"Birth after attending for a basic procedure"

I went to Redcliffe after attending the ER for the second time for an abscess.

I was 34 weeks pregnant, my blood pressure was high because of the pain and the abscess needed to be drained. By the second day it had popped and become necrotic. I was told I could have it drained under a spinal anaesthetic, and if that failed they would try a general. I consented as they told me it would be completely safe for myself and my baby.

I got into the theatre, they attempted the spinal twice, I was vomiting, clammy and felt like I was going to pass out. I remember them trying to push the needles into my spine without success. I was distressed and that would have put my baby at risk. Instead of using their professional judgement and keeping the wellbeing of my baby at the forefront, they went ahead with a general anaesthetic. The last thing I remember is not being able to breathe property when they put the white mask over my face. I tried to tell them that and they said it was normal. As a professional myself, I would have expected them to use their judgement at my distress and call it quits for the day to stabilise me and try again, but apparently it seems to me the medical industry doesn't do that.

I woke up the next day, intubated and no child in my belly, it turns out I was an anaphylactic reaction to the general anaesthetic which I had had before. The adrenaline they had to give me triggered preeclampsia and my baby was ripped out of me in a cat 1 emergency C section. My baby had to be intubated because of all the drugs which they pumped me with and had to be transported to another hospital for special care. It took almost 30 hours before I was allowed to see my baby for the first time.

All throughout my pregnancy I had attended their clinics, requested every-time that they made myself and my baby confidential, and they sent my baby to the other hospital with high risk patients I work with, I was frantic when I woke up and my baby wasn't there, and for them to tell me my baby was at the other hospital.

I am now petrified to go into hospital, i get clammy and scared. I feel my birth experience was stolen from my baby and I, all for a basic and super simple procedure.