LYING in the operating theatre alone, Joanita Jesudason was terrified she would lose her baby in a premature labour.

After suffering complications during her second pregnancy, the 39-year-old needed vital surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Her first pregnancy had resulted in premature labour, leaving son Charlie, now 19 months old, severely disabled, and the mum feared the same fate for her second baby.

But she credits anaesthetist Aoife Fitzgerald for putting her at ease through the traumatic ordeal, when she was only 19 weeks pregnant and later nominated the medic for the Hospital Heroes award.

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Mrs Jesudason, 39, said: “She did a brilliant job in comforting me.

“She went above and beyond her job and it’s very rare, that someone with real dedication in their job. It should be rewarded and recognised.”

Financial service trainer Mrs Jesudason was sent to the Headington hospital after medics discovered complications with her cervix.

But with 39-year-old husband Timothy Oliver unable to take time away from his job as an engineer, Mrs Jesudason visited the John Radcliffe Hospital alone.

The mother-of-two endured a two-hour operation on May 21 this year, where she underwent a spinal epidural and had a pessary – a medical device – inserted to help the cervix regain structure.

Thankfully five months later, baby son Nicodemus Oliver was born healthy and weighing 7lbs 4 ounces.

Witney Gazette:

Joanita Jesudason, 39, husband Timothy Oliver, 39, with sons Charlie Oliver, 19 months, and Nicodemus Oliver, one month

She said: “I was very scared. Because I was there by myself I was anxious and very worried and just concerned whether I would go into pre-term labour or have a miscarriage.

“My first son has a life-long disability so I did not want another child that has a disability as well, so it was a huge huge worry.

“You don’t want your child to have a life-long disability and suffer and have a very challenging life.”

But throughout the operation, Mrs Jesudason said Dr Fitzgerald held her hand, giving her the reassurance she needed during the distressing surgery.

She added: “Without her I think it would have been quite traumatic. She became kind of my friend who helped me through this. I did not have anyone.

“I don’t think I would have been able to cope without her there.”

Mrs Jesudason, who lives in Buckinghamshire, left the hospital the following day, but not before Dr Fitzgerald took the time to visit her on the ward.

“She looked after me even after the procedure and she did not really need to do that because she is just an anaesthetist.

“She did what she should not have done. She was looking at me as a person rather than as a patient. She is very dedicated to her role. She puts her heart and soul into her patients. She went beyond her call of duty.”

Dr Fitzgerald, 34, said: “The nomination completely took me by surprise. I was not expecting it at all and I was very touched that someone had done that.

“I really enjoy the interaction with the patients and that’s one of the amazing privileges of being a doctor.

“I think what patients go through is really frightening for them. The operating theatre can be alien to them but what we do is not so alien to us. I think we have to treat all patients as we would want all our own relatives to be treated.”

Team award

PREGANCY should not be a frightening time for any mum-to-be.

But after suffering three miscarriages previously, Amanda Northover was on edge as she awaited baby Theo’s arrival. 

And when the 32-year-old needed emergency surgery at 18 weeks, it was the support of the John Radcliffe Hospital’s maternity team that got her through. 

Thanks to their care, she can now cradle healthy four-month old baby boy Theo in her arms.

Witney Gazette:

 Amanda Northover holding baby Theo with maternity team staff including administration manager Caroline Franklin, front left, and consultant obstetrician Sally Collins, front right. 

Mrs Northover, who works within Oxford University Hospital’s HR Department, is “over the moon” the team have been shortlisted for the Hospital Heroes award.

The Headington resident said: “I feel so blessed to have been under the care of such an amazing team.

“If it was not for them I would not have my baby. There was not one person who outshone the other one. All of them were fantastic.

“I will be grateful to them for the rest of my life.

“I can’t put into words how grateful I am. I owe them so much.”

Mrs Northover discovered her cervix was beginning to open and she needed stitches in February when she was 18 weeks pregnant.

She was admitted to the Headley Way hospital for emergency surgery, where three stitches were inserted to prevent her uterus from opening and her baby arriving early.

Although she was due to have the stitches removed later in July, a scan discovered Theo was breach, and she was booked in to have a Caesarean section.

Mrs Northover said removing the stitches at this point would have caused her to go into premature labour.

She then began having contractions and was kept in overnight, undergoing the caesarean section the following day. Theo was born at 32 weeks, weighing 7lbs and one ounce on July 11.

Witney Gazette:

Theo                 

Mrs Northover has praised the entire team for understanding any problem she approached them with and for the continual support offered to her and 33-year-old husband Andrew.

She added: “The whole pregnancy was frightening for me. There was not a point where I was relaxed.

“But I would go through it all again. I think if it was not for the care, it would have put me off having another one.

“I feel that each time I went in there they listened to me. They were really reassuring. I don’t think we would have got better care if we had gone private.”
Speaking on behalf of the department, consultant obstetrician Sally Collins said:

“Amanda nominated the whole maternity department which I feel incredibly privileged to be a small part of. It really is a fantastic team. Theo is such a gorgeous little boy, it makes it all worthwhile.’’
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Tough task selecting winners

  • THE Hospital Heroes awards were launched last year when the Oxford Mail joined forces with the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the NHS
  • The trust runs Oxford’s John Radcliffe and Churchill hospitals, as well as the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Banbury’s Horton General
  • Deserving nominations have been received within the two categories, the Hospital Heroes Team award and the Hospital Heroes Individual award
  • Now Oxford Mail editor Simon O’Neill, along with trust chief executive Sir Jonathan Michael, will have the difficult task of selecting the winners from the ten shortlisted entries
  • Winners are set to be revealed on Wednesday, December 3, during the trust’s annual staff awards evening

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