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I recently delivered a healthy baby boy via c-section (after laboring for 20 hours) at Progress West. The facility was nice and roomy, quiet and private. The nurses were courteous and efficient for the most part. However there were times, even on that first day of surgery, that I was left for several hours at a time without being checked on. I had to ask for everything myself - pain meds, towels, rags, more diapers/wipes. At one point, my catheter bag was completely full and my IV was empty and beeping, and I was soaking in blood (normal bleeding, but my pads needed to be changed desperately). I felt a bit helpless and neglected at these times. It was also very difficult to physically get to my baby and get him out of the plastic box to nurse him right after my c-section with so many wires and tubes connected to me. I don't remember every being offered help in doing that. I did not see a lactation consultant or any other human besides the nurses, and the last two days, I only really saw the nurses at shift changes. I think the overhead video postpartum "lessons" are extremely impersonal and would rather hear that kind of information from a real person. The second morning after my c-section I was extremely emotional, anxious because of hormonal shifts, severe sleep deprivation after long labor and eventual surgery (less than 12 hours of sleep in about 4 days) and physical pain from the surgery. My nurse asked me if I was okay and then left (I think she ultimately just contacted my doctor because I was "weepy"). I obviously was not. I was alone that morning and it would have been nice for someone to sit down for 3 minutes to talk to me though I realize this isn't technically the nurse's "job" and they probably don't have time for this kind of thing. Overall, it was just a very cold experience where with my other two children (at different hospitals), there was constantly people checking in to see if I needed anything and people sent up to talk to me about baby care, nursing, even a chaplain to say a nice prayer for the baby (even though I am not religious I still appreciate this kind of caring, human aspect to health care). My c-section was unplanned and disappointing for me. I think at another hospital I would have coped much better with the situation, but at Progress West, my c-section coupled with such an impersonal uncaring experience made it much worse.

	Barbara McLaurine 05/02/2010 08:25:08 PM	We are so sorry your expectations weren't met during your recent delivery. Progress West is known for meeting patients' emotional needs as well as their physical needs and it sounds like we missed the mark with your experience. Please contact me tomorrow at 636.344.1140 to discuss further. Barbara M., manager, marketing and physician services.
	Chris Peters 05/19/2010 04:57:42 AM	My mom was in the hospital 12 years ago, and was pumped up with chemicals,,,I asked them to put her on Oxygen, as she was awake and doing well in ICU, with Oxygen.. I tried to explain that she had been given many rounds of antibiotics and the Candida caused by them needed OXYGEN TO CLEAR IT OUT...As soon as they took her off the oxygen, she was comatose...After several more days of ??? whatever...Her body was swollen twice its normal size...She was being released.I was asked to take her.. I said she did not come in here like that and I would not take her out in that condition... The social worker was called...and I was told to take her out of the hospital...or they were calling the police......What kind of place is this??...This is suppose to be a place for healing.. Are hospitals only for extruding money from people and protecting themselves from liability...???