An autopsy is yet to be done on the body of Sherise Williams who collapsed and died after undergoing a caesarian section at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital last Tuesday.
During an interview yesterday, Williams’s sister Shonise said the request for the autopsy has gone missing.
“My brother requested that an autopsy be done from the day she died and they can’t find the form so we requested one yesterday but there has been no word as yet on when it will be done,” she said.
She explained that her dead sister was swabbed for COVID-19 and pending the results of that test, the post-mortem will be scheduled.
She said Sherise’s son Nehemiah has been crying and begging for his mother to come home.
“We are going to take care of him. We are dealing with this together,” Shonise said. She added that they were waiting on a call from a prominent attorney with the hope that he could fight their case.
Meanwhile, obstetrician/gynaecologist at the Mt Hope Women’s Hospital Dr Sherene Kalloo said women who undergo a caesarian section must get specialized care and assistance although it is recommended that they walk to avoid blood clots in the days after the surgery.
“We are looking at immediate care and post-operative care in the day or two after the caesarian which can vary depending on whether a general anaesthetic or a spinal anaesthetic is used,” Kalloo explained.
She said 99 per cent of patients under her care gets spinal anaesthetic which means that the patient is awake during the surgery.
“With the spinal anaesthetics, she will be pain-free for two to three hours. She is able to move just a little bit and not feel any pain. She is encouraged to mobilize her legs while lying on her back. She is able to eat and drink immediately. There is also routine nursing care, checking her vital signs, blood pressure, temperature and monitoring the blood loss by checking her pads. We have to make sure blood loss is the normal range,” Kalloo said.
She said a patient can eat or drink and has an IV access in the event that intravenous drugs could be administered.
Kalloo said she always advises mobilization by the next day.
“It is not unusual to ask a patient to walk. It is absolutely normal because you don’t want the patient to be in an immobilized state on a hospital bed for too long in case she developed clots,” Kalloo said.
She noted that walking will defuse any blood clots noting that drugs are usually given to prevent clots.
She said mothers should be given assistance to sit up as well as to walk and should not be left unattended. Kalloo also said painkillers were necessary and most times drugs in the form of tables are given as part of post-operative care.
The drugs are usually safe for breastfeeding babies.
Williams, 30, of Santa Cruz, underwent a caesarian section last Monday, five days after she was admitted to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.
She reportedly fell down while walking to the bathroom and later died.
Her family is claiming negligence on the part of the hospital staff.
The matter is currently under investigation.