 I am an East Coast expatriate hiding out in the Midwest... I am an urban gal living in the suburbs and occasionally hiding in the country I am a yoga practitioner, fitness enthusiast, believer in the mind-body-spirit connection... I am a mid-life "revert" to the Roman Catholic faith in which I was raised and which has become an enormous source of support, encouragement, inspiration, and joy in my life... I am a mom, sister, daughter, and wife... I am an explorer; adventurous and curious about the world and people around me... I am educated in the formal sense but I gain insight through everyday living... I created this blog at a time of great fear and apprehension in my life. I chose to sustain it because of the discoveries about myself and the world around me that it has revealed. What you can expect to find here: the documentation of a love-hate relationship with the greater Philadelphia area
reminiscing about the good-ole-days (the 80's!)
complaints about my various ailments and injuries, both real and imagined
pictures and stories of gardening, decorating, shopping, sewing
my love of irony
links to kooky news stories
way too much scatological musing for sane people
|
 |
Thursday, August 18, 2005
I had to cancel a routine gyne appointment due to a scheduling conflict and realized that with all of the fetal complications in this pregnancy that maybe I should switch OB/gyne practices to one that will be able to deliver at a hospital equipped to deal with my situation. It was fabulous delivering at my local hospital with my daughter, as she was a wintertime baby (we get plenty of SNOW here) and being 10 minutes away from the facility was very reassuring.
I am currently scheduled for a fetal echocardiogram in 4 weeks at a facility that, due to traffic and the only route there being local roads, takes over an hour to get there IN LIGHT TRAFFIC and NOT IN WINTER. The current plan is to possily transfer all of my prenatal care to this practice in Evanston. But then, although they can deliver for me, my baby, if heart surgery was needed after birth, would have to be hauled off downtown to Lincoln Park to Children's Memorial. The logistics of all of this healthcare commuting is making no sense to me, especially since it will be in the deep of a Chicago winter. It seems like it adds more risk to an already risky situation.
I have calls into my current gyne's office, the head of maternal fetal medicine in Evanston, and the neonatal coordinator at Loyola University healthcare in Maywood, IL. I thought of Loyola as a possible choice to switch ALL of my prenatal and fetal diagnostic care to since, although its not close (about 45 minutes away if there is traffic) its a "straight shot" from my house to their campus via a large interstate - which is one of the first roads to get plowed and salted in winter.
I have to get confirmation on this but I believe that they are also equipped not only to deliver high risk cases such as mine but within the same location, offer the pediatric cardiac surgery baby may need.
I guess I have a huge problem thinking of a newborn with a heart problem hurdling down curvy, icy Sheridan Road in the middle of winter in an ambulance, while I stay behind. Call me crazy, but I also like the idea of mine and baby's records all being in the same computer system - all one billing office, all medical records in one place, etc. But I am not sure if Loyola does pediatric cardiac SURGERY even though they have cardiologists on-site.
So my final call today will be to my insurance company to find out what I need to do (paperwork, etc.) to bust a move to another practice.
Cripes, I feel like a general contractor trying to coordinate all of this shite!
:)
Posted at 11:36 am by brandy101
 | | | Giggles
August 19, 2005 02:40 PM PDT
I don't blame you one bit for being leery at transfering the baby in the dead of winter, with you staying elsewhere. Nope...I wouldn't like that either. | |
| | | m.
August 18, 2005 08:34 PM PDT
I think you are doing all the right things and considering all of your options is smart. Hang in there and know you are doing the best that you can for the little bean. | |
| | | brandy101
August 18, 2005 03:04 PM PDT
Its important to note here the the group in Evanston I was referred to by my current gyne is not because they are "the best" but because that's who my gyne works with. Its not that they are bad (well except for the crass a-hole smelly doc, of course) but Loyola is nationally known for its neonatology, although a preemie baby is not really my situation (i.e. Loyola's specialty) If I REALLY wanted "the best", I'd live with my parents and deliver at U.Penn in Philly and have baby transferred across the street to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. But I'm not sure yet that my case is so severe as to warrant THAT drastic of a move. ;) | |
| | | AbbyNormal
August 18, 2005 01:48 PM PDT
I'm with Chrysalis. These days, it really pays to be a proactive patient. It will matter in the long run. | |
| | | brandy101
August 18, 2005 01:14 PM PDT
both hospitals I am looking at are top-rated so that's not an issue, thankfully. | |
| | | chrysalis
August 18, 2005 12:49 PM PDT
Wow, that's a tough one ... but I might recommend you go for the BEST possible care for both mother and child, regardless of location or convenience. With all the messed-up medical care that I and my family and friends have been receiving lately, I am just too doggone sensitive perhaps. But I still say, find the best, regardless. | |
|
