be sent home." Her response was to tell me "Good idea, you SHOULD jump off a bridge." That was the end of the conversation.

SO, I called to labor and delivery and asked them if someone could please get in contact with my OB. I am in horrible pain. I need help. I am not in labor. They said they cannot call anyone for me, I have to call the on-call doctor. I explained to them what the on-call doctor said. They said that they have to follow orders from the oncall doctor and if the oncall doctor tells me she won't call Dr C or I won't be admitted, that is just the way it is. I hung up, but then called back a short time later. I told them I was worried my baby or I were going to die. Something is very very wrong here. They said call the on call doctor, they cannot do anything. I told them the oncall doctor is telling me she will not see me for anything except actual labor. And I am NOT in labor. The oncall doctor already told me she will send me home and not admit me because I am not in labor. But I still need to be seen. Something is wrong! They said I have to go through the on call doctor, no other choices.

So, I waited a little longer. I screamed and cried and could not handle the pain. It was horrible and traumatic. I never in my life felt pain like that before. But I have had a couple unmedicated births before and I knew what it was supposed to feel like and this was not it. Finally, dh and I decided to just go to the closest hospital and be seen.

Once there, we found my incision from my scar was giving away. My OB, who was refusing to see me, could have led to my death and my baby's death. I was rushed in for an emergency c-sect. The baby is doing great. I am ok physically, but emotionally, I am so angry and betrayed that this happened. I tried to call Dr Cs office on Monday and he refuses to take my calls or return them. I thought maybe, just maybe, he did not know his oncall doctor refused to let me be seen. But it has become apparent that he knew. In fact, he did tell a hospital administrator, when I complained and she went to ask him what happened, that I was told to come to labor and delivery and I refused. That is a lie! I was told if I showed up and was not in real labor, and that I was not in real labor, I would be turned away.

I am so angry. I am so upset. I put faith in him. I accepted all his excuses the entire pregnancy long for his mistakes. I fully intend to file a complaint against him with the state. But I know how that goes. The baby is fine in the end and so am I, so nothing will be done. Even if we died because of what Dr C did, I don't think the state would take it seriously (we are in Texas and it is basically a fact that the state board does very little in the line of disciplining their doctors).

I feel like I cannot even process what he did to me, what he did to us. I think it is horrible. I am so upset.

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