PVP, BGH, WTF and other acronyms to start your day
Enjoying your ride on the Sandpoint Emotional Rollercoaster? The latest stomach-dropping dip came last Friday with the announcement of the closure of Labor and Delivery at Bonner General. I don’t need to enumerate to any of you the myriad reasons why this is devastating. My own daughter was born via emergency Cesarean there, and I shudder to think what a laboring mother in similar straits will now do.
We’re all feeling shock, outrage, sadness, and powerlessness. What does this mean for pregnant people in our community? For young folks who want to start a family? What does this mean for the future of our now-vibrant little town? How many departures—rather than deliveries—might we see?
Well, I’ve got some emotional outlets for you, and they (of course) involve letting your voices be heard:
The Sandpoint Reader is willing to run a two-page spread of BGH delivery stories. Send me brief tales of your birthing experience (or the one you won’t have as an expectant mother), up to 300 words, due by Friday, March 31. It’s one small way for our community to collectively grieve, understand the full scope of this loss, and celebrate the staff who shepherded so many Sandpoint lives into being. If you’re not comfortable writing, send me an audio file, and I’ll transcribe it.
And speaking of BGH birthing stories...remember that abortion storytelling workshop planned for Saturday, April 22? I’m opening that up to people who want to share stories about birthing at BGH—or not being able to—because birth is now very much an abortion-adjacent issue here. In its press release announcing the closure of L&D, the hospital cited “Idaho’s legal and political climate” as one of the factors. Our punitive abortion laws are wreaking havoc on women’s health care in this state. OBGYNs are leaving, and no one is lining up to replace them. Please, attend and bring your stories of what a lack of obstetrical care in our community means to you. RSVP, and I’ll secure your spot before the workshop fills up.
Finally, plans are in the works for an Unhappy Hour event to celebrate the staff of BGH’s Labor and Delivery Department and grieve its loss. There will be copious amounts of beer in which to drown your sorrows, several guest speakers, ample opportunity to share what the department has meant to you, and a chance to thank the staff for their many years of service. More details to come. Stay tuned.
One last thing: The Pro-Voice Project is now on Instagram. Follow us for updates on events in Sandpoint and around the state. https://www.instagram.com/theprovoiceproject/
Thanks for sharing your stories. Thanks for being Pro-Voice.
