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Tiffany says, "I was in a complete panic and was really anxious to make sure everything was OK".
St. Charles ER impresses patient with compassionate delivery of quality care
The early weeks of a pregnancy, especially a first pregnancy, are filled with excitement. But, at the first sign of anything wrong, that excitement turns to panic, as it did for Tiffany H. on July 18. Just six weeks into her pregnancy, she experienced some bright red bleeding, and she and her husband rushed to the Emergency Room at Mercy St. Charles Hospital, fearful that she was having a miscarriage. Fortunately, when they arrived, they received not only excellent clinical care, but everyone they encountered was also exceptionally kind.
"I was in a complete panic and was really anxious to make sure everything was OK," Tiffany said. "We only waited about 20 minutes to be seen, and then they took us right into a room. Nurse Carol came in and was very sweet. She really made me feel comfortable. Then Dr. Miramontes (David Miramontes, MD) came in, and he told me exactly what steps they were going to take in testing. He said what I was experiencing was common, and there was no need to be concerned yet."
Tiffany had an ultrasound, blood work and a pelvic exam.
"I hate having my blood drawn, but the woman who did it was very good at it," Tiffany said. "She talked me through it and was in, out and done. Of course no woman is excited about having a pelvic exam, but that went smoothly too. It was quick and painless, and Dr. Miramontes said everything seemed OK. He had previously warned me that the people who do the ultrasounds were gone for the night so it might take a while to get someone back in, but by the time the pelvic exam was over, the ultrasound tech was there."
And the ultrasound showed Tiffany exactly what she hoped to see – a healthy baby.
"I really appreciated the time the ultrasound tech took in showing me the baby and that the heart was beating," Tiffany said. "She said that everything looked OK to her, but of course we would have to wait for the radiologist to read the ultrasound."
The radiologist determined that Tiffany had experienced a subcorianic hematoma, which is a blood clot between the placenta and the wall of the uterus, but everything looked fine, and there was no cause for concern.
A recent follow-up visit to Tiffany’s OB confirmed her pregnancy appears to be progressing normally. Tiffany, who was thrilled with the positive outcome, said she is glad she chose to come to St. Charles when the health of her baby was in question.
"Everyone was so friendly and made us feel so comfortable," she said. "The time and effort they put into ensuring the baby and I were OK made us feel it was worth the trip. I had never been to an ER before as a patient. I know the staff work long hours, and, getting there late in the day, I had expected them to seem burnt out and to act as if they see this kind of thing all the time. But I genuinely felt they cared about the condition of me and my baby. I couldn’t be more thankful for the care we received."
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