A NEW mother has praised the ‘fantastic care’ of hospital staff who saved her from dying hours after delivering her second child.
Eileen Cunningham (pictured) wanted to highlight her experience at Northwick Park Hospital in Watford Road, Harrow, when Aoife, now five weeks old, arrived.
The 37-year-old, of Risingholme Road, Harrow Weald, said: “I went to Northwick Park Hospital for my second baby. I saw the same maternity team throughout and their care and their advice was excellent all the time.”
Mrs Cunningham went into hospital 13 days overdue, on March 28. When staff could no longer detect the baby’s heartbeat, they took her into operating theatre for an emergency Caesarian section procedure.
She was resting in the recovery ward a few hours later when a nurse realised she had lost a substantial amount of blood.
“I was aware I was bleeding, but I didn’t appreciate the seriousness,” said Mrs Cunningham.
Surgeons discovered she had had a growth on the outside wall of her womb that had been hidden in ultrasound scans because the foetus was in the way.
It had burst and caused the bleeding.
“They acted really quickly and I was critically ill,” she added.
“I had to have a big blood transfusion of five pints. I think they thought I was going to be in intensive care for quite some time, but I recovered quite quickly.
“The care I received was fantastic. Any time I asked them anything, they were really considerate, even though they were rushed off their feet.”
Mother and daughter were discharged on March 31 and are recovering at home with husband and proud father James, 34, a Tube driver, and 18-month-old Annie.
Mrs Cunningham returned to hospital recently to thank staff.
Carole Flowers, the hospital trust’s director of nursing, said: “We are delighted Mrs Cunningham has taken the trouble to thank us for her care and that she and her daughter are doing well.
“The doctors involved are consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology, Bosko Dragovic and Onsy Louca. The response by the senior team was prompt and we are delighted that Mrs Cunningham has made a good recovery.”
