Kia ora, My name is Stevie, sign name "Stevie". I had an awful experience during the Covid 19 lockdown last year. A huge communication barrier when my baby, my third baby, had to go to hospital for Bronchitis. Communication was so difficult. The ambulance arrived, the ambulance officers had masks on, it was difficult to communicate, we couldn't discuss things, we had to write back and forth. It was night. Baby was really sick.
We had to go to hospital. But we were put in an isolation room. It meant I couldn't have family or friends to help with my baby. There were lots of nurses coming in with masks on. It was hectic, I felt out of my depth, unsupported, alone. And I was sad my family weren't there to encourage me, come together and take care of me and pepi (baby). It was a stressful time.
Yeah that process was not a nice experience for me, my baby was not even 1 year old. We stayed at the hospital for 2 weeks. Because no family were allowed it meant their 2 sisters couldn't visit, there was contact through video calls only. That's it!
But we made it through, kept safe in our bubble. Finally we went home. One positive outcome was that we got to stay home with whanau(family) and spend time together and they helped out while baby recovered to full health. That was awesome.
If we never have that experience again that would be good.
Thank you for watching me.
