If you don't want to read all of the words below, you can skip to the * for a summation.

So a friend of the family had been complaining about abdominal pain for a few months and was diagnosed by 3 different doctors as having a hernia. In the last few weeks, her abdomen started to swell and, again, she was told it was a symptom of her hernia.

Fast forward to last Friday...

Her stomach pain got really bad, so she went to the ER. They scanned her stomach and told her there was a baby in there. And that she was going into labor. She had no idea that she was pregnant. Add to that, that she had been told her whole life that she couldn't have children (she's in her mid 40's).

Friday evening, she had a C-section, and a baby girl. She only got a chance to touch the baby's hand, when it was carried away by a team of nurses. The baby was having trouble breathing and was air-lifted to a bigger hospital. They told the mother that this wasn't too drastic and that all would be OK. Overnight, the baby fell into a coma, which the doctors said was a good thing (to conserve her energy).

Saturday morning, all brain activity ceased, and the new parents had to make the decision to remove life support.

*
In two days, a supposedly infertile woman went to ER for stomach pain, found out she was pregnant and in labor, has a C-section and a baby girl, the baby gets air-lifted for breathing issues, goes into a coma, loses brain activity and is taken off of life-support. That has to be among the craziest (and sad) two days ever.

:-(

8/8/2011 11:43:38 AM

8/8/2011 11:45:32 AM

this can not be for realz

8/8/2011 11:46:06 AM

That sucks... Sorry to hear of that

8/8/2011 11:46:34 AM

Not to be insensitive to this woman's ordeal, but is she a larger person? I never understood how you could not know.

8/8/2011 11:46:51 AM

wow, that's ridiculous

8/8/2011 11:50:14 AM

sad

8/8/2011 11:51:14 AM

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 11:52 AM. Reason : ]

8/8/2011 11:51:48 AM

No words. Just

8/8/2011 11:55:20 AM

8/8/2011 11:58:07 AM

Yes, this really happened. This past Fri and Sat.

Yes, she was overweight.

We went to see her yesterday, and her and her husband were in surprisingly good spirits. All they have is a box that the hospital gave her. In the box: a little dress for her to be buried in, a lock of her hair, and a few pictures of her (after passing) with the dress on. They said she just looked like she was sleeping, but I was too creeped out to look.

I mean, I can kind of see why the baby didn't make it... she got no pre-natal care, vitamins, or treatment. She was also on blood-pressure meds and socially consuming alcohol - since she had no idea she was pregnant.

Some of her family members think she may have grounds for a lawsuit. Truth?

8/8/2011 12:00:56 PM

If she really went to several doctors and was told the same thing and that she wasn't pregnant, then yes. She was diagnosed incorrectly on 3 separate occasions which cost a human life and caused emotional trauma.
If she felt it necessary, she'd have grounds to file a lawsuit, yes. Is it worth it?

8/8/2011 12:03:52 PM

99 times out of 100, doctors ask a woman if there is any possibility that they could be pregnant. If a peri-menepausal woman with a history of infertility tells a doctor that there isn't a possibility, the doctor is going to diagnose on the information that he is given.

8/8/2011 12:09:55 PM

^ That.

8/8/2011 12:11:05 PM

8/8/2011 12:13:25 PM

lol fine

but you shouldn't have put this in chit chat

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 12:36 PM. Reason : ]

8/8/2011 12:27:11 PM

i know you're just being an ass

but this happens to non-overweight people too

it always baffles me, but people put on 10lbs and think nothing of it and then pop out a baby

8/8/2011 12:29:14 PM

First, I really hope there isn't a chance your family friend could find this thread :\


Second,

Quote :

"99 times out of 100, doctors ask a woman if there is any possibility that they could be pregnant. If a peri-menepausal woman with a history of infertility tells a doctor that there isn't a possibility, the doctor is going to diagnose on the information that he is given."

QFT

8/8/2011 12:29:47 PM

probably was poor judgment to bring this to TWW

and in Chit Chat too, damn

8/8/2011 12:31:54 PM

I am going to go devil's advocate on this one and say based on the alcohol consumption and lack of prenatal care, this might have been a blessing. Despite all that, now knowing she can have children, maybe they will try and be responsible during the pregnancy. As far as legal justice aka reparations, fuck that. She doesn't have to raise a child with potential fetal alcohol syndrome or other health problems from lack of prenatal care.

