By Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist
I am having a great deal of trouble typing this post. I am so upset and outraged over what was done to Jodi Ferris and her baby at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania shortly after she gave birth that I am having difficulty staying composed enough to write a coherent story.
If you recall, this is the same area of the state where officials allowed a serial child molester like Jerry Sandusky, former Penn State assistant football coach, to go free for decades and continue to abuse children unfortunate enough to come across his lecherous path while a mother who gives birth in a government hospital has her baby taken away for questioning whether vaccination with Hep B is truly necessary.
Does something seem very very wrong with this picture?
Jodi and Scott Ferris’ Story
Jodi had hoped to have a homebirth. After going into labor early and given the distance to the nearest hospital, Jodi and her husband Scott were advised by their midwife to call an ambulance and get to the hospital.
Jodi and Scott’s baby girl was born in the ambulance in the parking lot of Hershey Medical Center. Attending personnel at the government run facility took charge of “Annie” and Jodi very quickly.
Jodi was unable to see and hold Annie after the birth and hospital personnel were totally unresponsive when she continued to inquire about her newborn. Jodi was also given an injection of oxytocin without first being told what it was. Hospital personnel only inquired whether she was allergic after the injection was given.
Jodi’s persistent inquires about Annie continued to go unheeded. She was simply told that “she is in good hands and you’ll be able to see her soon”.
Finally, a doctor told Jodi that Annie had scored a 9 out of 10 on the APGAR test given to newborns which was very good considering that an 8 or above indicates a healthy child.
A short time later, a different doctor told Jodi that Annie was very sick and would need to stay in the hospital. This doctor also arrogantly indicated his dislike for midwives with the comment “too many people think they know what they’re doing”.
About an hour after being told Annie was very sick, Annie was finally brought to Jodi. She was told Annie was doing well and would be able to go home shortly.
Read the entire story here.
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