Hospital experience: the good and the bad

After a series yoga pregnancy classes and ob/gyn visits, I was as mentally prepared as one can be, to give birth to my firstborn. Unlike most of my Dutch friends, I chose not to deliver at home with a midwife. I wanted a natural birth without an epidural but preferred the security of a hospital. There are 6 within a proximity of 5-15 minutes drive from my home. I chose the closest one, as it is known to be one of the best hospitals and my Ob-gyn practiced there as well.

The GOOD
Everything was going smoothly and I was full of energy and worked until my pregnancy leave at the 36th week. During week 38 my baby turned around and no procedure or trick of the ob/gyn could cajole her to move. My daughter was breeched and my plan to have a natural delivery seemed dim. Usually a cesarean section is advised but if an experienced specialist is available - a natural birth could still be possible.

At the first contraction - I went to the hospital as advised. It was 2 am in the night and I was received in the hospital by very pleasant nurses who guided me to a private room with its own bathroom. The room was cheerful and spotlessly clean. It looked more like a 5 star hotel room instead of a hospital room. I felt good that it was a pleasant environment to welcome my firstborn. The nurses were very attentive and checked on me frequently. They provided tea, water and anything I needed to make me as comfortable as possible.

Soon the nurses returned with the specialist on duty that night and it was no other than my own Ob-gyn. I was happy to see a familiar face and felt comfortable and relaxed. However, that was mostly due to my mindset and my yoga classes. I had a natural delivery and a healthy baby girl without drugs or caesarean section. I went home about 6 hours after delivery. I was then in the capable hands of an assigned maternity care specialist for the next few weeks.

I was very happy and impressed with the hospital and the attentiveness of the doctors and nurses. As a result, my other 2 children were born there as well. In general, I now held this hospital in high esteem after my prior experience. I was very impressed with their attentiveness and professionalism. It would now be my first choice if any family member or myself would need to visit the hospital.

The BAD
Unfortunately, many years later I contracted an ear infection in both ears. I had never had an ear infection before so at first I thought it would go away as it felt similar to moments after swimming. That sensation changed very rapidly and I realized that things were not going in the right direction. I did not want to be alarmist, so I planned a visit to the doctor after the weekend. I must admit that the pain I felt was so unusual - I wondered whether I should have gone to the emergency room. However, I went to the General Practitioner (GP) first thing Monday morning. She immediately sent me to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist at the same hospital where my children were born. That is never a good sign. It is an indication that things are pretty serious. After the examination at the hospital, I was given antibiotic ear drops. The days that followed were miserable as the pain became terrible.

After a week, I returned to the hospital. My ears were rinsed out. That was a horrible experience - I cried during the process. I was prescribed additional antibiotic drops. I told the doctor that I was feeling more pain than before the first visit and that I did not think the drops were effective. She seemed annoyed that I questioned her methods and she was dismissive. She told me that now that my ears were rinsed out – the drops would work better.

Things progressed swiftly thereafter but not in a good way. The infection became worse and was now oozing out of my ears. I had a fever and was very weak. The pain became excruciating, I could not eat, speak or sleep. The pain from both ears radiated through my head. I spoke to the doctor and was told to keep a diary of the changes. That made no sense to me. The following day we called a friend who is also an ENT specialist at the same hospital. I told him that the pain was now unbearable. He said that I should be better already. I needed to go to the emergency room. Whilst getting ready I fainted in the bathroom. Luckily, I was not alone.

Here I was - returning to the hospital but not with the joy of an expectant mother. I could not walk into the hospital by myself. My husband had to get a wheelchair. A CT scan and blood tests were done. The infection had gotten into my blood but thankfully not my brain. I was placed on an antibiotic drip and given heavy pain killers. The following day, I was visited by several doctors. They said that a simple ear infection should never have gotten this bad. My eardrums were severed in both ears and I had polyps growing inside. The female doctor who attended to me visited as well. She was very apologetic. Long story short – I had to remain in the hospital for almost 6 days. Upon discharge, I continued a course of antibiotics for 7 days along with painkillers. The experience felt like a nightmare but I recovered.

The initial assessment made by the doctor and subsequent treatment with drops instead of oral antibiotics was a big mistake and the consequence could have been worse. I know this can be seen as just bad luck but I was very disappointed. Doctors are not infallible and that was clear from my experience. Things could have gone horribly wrong. I do not hate the hospital because of my terrible experience but it clouded my view regarding doctors and how they operate. I am the patient and I know how I feel but that was mostly disregarded.

The doctors and hospitals here, in the Netherlands, are generally good but when something goes wrong statistics are not important because it is personal. After this experience, I became more vigilant about health related matters. I sought more knowledge about health in general and even received some certifications. I cannot blindly entrust even the best doctors with the health of my family and myself. I want to understand things. I am not an expert at anything but I am now more knowlegeable and can ask even more questions. Now the doctors will find me even more annoying.

This is in response to HiveLearners Healthcare; Good Or Nah

Tell us about the time the healthcare system in your country really impressed you while attending to you or someone you know. And then, tell us about when it disappointed you while attending to you or someone you know. What significance did both events hold to you? Please share with us.

The photo is my own