Melinda's Story

Baby Grayson is 10 weeks today. Mom had left us a heartfelt Google review that began with, “Brubaker was my doctor through my first pregnancy.”

Later, we chatted with Melinda and asked her to talk about her experience in more detail. This time, she began with a car crash.

She already had us at “Hello.”

This is Melinda’s story:

I wasn’t quite expecting to be pregnant and didn’t find out until I crashed my car. I passed out because of my blood pressure and found out at the hospital, so definitely a surprise. After finding out I was pregnant, I knew I needed to find care. So I did my research, found highly rated providers in the area on Google and decided to go with Dr. Allison Brubaker. She had really good reviews, and after watching her video I thought she was the one for me.

And from there, it was a little bit scary at first, because I wasn't sure what to expect with pregnancy and knowing that I have a type of Crohn's disease where I already knew that I wouldn't be able to have a vaginal birth. So it was going to be a planned C-section, and I was really worried about that the whole time, but Brubaker made sure to ease my mind at every single appointment by letting me know what to expect.

When I hit about 20 weeks with him, they found out that he wasn't quite growing as he should be, so they ended up scheduling me two appointments each week just to make sure that he was going to be okay. Still, I was in kind of in a panic, worried that my body might not be okay for the baby. But at each appointment I would hear his heartbeat and see that everything was looking good.

Brubaker would also touch base with me and make sure that I knew that he was hitting his goals. Blood work was done to check my levels and make sure that I was doing okay too. Closer to the end of my pregnancy she was doing frequent NST checks.

Regarding the planned C-section, I was definitely scared about the procedure itself, of having to be awake. I was also concerned about the scarring because I have some body image issues, so I was worried about what that would look like.

As for the surgery, which ended up being at 37 weeks, I felt a little bit of the tugs, kind of a strange feeling but it didn’t hurt, and the next thing you know Brubaker is pulling my baby over and showing him through the see-through curtain. It was so precious seeing him for the first time. 

I had talked to her previously and one of the things I had really wanted was skin-to-skin contact, so they brought Grayson over to me for a short while, at least until he started turning colors. They took him back and found he didn’t have the stuff that coats his lungs (surfactant), so Grayson ended up going to the NICU for a week.

But only for a week, because he’s a little fighter. Five pounds, eight ounces.

Grayson is actually a really calm baby. Takes a lot of naps, and he only wakes up when he's hungry or if he's got some discomfort, like a wet diaper. He's doing all the things that he should be, he's discovering things, he's reaching for his toys when I put him on his play mat. He's hitting his goals, which is really impressive.

It was really nice to know that I had a doctor like Dr. Brubaker, one that was so reassuring to a first-time mom who was worried about everything. She's a very calm and attentive person. She answered every single question I asked, and she does it in a way where it's not doctor vocabulary.

My 6-week postpartum appointment went really well. I brought Grayson with and she was so happy to see him and to see how much he grew. Her reaction was so cool: “Oh my gosh, he was such a little peanut when I delivered him!” And she wanted to know if I was doing okay as well and made sure I had the resources I needed.

I’m so glad I found Dr. Brubaker. She seems more like a friend that is there for you, the way she goes about her care.

Note: Women’s Care of Wisconsin reached out to Melinda after seeing this Google review:

Brubaker was my doctor through my first pregnancy. As this was my first it was a little scary and being higher risk it was going to be overwhelming. Brubaker however was extremely reassuring through everything. Every question and concern I had was addressed and I felt comfort knowing she was making sure my baby was going to be okay. My pregnancy did result in a c section per my health and I was very worried about the entire experience at first and kept getting reassured step by step what the procedure entails and how it will look afterwards. On the day of my c section I was nervous until I was in the OR and Brubaker and the team were there to comfort and reassure me what’s happening as well as what I would be experiencing. The procedure went extremely well and Brubaker did an amazing job with everything. I did make request for when baby was born such as skin to skin and to see him when he was out and Brubaker made sure my requests were met. I had just taken off my dressing which can be scary to think what it looks like underneath; however, my scar is super minimal as she assured me and it looks great! I am extremely happy with her care and how attentive she is as a doctor and surgeon. I absolutely recommend seeing her for your pregnancy as she made mine a lot less scary and more enjoyable. I am so thankful to have had such a great doctor for my pregnancy and birth experience.

Endometriosis Affects 1 in 10 Women

Are you doubling over in pain during your period? Do you have cramps you just can’t seem to shake throughout the month? For 1 in 10 women, these killer cramps are a symptom of endometriosis. Although endometriosis affects 190 million women worldwide, many go undiagnosed. March is Endometriosis Awareness Month and the perfect time to educate about this painful, chronic disease. Here’s what you need to know to find out if endometriosis might be affecting you.

What is Endometriosis?

