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Edki,
I am truly sorry if that my comment caused upset for you! Yes, it was offensive. And in this society, when someone looks at a youthful face on a pregnant woman who is not wearing a ring, yes, we are often treated with disrespect.

Even now, people look at my son and I ask if I'm babysitting when they see no ring. Or they ask how old he is, then how old I am. Or they ask if he has a daddy, etc. So, when I stated that I was treated in that fashion, that is precisely what I meant: I was treated with extreme disrespect.
From my ob/gyn showing up late to my appointments, to not remembering me or our previous discussions, to scheduling me while on-call, to throwing pills at me, to assuming that I did no research into my pregnancy options, to providing inadequate dumbed-down answers to my questions.

I have a deep respect and admiration for any woman who educates herself and takes responsibility for herself and her family; and this particularly includes teen mothers. I wouldn't be here otherwise. :)

Heather Hermans

posted 2 years, 9 months ago
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As an educated mother capable of weighing the risks of my decisions to myself and my child, I chose a home waterbirth for my frank breech baby. My list of pros outweighed my list of cons.

I consider the customer service I received at OHSU to be what I have come to expect from the medical world. I do not blame OHSU that my child was breech, or that we experienced distress in labor, or that we saw a necessity to transport for an emergency C-Section, or that an emergency C-Section occurred.

Naturally, the location of and distance to OHSU were great considerations of mine when choosing a homebirth! Had I been allowed to do the logical thing: attempt a frank breech delivery in their hospital, my first healthcare provider would not have lost my business.

What I find displeasing is the fact that the complaint issued against my midwife included: falsified data about my medical records, incorrect data about my medical records, inaccurately recorded comments made by me, invented comments made by my child's father, incorrect reading and interpretation of my medical chart, incorrect assumptions and statements on my level of awareness and consent to homebirth for breech positioning.

I am furious that OHSU staff members took it upon themselves to file complaint "on my behalf" comprised of inaccurate, incomplete, and invented data. This behavior from any professional is appalling. I have to conclude that the staff members were too overworked and exhausted to do proper fact and record checking, and therefore in need of a leave of absence. And the fact that these people 'rescued me' (as they were paid to do) and provided my and my child's care is downright disturbing. Particularly since no one came to me for any input persuant to the complaint.

The nature of the complaint is the only thing I would not have expected from medical professionals.

Heather Hermans

posted 2 years, 9 months ago
view in context

Hello Beth,
The prenatal care and home care during labor that I received from my midwife were what I paid to Andaluz - Approximately 1/2 of what I would have paid had a medical emergency not occurred.

The deductibles for the hospital procedures, etc. were indeed above and beyond that. As with many services, there are these nifty payment plans one may use in the event that things do not happen as planned. And I consider a payment plan for a valuable service an acceptable cost. My payment to Andaluz was not a medical bill.

My medical bills from OHSU were for medical services performed during our stay at OHSU.

I sought a birth center knowing full well and taking into account that my insurance provided only full birth coverage minus deductible for an in-network preferred provider.

So, I received precisely the services I purchased: Prenatal & Labor Care from Andaluz, Medical Care for myself and my son from OHSU.

Heather Hermans

posted 2 years, 9 months ago
view in context