A few weeks after giving birth, I had a fever for a few days but only during the evening. We went to the 24 hour health post near us, only to find it was "closed for renovations" i.e. they didn't have enough money to run the place. We waited a few more days and then decided to go to the hospital, thinking it would be a quick visit to get some antibiotics.

We arrived at the hospital at 11am and were seen at 3pm, only after Fabs kicking up a fuss. I wasn't a priority as I wasn't pregnant. We were at a maternity hospital - of course everyone was pregnant!!!

The doctor thought I had a breast infection because of the fever but because my stomach was also sore ordered an ultrasound. However, they don't do ultrasounds until after 5.30pm.

I finally had the ultrasound and the first the Doctor (who fortunately spoke really good English and had visited Chester!) said was that either my ovary had haemorrhaged or they had left a foreign body in my uterus. He ordered an x-ray and still couldn't be sure. So he said I had to have a CT scan at another hospital.

The doctor at the other hospital wasn't answering the phone, then when it was finally arranged we had to wait for an ambulance to take us. About 11pm we finally got the ambulance to the other hospital. They nearly wouldn't see me as I had my baby with me and of course Fabio to translate.

Because we were in the ER, with lots of ill people and I was sitting across from a chained up prisoner and his armed guard, they decided that wasn't the best place for me and a baby, so they put us in a back corridor.  We waited another few hours, finally had my CT scan, then waited another few hours for an ambulance to take us back to the maternity hospital. No one would tell us the results of the CT scan and I was put in the labour ward  at 2am and told I would have another c-section to see what it was. We kept asking what it was but no one would tell us. We said that I wouldn't go into surgery until someone told us what was going on. The nurse said that she didn't know and needed to talk to a Doctor. She came back and said that I would go in for surgery at 7.30am

I thought it the c-section would be the same as last time with Fabio there but he wasn't allowed. So it took an amazing nurse about 20 minutes to calm me down talking to me. Then epidural took ages and was extremely painful as I was so tense. Because it was only a few weeks since my last epidural it took ages to take effect, just as they were about to give me a general anaesthetic it took effect. After the surgery I asked what it was and they said it was just a bag of pus.

I went into recovery at about 8.30 and waited for the epidural to subside. Last time I was there for a couple of hours, this time at 1.30 pm the doctor from the first c-section came to see me. He said that the first c-section was really dangerous, that I was bleeding a lot and nearly needed a hysterectomy. All of this was news to me. He said that he had to tell the truth and that the resident had left a swab in me and it has caused an infection..  26 hours after going to the hospital they finally admitted it. At this point I just said ok it's happened there is nothing we can do to change it and at least both Bubs and I are ok.

I was taken to my room which had 2 beds and was told that my husband could use the other bed, as I would be hospital for another week. (Last time, there was 3 beds and the husbands weren't even allowed to use the bathroom and had a chair to sleep on!)I still had the epidural needle in, a catheter and a drain in my uterus where the infection was.

The nurses were amazing, Fabio and I both had meals (again, last time the husbands weren't even allowed to eat our leftovers!), I was checked on constantly. Bubs should have had his first health check but we were in the hospital so we couldn't go. We were told he would be looked at at the hospital but when we asked the Doctor, he said he couldn't. Then sheepishly came back and checked him. Basically we were getting VIP treatment as they were worried what we would do.

The doctor came from the first surgery came to visit me a few times, making sure I knew that it was the resident (and not him the leading Doctor of the surgery) that left the swab in. We knew one of the nurses in the first c-section and the doctor said as she was our friend that made me his friend, so we should know that he went above and beyond because we were all friends.

At this point we kept saying that we wanted my medical notes and were assured that when we left we would get them. I finally left on the Tuesday, 5 days after going to get checked out - with out my notes. They were supposed t be ready on Thursday but some doctors hadn't signed them, then it was a holiday so we couldn't get them. 6 days later we finally got my notes.

There was no mention of me needing a hysterectomy, no mention of the how bad the first c-section was and it was confirmed at 4.30am on Friday that there was a foreign object in my uterus and we were told 9 hours later. Obviously it's not great that they left some thing in me! But what upset us the most was the lies and how it was hidden from us. Fabio overheard the doctors where I had my CT scan saying to send me back asap, how they were glad it wasn't their fault. He also heard a nurse saying that they didn't want to be the one to tell us as it looked like Fabio would punch them!

Throughout the whole process I do have to say that all the nurses were amazing and very supportive. It just upset me that just as I was feeling better and being able to pick up Bubs and do things, I was back to square one and also having to clean the drain and change the dressing.

The maternity hospital is supposed to be the best hospital in Joinville for giving birth, even above the private ones. I heard that is did happen to a friend of a friends in a private hospital as well. I understand that accidents do happen and I can't fault any of the other treatment and the care from the nurses. I think that  the whole health system needs to be more transparent and explain things to the patient and give them options. I feel like it is a "I am the Doctor and I know best" culture. Even when I was talking about my birthing plan the doctor was telling me no to things, nothing was explained to me when I went in for the first c-section. I have since found out that if they had done some more tests and given me oxygen, I may have been able to have a normal birth. A mum friend also told me that the baby's heart beat normally slows down before you are just about to start pushing.
But at the end of the day I am fine and I have a beautiful, healthy smiley baby!