This is Giovanna's story
I have given birth to both my children at the hospital in Richmond Hill.
The last two years has been very troubling for me and my family.
Does the anesthesiologist have an ethical responsibility to inform the hospital that the needle did not come out? Is that not an important step in the procedure to ensure the needle comes out and to check? Would we not notice 1/2 a needle missing?
I have reached out to the hospital via email on December 2018 and the hospital did respond back saying they would be more than willing to help me and we set up a meeting for January 15, 2019. However when I arrived they clearly dismissed my claims and offered no help. Instead they offered access to my medical file which is 150 pages for me to sort out. Not once was I asked to share my X-Rays or other documents. Instead I am told my that records do not indicate the needle remains and I should review them with my doctor. I am the one who told them that it was not disclosed so do you really think I was surprised it was not documented. I was told had I had my children today in that hospital that it would be disclosed but 16 years ago the rules could have been different. However, they did offer their apologies several times, and when I asked why to keep apologizing if you do not think you did anything was wrong and did not receive any answer.
I have also reached out to the Ombudsman and The College of Physicians looking for help with no positive outcome. The College of Physicians said I needed the names to process a claim but getting any info from the Hospital has been a struggle. The Ombudsman has recently reopened my file after it was discovered that the hospital made a claim that the investigation never happened.
Still waiting ........ I have reached out to many lawyers and not one is interested due to the lengthy procedure and the protection provided to fighting these claims. I never asked for this to happen and I find it very troubling that I have lived with the thought of the unknown since I cannot be reassured that this will have no future impact. I live in pain and still have no conclusion and am not 100% reassured it is not associated with this. I have been left with 0 help and the hospital has not to be accountable. I have reached out to my Premier and was told that the Minister of Health would be in contact with me however once again no support. Still waiting........
I was admitted on July 1, 2002 for the birth of my son and for my daughter I was admitted March 10, 2004. Over a two years ago I started to experience some loss of strength in my right leg, pain in my shoulders and lack of overall energy so on October 25, 2018 I visited my family doctor in Bolton. During that visit he was concerned with my right leg showing signs of weakness and ordered a few test - blood work, x-ray and Nerve Induction testing. On October 29th I received a phone call from my Doctor who advised me that my xray came back showing a 4 cm long broken needle in the soft tissues just to the right of midline posterity at the L4-5 level. The tip lies close to the right L4-5 facet joint in degeneration. After a quick discussion we concluded that this was from one of my two epidurals or spinal from either 2002 or 2004 since that was the only time any thing was injected into my back.
After several consultations they are concluding that the issues with my leg are not related to the needle but I am not feeling 100% about that since they have yet to narrow down my issue. It has also been a challenge trying to have someone take this seriously enough to help. My own DR. included. They have also suggested that removing the needle would be risky. I have been told to avoid an MRI moving forward. In the event one day I will need an MRI for any health issues and it is needed to help determine the cause I have been advised to avoid them. I have not been given much information. This of course is very troubling because all my questions surrounding how this may impact me in the future could not be answered by anyone as of yet. Mentally this has not been great and I am having to seek some professional help. The most troubling thing for me has been the WHY - why would someone have not have informed me that 1/2 the needle was left in my spine with either one of my deliveries? Clearly the job of the anesthesiologist is to ensure that the needle come out and considering a large portion was left in my back is very concerning. I understand that there are risks associated with getting an epidural however I do not recall anywhere where is was stated that in the event something went wrong I would not be informed. Is this standard practice I want to believe the answer is NO. Does the hospital not have an ethical responsibility to have informed me that the needle broke therefore I had a foreign object in my body?