u/Mammoth_Original_338

CW for the reason stated in the title. Disclaimer that the physical act itself was solely medical, no one doing it had bad intentions. I’m not describing a violent SA. It might still be triggering for people sensitive to that topic.

I got a minor procedure this week and I really wasn’t given a lot of info about it prior (I asked for articles/resources, wasn’t given any). I mostly just did my own research and asked questions when I could. They gave me some misinformation about different things. They didn’t even tell me I would be sedated until about an hour before the procedure; they only ever mentioned local anesthesic. I emailed the patient advocacy department complaining about that and also the subject of this post. I’ll copy-paste that part of it here:

“During the procedure, they had to shave the incision site. Based on my research and seeing where the doctor/resident had gestured when explaining it to me, I assumed the incision would be in my groin area, specifically in between my pubic area and thigh, but mostly on the thigh (I was correct). I assumed a part of my pubic area would need to be visible for the procedure to be done and I was fine with that. No one discussed with me how much my genital area would be visible or touched, and no one told me that the area would need to be shaved prior to the procedure. After the sedatives had completely kicked in, the nurse told me they needed to shave the area, then immediately exposed my genitals. Due to the sedation, I could not verbally protest. I began squirming in an effort to show discomfort, but I was just told to be still. They touched and shaved nearly my entire pubic area, including the side that was not anywhere near the incision site. I felt extremely violated and upset. I have extreme genital dysphoria and I am not comfortable with anyone touching that area under any circumstances. I began crying after the procedure but no one asked what was wrong. I understand this part was necessary for the procedure, but because I was very sedated and not informed about this prior, I was put in a situation where I could not consent to being touched like that.“

I posted about this in other subs and people got salty with me because they misinterpreted and thought I was upset with the nurses for doing what they did. I’m not, they had to do what they had to do, I just feel like I needed to be informed about it before the procedure happened. I would have consented to it if they gave me the chance. If I knew about it before, I would have had time to emotionally prepare. Now I just have cuts all over my crotch from the razor because I was all drugged up and panicking. I haven’t been doing well mentally ever since.
If some people in the medical field could give their thoughts, that would be cool. I just don’t like the idea that it’s normal for docs to expect patients to be fine with being touched like that by surprise.

The security staff were rude. They stated that they did not believe my emergency was a real emergency when I came in at 37 weeks and 3 days and ended up staying over night and induced. This attitude seemed to be because of where we had parked though when we took the hospital tour we were instructed to park beside the doors to check in and we would be able to move the car afterwards. The following day. When my husband expressed he was displeased with the securities tone and attitude. They had started to go back and fourth. After I deliver the same security guard flirted with my younger sister, then attempted to make some sort of amends with my husband. When my husband was not interested, this appeared to be the catalyst for the unprofessional treatment of not only my husband but of also myself. I had given birth not even 12 hours prior to a nurse and two security guards coming into my postpartum room, while I was indecent to interrogate me and ask to search my room accuse my husband of being under the influence and sneaking substances into the hospital. My breast were exposed I was wearing a Lila grown that the top snaps open I had just finished breast feeding and I was swaddling my blanket and I had to struggle to hold my baby still and my breast away while the asked me where he was. He was out picking up food me. They had said he asked suspicious questions. They were let into my room by a nurse, not my nurse by the way who knocked and the came into without a response from me. When I asked for patient representatives they referred me to the nursing supervisor who the told me that my concerns where he say she say and not only did she dismiss my concerns where but when I told her my mother would be coming and wished to speak to her, she said “you’re grown it’s not like I need to speak to your mother.” The other nurse supervisor that night brought in the nurse who led security into my room, came in and tried to gaslight me and tell me how decent I was. As if I don’t know my own state of dress or comfortability. Which is mostly what lead me to take myself post partum 12 hours and my new born 12 hours out of the hospital AMA because it was clear to me that the did not care about the well being of myself or my child very obviously we were a problem. To them. The reason is because my husband was confrontational with a specific security guard, and because he genuinely wished to inform security there was an access point to the 7th floor that bypassed them in the way of using the garage elevators. Because we were staying on the 7th floor. He thought he should park on the sixth floor, he didn’t realize that there wasn’t also a security check point on the 8th floor where you can walk down the hall from the garage elevators and get on inter a elevators to access the 7th floor which his 12 hour old new born daughter and 12 hr postpartum wife where sitting in the room waiting for his return. Because he informed security of their gap and their laps he was trespassed and I was barges in on while they accused him of being on drugs. I am highly very highly appalled that a Christian hospital would treat its patients like this. I chose saint thomas because it was supposed to be superior and world renowned. I will be reporting this to my Medicaid case worker as well. I have taken names as well. I will leave a public review and I will contact higher authority at ascension for the treatment and care I received. This is unacceptable behavior because of a disagreement with a security guard. Because of that my husband and was separated from me and our daughter, I was walked in on indecent with our child and my safety was not a concern. While the staff instead of listening to my concerns attempted to gaslight and dismiss me.

Update: I’m only a couple days postpartum, so I’m stepping back from this. My family is handling communication with the hospital. I’m focusing on my baby and recovery. We have seen the babies pediatrician and got all of her labs done asap and I’ll see my ob to finish my postpartum care tha should be my priority rn I think, and my mental health.