I had always had very heavy periods so in the early stages I was not too alarmed when they got heavier. However, when they became very irregular I did become concerned. It was only months later when I nearly collapsed due to exhaustion at work I found myself unable to climb stairs without becoming very breathless that I knew something was wrong. It was later discovered that I had anaemia and my haemoglobin levels were only 4.5. I had to have an emergency blood transfusion and after a scan it transpires I had several fibroids.
Three years later after I was married (I had had injections to reduce my fibroids) and conceived naturally I had a baby son by caesarean section.
The day I went in for the caesarean was very traumatic. I was dressed for theatre and just as I was about to go in a consent form suddenly appeared, which I did not want to sign. Something did not feel right. When I made an objection more doctors appeared. There were several doctors shouting at me and harassing me to sign the form. No one was sitting there gently explaining it all to me. No all these doctors were shouting at me. My husband was then taken out of the room. They may have harassed him. He then returned and added pressure for me to sign it.
I then had to have a catheter inserted. I understand from others that this procedure was undertaken when their anaesthetic had taken effect, general or epidural/spinal block. I was there 9 months pregnant, the size of carrying twins and they had me standing up trying to insert it. After the harassment of the consent form I was shaking. It was awful it took about 4 – 5 people attempting this before they were successful.
The caesarean section went very wrong after my son was born I had a post partum
haemorrhage and another condition called AVT meant that I did not stop bleeding.
The clotting mechanism was not functioning properly.
When I awoke from the general anaesthetic I was told how I had spent three days in intensive care. They said due to the bleeding it was a life and death situation, therefore they had initially carried out a myomectomy (removal of the fibroids) and put me in intensive care. They said I was then taken back for an emergency hysterectomy.
I never gave my consent for the operation and the shock of what they told me very nearly killed me. I did not know they carried out this operation on non consenting women and certainly not after a caesarean section.
This happening is something that I have never come to terms with. The hospital said that I was very fortunate as they have left my cervix and ovaries. Therefore I could have more children by doing host surrogacy. However this was not to be within my marriage as my husband felt that he could not go though this. I was devastated by what had happened and this was made far worse by my husbands lack of support over the surrogacy issue. This was a major factor in the destruction of our marriage amongst other issues.
Subsequently I have separated from my husband and was divorced a month ago. I would like to have the chance to have more children in the future relationship by host surrogacy and have had two IVF treatments having my eggs frozen. The treatment was quite successful for a women of my age, however time is running out for me to have more children.
The shock of this is even worse because I know that this is an operation that I would NEVER have agreed to at any stage of my life. I would have put up with any problem rather than give consent for this operation. Even as a young teenager I can remember being absolutely shocked beyond belief, that some of my mother’s friends were having this operation.
If you would like to contact Marion please e-mail me (Anna)
with the header of 'For the attention of Marion'
* Marion's questionnaire
* Marion's surrogacy (future addition)
(Home page www.a-little-wish.org.uk)
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