NZ health care sucks.

Hey guys I just thought i would post a couple of pics of my not-so-wee nephew Bailey, my little sister's boy. These pics were taken when he was about 4 and a half months i think. He's now 6 and a half months and is a big boy, only a bit shorter than Paris as you can see, and 9.4 kilos.   He's been sick on and off for a while now and finally they did a chest xray yesterday after him being admitted to hospital on the weekend, yet again with breathing probs. my mum had been pushing and pushing for them to do it for months, since his last hospital admission, but no-one would listen. He's gone downhill really quick in the last few days, they have found out today after doing more tests that he's got an enlarged heart, a huge liver and kidney probs. He's on oxygen, has a feeding tube only tolerating 40 mls every few hours (usually drinks 1.2 litres per day as well as solids) and they aren't allowed to hold him any more cos he's too weak. I went to see him tonight and they are keeping him drugged up at the mo. He's off to Starship tomorrow morning to see if there's anything they can do for him but the prospects aren't really looking too good. So yeah, it's pretty stink for our family getting all this news in the last 24 hours. Just goes with all the posts we've already had about how terrible the health system is here in NZ.. mum asked why they hadn't given him the tests sooner when she'd been telling them for ages.. the doctor's answer was "oh, but we see so many kids like this". if you ask me, that's not good enough. maybe if they did they tests earlier then they wouldn't see so many "like this". it just makes me soooo angry.



Edited by mum2paris

Janine, My heart goes out to all your family. Your right our health system does suck, the way you guys have been treated is nothing short of disgusting, what a lame excuse. Thinking about you all.

Thanks for that Maria. Just mum is going up at this time, my little sister isn't even going. she doesn't get the seriousness of the situation.. was more concerned last night with the meal she had gotten from the takeaways by the hospital. I know that's a characteristic of ADHD.. wanting to be centre of attention. but it sucks. mum told her she can't be taking care of her as well as bailey up there, so just mum is going so she can focus on helping Bailey. I think she's planning to stay in the room with Bailey.

Thanks for your support guys, will keep you posted as we hear news.

Thinking of you Janine! Keep us posted.
You are right about the health system, something really needs to be done!
We have health insurance too.

just a thought about your sister. When my grandfather was really really sick (he had cancer), my nana rang me and said "you need to come now", and I tried every excuse not to go and see him. I guess because if I thought about it, I would realise how serious the situation is. maybe your sister is the same. She is ignoring it so she doesn't HAVE to deal with it. She might think, that stuff doesn't happen to real babies, just ones on TV, he'll be fine.

hope everything is going well with little bailey!

Oh I hope everythings going to be alrite, The staff at starship are great, and yet I to know from experince, Health care here is terrible, we were sent to wellington auckland and bak again with Caleb to be told um we dont atually know so go home keep an eye on him anh if your not happy come bak, so I said WHAT im not happy now so just make me up a room and il stay till you figure it out, Caleb now on his own accord 4 yrs later has grown out of his stomah probs and to tis dsy i dnt know at caused me 3 and a bit years of worry and stress, im glad Calebs ok but how many other parents dont have answers with worse outcomes than mine????? makes you wonder

Oh Janine I'm so sorry. What a lot for a little man to go through. Sounds like he's tough though. Thinking about you guys.