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 12:54 PM. Reason : Stupid phone]

8/8/2011 12:49:59 PM

Considering the woman is in her mid 40s, it's quite possible there was actually something wrong with the baby.. as in, some type of chromosomal disorder


But still, why bring this into chit chat?

8/8/2011 12:51:31 PM

Quote :

"BLESSING IN DESPISE"

8/8/2011 12:51:52 PM

^Stupid auto-correct followed up with posting while trying to correct.

8/8/2011 12:56:04 PM

Sam's right. I doubt that it had anything to do with social alcohol consumption or a lack of prenatal care. If you've ever seen "I didn't know I was pregnant," it becomes stunningly clear that very healthy babies often come from unknown pregnancies unless the mother is a malnourished, drug addicted, alcoholic. For the baby to be so ill that it didn't survive, I'm more inclined to go with Sam.

8/8/2011 1:07:53 PM

i saw ur posts on facebook regarding the situation. its pretty sad. maybe bitches should be taking pregnancy tests every 3 months no matter what.

8/8/2011 2:01:53 PM

I actually didn't mean to put this in chit-chat, but oh well. People were still reacting (somewhat) normally, so I didn't see a problem.

As far as the legal thing, I was just curious. I haven't, nor will I, give her any legal advice or encourage her to take legal action. If she wants to, that's on her.

Another part of this, is that she took a pregnancy test back in February that was negative. Being that the baby was determined to have been 35 weeks at delivery, she should definitely have gotten a positive result back then. Even if the lack of pre-natal care and drinking had no effect, I would imagine being on strong blood pressure meds could've been a factor.

In any case, it is still a sad story... even if it was a "blessing in disguise."

8/8/2011 2:25:52 PM

the fact that she took a pregnancy test means she had reason to believe she may be pregnant

i'm wondering if she was less than forthcoming with the docs she saw

8/8/2011 2:31:36 PM

this thread just became evidence

8/8/2011 2:34:21 PM

My condolences, but you have to figure its somewhat easier to lose a baby you never knew you had than one you've been caring for and looking forward to for the better part of nine months.

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 2:36 PM. Reason : x]

8/8/2011 2:36:29 PM

Quote :

"it always baffles me, but people put on 10lbs and think nothing of it and then pop out a baby"

There are plenty of other symptoms, like not having your period for 9 months, and morning sickness, and there's a bulge on your tummy...

Quote :

"Another part of this, is that she took a pregnancy test back in February that was negative. Being that the baby was determined to have been 35 weeks at delivery, she should definitely have gotten a positive result back then"

This happened to someone I know recently... she went to the doctor and had them do a pregnancy test, and it came up negative, it was wrong.

But this is a much different case, especially because she was older.
This is a truly saddening story though... I hope everything with the would have been family ends up okay.

8/8/2011 2:37:27 PM

>--HUG--<

8/8/2011 2:44:47 PM

Quote :

"this thread just became evidence"

haha, yup

this hypaone cat isn't doing his "friend" any favors

8/8/2011 2:45:51 PM

Quote :

"There are plenty of other symptoms, like not having your period for 9 months, and morning sickness, and there's a bulge on your tummy..."

These are all true, but apparently they were all parts of what makes this situation so crazy. I don't know for sure if this was the case with her, but my sister-in-law had her period for all but the last 2 months of her first pregnancy. And the baby was born fine. Secondly, the sickness/nausea was labeled as a possible side effect of the medications she was on. The bulge in her tummy was said to be a complication of her "hernia" getting worse.

Thanks for the condolences, though everyone. She ended up telling my wife that she had named us honorary Godparents (and that we would've been anyway).

^She was apparently advised to take the pregnancy test, based on some symptoms. Either way, it came up negative and no doctor other than the one in the ER actually did a CT-scan or anything beforehand. I don't see how I'm muddying the waters with saying she took a pregnancy test that came up negative. You're told you can't have kids, you're in your mid-40s and you had a negative pregnancy test... where is the problem with not knowing you actually were pregnant?

