"Unemployed and homeless, estranged from her family, she lived in a shed she had built in a friend's yard. She was also addicted to fentanyl. As doctors treated her infection, she began to panic. Withdrawal was setting in. She leaned over the bed and vomited. Stephanie finally broke down. Listen, I gotta go. I have to go home and get high."
"She thought she still had four weeks left to figure out how to get clean and have this baby. The nurse had other ideas. She told Stephanie she was not going anywhere. Yes, I am, Stephanie said. But the hospital refused to discharge her: the infection in her legs was serious, but doctors had discovered she also had an amniotic fluid leak. The nurse, Izzie, warned her: if she walked out, she and her baby would not survive."
"When the nurse asked if she wanted to hold her baby, Stephanie said no. She was numb. Her epidural had failed, her last dose of fentanyl had been administered four hours before delivery. She felt sick. Unprepared to be a mother. Undeserving. Stephanie had tried to get clean several times during pregnancy, and felt horrible each time she failed. She felt worthless, berating herself for not being able to do the impossible."
Stephanie Rosell, eight months pregnant, arrived at the Holy Family Hospital emergency room with a spreading leg infection. Unemployed, homeless and estranged from her family, she lived in a shed and was addicted to fentanyl. Withdrawal began while doctors treated her, and she attempted to leave the hospital to use. Medical staff identified an amniotic fluid leak and the infection, and refused to discharge her. Nurse Izzie arranged controlled doses of fentanyl to prevent dangerous withdrawal and planned a post-delivery switch to methadone. Five days later, on 12 November 2022, Stephanie delivered a premature 4 lb 8 oz daughter. Stephanie felt numb, sick, unprepared and undeserving after a failed epidural and repeated unsuccessful attempts to get clean.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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