Stillbirth and Grey's Anatomy
Imagine my suprise while watching "Grey's Anatomy" this past Thursday evening -- to find myself watching another women and her doctor and their stillbirth experience. My first emotion was to be thrilled that the issue of stillbirth is being shown on one of prime time's most popular TV dramas. It's a topic most people don't even know about let alone talk about. Stillbirth definitely could use the media exposure. Then the second emotion hit me -- wow, I lost my baby Sam who was stillborn at 38 weeks. All the sadness came back again almost 5 years later -- just for a minute or two -- but if was there. Not much to say about it other than it sucked, and was awful. Most stillbirths happen with no warning and as many as 50% have no identifiable cause, so in some ways the Grey's Anatmony story isn't as poignant as it could be since the baby died because of a fall -- but the pain would be no less for the parents and their doctor. The episode showed stillbirth for what it is too -- giving birth to a baby just like other mothers. They showed the mother going through labor and then Addison (her doctor) placed the baby in the mother's arms and she and the Dad cried together. The experience was not sugar coated. So, if you have a chance to watch in re-runs (or download it from the web site) the episode was called "Where the Boys Are" .
Here's the relevant part of the episode write-up
Addison and Callie both assist a pregnant woman who fell in the shower and broke her arm. She's refusing all meds to spare the baby, but the ultrasound reveals that the baby died in the fall. Addison leaves the room abruptly and Callie follows her into the women's room, where she finds her crying. Addison says she doesn't know why it's affecting her so much, except that they're such a happy couple and the second she tells them about the baby, they won't be anymore. Callie urges her not to tell the couple right away. When she finally does tell them, they fall apart.
Well, back to reality on the home front -- aka get Emma into bed.
Thanks for listening!
Here's the relevant part of the episode write-up
Addison and Callie both assist a pregnant woman who fell in the shower and broke her arm. She's refusing all meds to spare the baby, but the ultrasound reveals that the baby died in the fall. Addison leaves the room abruptly and Callie follows her into the women's room, where she finds her crying. Addison says she doesn't know why it's affecting her so much, except that they're such a happy couple and the second she tells them about the baby, they won't be anymore. Callie urges her not to tell the couple right away. When she finally does tell them, they fall apart.
Well, back to reality on the home front -- aka get Emma into bed.
Thanks for listening!
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