"Endometrial cells are what make up the lining of the uterine cavity," Women's Care of Wisconsin's Dr. Therese Yarroch explains. "In women with endometriosis these cells are found outside of the uterus, where they cause inflammation. Sometimes referred to as 'endometrial implants,' they can be found on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, bowels and anywhere else in the pelvic region. This inflammation can result in pain and significant scarring to the surrounding tissue."

What Causes Endometriosis?

"We do have evidence that there is an increased risk of endometriosis in women with heavy menstrual bleeding and longer or more frequent menstrual cycles," Yarroch says. "Doctors also know that estrogen plays a role and women who have a close female relative with endometriosis are 5-7 times more likely to have it themselves."

Spotting the Symptoms

"Although it’s a common misconception that endometriosis only occurs in women over the age of 20, the truth is that the disease can develop as soon as a girl gets her first period and can span the rest of a woman’s reproductive years," Yarroch says. "The most common symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain. While this pain usually coincides with menstruation, some women can experience this symptom throughout their entire cycle.”

Other symptoms to look out for include:

• Pain during or after sex
• Severe cramps that do not go away with NSAIDs or that impede the activities of your everyday life
• A heavy menstrual flow
• Periods that last longer than 7 days
• Nausea or vomiting
• Urinary and bowel disorders
• Difficulty getting pregnant

Not every woman will experience all of these symptoms, but approximately 30%-40% of women who have endometriosis will experience issues with fertility.

Getting a Diagnosis

The only way to know for sure if you have endometriosis is through a surgical procedure called laparoscopy. Laparoscopy uses a small telescope that is inserted into the abdomen through a very small incision. It brings light into the abdomen so the doctor can see inside. Endometriosis cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound, x-ray, or other non-invasive methods.

Treating the Symptoms

There are a wide range of treatment options for endometriosis and your doctor may suggest a less invasive methods before ordering a biopsy. Some of the most common treatments include:

• The use of NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). NSAIDs can help relieve or lessen the pain caused by endometriosis by stopping the release of prostaglandins, one of the main chemicals responsible for painful periods. While NSAIDs can help manage the pain-related symptoms of endometriosis for some women, it’s not effective in every case.
• Birth control methods such as the pill, the patch and the ring are often helpful to treat the pain associated with endometriosis because they reduce heavy bleeding. This method works best for women who only have severe pain during their period and not during the rest of their cycle.
• Progestins are recommended for women who do not get pain relief from or who cannot take hormonal birth control that contains estrogen (such as smokers). This synthetic form of the natural hormone progesterone is available by prescription as a pill or an injection.
• GnRH therapy uses medicines that work by causing temporary menopause. The treatment actually causes the ovaries to stop producing estrogen, which causes the endometriosis implants to shrink.

For some women, surgery may be the best treatment method. While there isn’t a cure for endometriosis yet, it is possible to remove some of the scar tissue and lesions with surgery.

If you have endometriosis, surgery could be an option if you:

• Have severe pain
• Have tried medications, but still have pain
• Have a growth or mass in the pelvic area that needs to be examined
• Are having trouble getting pregnant and endometriosis might be the cause

"It is important to note that there are other conditions that can cause many of the same symptoms as endometriosis," Yarroch says. "An OB/GYN can help determine if endometriosis is the appropriate diagnosis."

Seeing patients at Women's Care of Wisconsin's Appleton location, Dr. Therese Yarroch provides treatment for many gynecologic concerns, including fibroids, ovarian cysts, abnormal uterine bleeding, and much more. She has a special interest in gynecologic surgery, including hysterectomies, removal of pelvic masses, and repair of pelvic organ prolapse. Call or text 920.729.7105 to schedule an appointment. 

Best Practices in Care for Expectant Mothers

Every March we celebrate National Hospitalist Day and the teams that make up the hospital medicine community.  

This year marks the first anniversary of ThedaCare's Obstetrical Emergency Department (OB-ED) and Hospitalist Program, which operates around the clock and provides care for pregnant women facing obstetrical challenges.

Through the program at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah, women more than 16 weeks pregnant that are presenting with a pregnancy-related concern will be directed from the traditional emergency department and go directly to the obstetrical emergency department area, which has onsite access to Children’s Hospital NICU if needed.

A high-risk obstetrician will evaluate a woman immediately without waiting for her doctor to arrive onsite or provide a consultation over-the-phone.

“Having an OB-ED and Hospitalist Program redefines the standard of women’s care in the hospital setting,” said Dr. Eric Eberts, Department Chair of the ThedaCare OB-ED and Hospitalist Program. "The OB-ED ensures that expectant mothers receive timely, specialized care for themselves and their babies."

The OB-ED supplements the care of a woman’s OB provider, who continues to provide care in the facility.