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 2:53 PM. Reason : ^]

8/8/2011 2:50:29 PM

As sad as this all is, it does provide an excellent lesson: be honest with your doctor. There's absolutely no reason not to be.

8/8/2011 2:52:07 PM

I heard greg hy3r is not fertile.

8/8/2011 2:53:03 PM

Quote :

"There are plenty of other symptoms, like not having your period for 9 months, and morning sickness, and there's a bulge on your tummy..."

sounds like someone hasn't seen I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant

8/8/2011 2:53:21 PM

i'm glad i'm not friends with hypaone

he'd be posting all my personal business all over the fucking internet for kicks

8/8/2011 2:56:51 PM

In the last 48 hours, I:

Talked to corporate (like a boss)
Approved memos (like a boss)
Lead a workshop (like a boss)
Remembered birthdays (like a boss)
Directed workflow (like a boss)
Used my own bathroom (like a boss)
Micro managed (like a boss)
Promoted synergy (like a boss)
Hit on Deborah (like a boss)
Got rejected (like a boss)
Swallowed sadness (like a boss)
Sent some faxes (like a boss)
Called a sex line (like a boss)
Cried deeply (like a boss)
Demanded a refund (like a boss)
Ate a bagel (like a boss)
Got a harassment lawsuit (like a boss)
No promotion (like a boss)
Drank a fifth of vodka (like a boss)
Shit on debrah's desk (like a boss)
Bought a gun (like a boss)
In my mouth (like a boss)
Oh, fuck me a couldn't fucking do it shit
Pussied out (like a boss)
Puked on debrah's desk (like a boss)
Jumped out the window (like a boss)
Sucked a dudes dick (like a boss)
Scored some coke (like a boss)
Crashed my car (like a boss)
Sucked my own dick (like a boss)
Ate some chicken strips (like a boss)
Chopped my balls off (like a boss)
Blacked out in the sewer (like a boss)
Met a giant fish (like a boss)
Fucked his brains out (like a boss)
Turned into a jet (like a boss)
Bombed the Russians (like a boss)
Crashed into the sun (like a boss)
Now I'm dead (like a boss)

8/8/2011 3:00:23 PM

8/8/2011 3:13:02 PM

this reminds me of a disturbing website i found back in high school. it was some couple who had tried to have kids. the woman got pregnant with twins, but ended up going in to labor too early and they were both born dead. then they dressed the aborted fetuses up in dresses and posed them and made them smile. they also had a detailed and graphic story of the delivery which included one of the babies feet being halfway ripped off by the doctor during delivery. it was disturbing.

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 3:45 PM. Reason : the most disturbing part was the MIDI file of eric clapton's tears in heaven that played on the site]

8/8/2011 3:43:36 PM

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww what

8/8/2011 3:44:49 PM

(not as uncommon as you may think)

8/8/2011 3:45:45 PM

babies foot getting ripped halfway off by the doc?

8/8/2011 3:47:22 PM

^^



You might have to explain how that is at all common. Or maybe I'd rather not know.

8/8/2011 3:48:33 PM

no. i meant dressing up and photographing your deceased neonate.

8/8/2011 3:50:43 PM

Quote :

"babies foot getting ripped halfway off by the doc?"

LIKE A BOSS

8/8/2011 3:51:35 PM

Quote :

"this reminds me of a disturbing website i found back in high school. it was some couple who had tried to have kids. the woman got pregnant with twins, but ended up going in to labor too early and they were both born dead. then they dressed the aborted fetuses up in dresses and posed them and made them smile. they also had a detailed and graphic story of the delivery which included one of the babies feet being halfway ripped off by the doctor during delivery. it was disturbing."

Ugh I remember that site. I wonder if it's still around.

As for the pregnancy test, you're much more likely to get a false negative than a false positive

8/8/2011 3:55:35 PM

it was a geocities site, so i doubt it. i still think about it every time i hear "tears in heaven"

[Edited on August 8, 2011 at 3:59 PM. Reason : Just bc it's common to photograph a dead baby doesn't make it a good idea to make a public website.]

8/8/2011 3:57:22 PM

http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/

It's a service available in many hospitals for parents of deceased or dying infants.

8/8/2011 3:58:35 PM

wtf

8/8/2011 4:03:08 PM