NEW LIFE Advent Health Avista
December 2023
NEW LIFE
Advent Health Avista
NEW LIFE
Advent Health Avista
Louisville
,
CO
United States
A holistic practitioner’s tribute to allopathic medicine
Do you remember the era when “ask your doctor” was the golden rule, and becoming a doctor was the most esteemed profession? In recent years, we’ve witnessed a growing divide between our communities and the medical professionals we once held in high regard. Skepticism and mistrust have cast a shadow on the caregivers we once praised. It’s time to shift our perspective and appreciate healthcare as a testament to human brilliance and compassion, rather than a battle between left and right.
In January 2021, my husband and I embarked on our IVF journey amid the prevailing mask mandates, unavailability of the COVID vaccine and the rise of telehealth appointments. Trust in healthcare was wavering, but we placed our hopes in top embryologists to help welcome our long-awaited child. Over 23 months, we endured two egg retrievals, two TESA procedures, anesthesia, ICSI cycles, genetic embryo testing, and an embryo transfer. Amidst medications, blood draws, and scans, I, a holistic nutritionist, also incorporated vitamins, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and a wholesome diet. With advanced maternal age and fertility challenges, we realized that nothing could replace the expertise of these scientists.
In December 2022, we celebrated a pregnancy. Throughout, I had weekly clinic visits, blood draws, and medications. Labeled “high risk” due to my age (40) and IVF, our midwives and doctors marveled at mine and the baby’s progress. Alongside their recommendations, we continued holistic care and maintained our exercise routine. Several times, friends and family questioned if we would opt for a home birth. While I aimed for as natural and unmedicated labor as possible, we had invested too much to risk anything. Therefore, my husband and I chose the New Life Center at Avista Hospital, where we could deliver with a midwife, but have medical care on standby.
At 39 weeks, we induced labor due to potential placental issues common in IVF pregnancies. Our vision of a natural birth gave way to interventions like Pitocin, cytotec, and epidurals. With our doula, midwife, nurses and anesthesiologist working seamlessly, we felt secure.
The moment to push arrived, but instead of the anticipated cry when our son entered the world, there was silence. Our baby was blue, and the umbilical cord was around his neck. After a tense moment and rush of respiratory nurses to his rescue, he cried, but now my placenta wouldn’t deliver, and I was hemorrhaging. Rushed to the operating room (OR), I watched my baby in my husband’s arms, trusting we’d be reunited.
Placenta accreta was diagnosed, a rare condition where the placenta attaches to the uterus. The medical team meticulously removed the placenta. In the OR, my blood pressure dropped, and I lost significant blood. Blood transfusions revived me, and I rejoined my family. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that my son was breathing and that I had survived what was once a leading cause of death for women.
We spent additional days in the hospital, amazed by the caregivers’ scientific prowess, dedication, and compassion. They work tirelessly, often on grueling shifts, and still make time to tidy up your room.
Over the past three years, trust and respect for our medical community have eroded. While proactive health choices are essential, we must not cherry-pick when to trust doctors and nurses. The same individuals who have faced challenges since 2020 are the same individuals who save our lives.
In recent weeks, I’ve contemplated, “What if I had chosen a home birth?” Imagining a scenario where my son, born blue, or I, hemorrhaging nearly three liters of blood, might not be here today, tears well up. However, this article isn’t about us; it’s about the magnanimous team that executed on demand.
In conclusion, I want to extend heartfelt gratitude to Avista Women’s Clinic, who managed my complications, and I want to salute Avista Hospital’s labor and delivery unit, which excels. I told my husband I felt like we were at the Four Seasons of hospitals, and I couldn’t imagine receiving better care. My final thought and sincere hope is this: Can we prioritize our health proactively while unwaveringly honoring and respecting the dedicated doctors and nurses who are the true lifesavers?
Do you remember the era when “ask your doctor” was the golden rule, and becoming a doctor was the most esteemed profession? In recent years, we’ve witnessed a growing divide between our communities and the medical professionals we once held in high regard. Skepticism and mistrust have cast a shadow on the caregivers we once praised. It’s time to shift our perspective and appreciate healthcare as a testament to human brilliance and compassion, rather than a battle between left and right.
In January 2021, my husband and I embarked on our IVF journey amid the prevailing mask mandates, unavailability of the COVID vaccine and the rise of telehealth appointments. Trust in healthcare was wavering, but we placed our hopes in top embryologists to help welcome our long-awaited child. Over 23 months, we endured two egg retrievals, two TESA procedures, anesthesia, ICSI cycles, genetic embryo testing, and an embryo transfer. Amidst medications, blood draws, and scans, I, a holistic nutritionist, also incorporated vitamins, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and a wholesome diet. With advanced maternal age and fertility challenges, we realized that nothing could replace the expertise of these scientists.
In December 2022, we celebrated a pregnancy. Throughout, I had weekly clinic visits, blood draws, and medications. Labeled “high risk” due to my age (40) and IVF, our midwives and doctors marveled at mine and the baby’s progress. Alongside their recommendations, we continued holistic care and maintained our exercise routine. Several times, friends and family questioned if we would opt for a home birth. While I aimed for as natural and unmedicated labor as possible, we had invested too much to risk anything. Therefore, my husband and I chose the New Life Center at Avista Hospital, where we could deliver with a midwife, but have medical care on standby.
At 39 weeks, we induced labor due to potential placental issues common in IVF pregnancies. Our vision of a natural birth gave way to interventions like Pitocin, cytotec, and epidurals. With our doula, midwife, nurses and anesthesiologist working seamlessly, we felt secure.
The moment to push arrived, but instead of the anticipated cry when our son entered the world, there was silence. Our baby was blue, and the umbilical cord was around his neck. After a tense moment and rush of respiratory nurses to his rescue, he cried, but now my placenta wouldn’t deliver, and I was hemorrhaging. Rushed to the operating room (OR), I watched my baby in my husband’s arms, trusting we’d be reunited.
Placenta accreta was diagnosed, a rare condition where the placenta attaches to the uterus. The medical team meticulously removed the placenta. In the OR, my blood pressure dropped, and I lost significant blood. Blood transfusions revived me, and I rejoined my family. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that my son was breathing and that I had survived what was once a leading cause of death for women.
We spent additional days in the hospital, amazed by the caregivers’ scientific prowess, dedication, and compassion. They work tirelessly, often on grueling shifts, and still make time to tidy up your room.
Over the past three years, trust and respect for our medical community have eroded. While proactive health choices are essential, we must not cherry-pick when to trust doctors and nurses. The same individuals who have faced challenges since 2020 are the same individuals who save our lives.
In recent weeks, I’ve contemplated, “What if I had chosen a home birth?” Imagining a scenario where my son, born blue, or I, hemorrhaging nearly three liters of blood, might not be here today, tears well up. However, this article isn’t about us; it’s about the magnanimous team that executed on demand.
In conclusion, I want to extend heartfelt gratitude to Avista Women’s Clinic, who managed my complications, and I want to salute Avista Hospital’s labor and delivery unit, which excels. I told my husband I felt like we were at the Four Seasons of hospitals, and I couldn’t imagine receiving better care. My final thought and sincere hope is this: Can we prioritize our health proactively while unwaveringly honoring and respecting the dedicated doctors and nurses who are the true lifesavers?