A post mortem was yesterday carried out on the body of Charlene Amsterdam, Registered Nurse attached to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), who succumbed at the institution on Sunday, after giving birth to a baby girl by caesarian section last Friday.
Relatives who identified the body prior to the start of the autopsy, and remained outside the mortuary throughout the procedure, on enquiring of hospital authorities into the cause of their loved one’s death, were told that ‘no cause of death had been found, but that the hospital was still investigating’.
This, they said, added greatly to their grief, since, according to an older sister who lives at Linden, Charlene, who lived at Q Samon Street, Guyhoc Park, delivered a healthy baby on Friday.
That night she developed complications and had to be taken to the Intensive Care Unit and subsequently to the theatre.
Two of the dead woman’s sisters from Linden yesterday approached the administration of the hospital, requesting to be given the baby, but were told that they had to come forward with proper identification.  They are hopeful that on their return to the institution they would be able to take custody of the child.
“Charlene died two days after giving birth and never got a chance to breast feed the baby. The last thing she told us on Saturday, under low tones, was that she was feeling very weak.”
Amsterdam, 40, a nurse at the hospital for the last fourteen years, was admitted to the Maternity Ward last Wednesday to have her baby.  According to her elder sister, Simone, on being admitted on Friday, she was told by those attending to her that she had fibroids and that they had opted to let her her have the baby by c/section, rather that a normal delivery.  She was taken to theatre and delivered a full term baby.
On Saturday, around mid-morning, whilst relatives were visiting, Charlene developed ‘shortness of breath’, her relatives said, and they were advised by hospital authorities that she would have to be taken to the Intensive Care Unit to be monitored.  The woman’s reputed husband, Eon Giddings, and her sisters were told that they would have to speak with her doctors, for any further information.
Around noon, the patient was admitted to the ICU, and her relatives requested to go inside to have a look at her.  But Simone recalled they were denied this request, and were forced to sit in the waiting area outside of the ICU department for another four hours, until the 16:00hr visit. Deeply perturbed all the while, the relatives went in – two at a time, and the visits had to be very short.
The only thing she managed to say to them during that period, was: “ Ah feeling very weak, ah don’t know how to explain it.”
At the end of the visiting period, they were asked to leave the ward.  They reluctantly left, but lingered in the waiting area outside the entrance to the High Dependency Unit and Pediatric Ward. They enquired about her condition again, and were told that only her doctors were authorized to speak.  They finally left for Charlene and her husband’s home in Guyhoc Park.
Around 21:30 hrs, Simone claimed, while at Charlene’s home, they received a phone call from their parents’ home in Linden, stating that the hospital had just informed them that Charlene’s condition was serious
At the hospital, they enquired again about her condition and were told, “Go outside and hold on.”
Family members raced to the Matron’s office in the admin building, but it was around 22:00hrs and she was not there.  No one offered any explanation. Returning to the ICU waiting area, they nervously prayed, but kept ‘holding on’ as they were advised.
Around 3:00hrs the Amsterdams received the shock of their lives when they were told that their loved one had just passed away.
Trying to be strong, Simone recalled that nursing was the profession her sister had always wanted to be a part of. She’s always had a passion for helping care for persons who were sick, and in fact doing whatever she could, to prevent persons from getting sick. While in her twenties, she was admitted to the profession and served dedicatedly, her interest and commitment never waning.
This newspaper understands Nurse Charlene Amsterdam did not take maternity leave, but worked until Tuesday and was admitted to the Maternity Ward on Wednesday.
She is survived by her parents, Vibert and Evadne Amsterdam; two daughters, Akelia and the unnamed infant baby girl; five sisters and one brother, and many other relatives and friends.
She will be buried next week.
Meanwhile, a press release issued yesterday by the hospital advised that an internal investigation has been launched. The release said, “The results of the preliminary report will be made available by Thursday, October 27, 2010, and any other pertinent information will be released subsequent on completion of the investigation.”
Management and staff of GPHC wish to express heartfelt condolences to the family and relatives of the late Nurse Amsterdam.