• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Some examples of my work
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Helenwade

You are here: Home / Writing / Lady Sybil

October 14, 2012

Lady Sybil

Watching an episode of “Downton Abbey” in which Lady Sybil dies from complications following childbirth, made me think how far we have come in all matters relating to women having babies.  I was appalled at how the life and death decisions in Lady Sybil’s case were made by men (her father and her father’s chosen specialist, who then argued with the family GP -another man- over what to do when things started to go wrong.) “That would never happen now” I said to my Mum watching next to me.  Aside from greater advances in technology which would likely have detected Lady Sybil’s condition (eclampsia) sooner, matters wouldn’t be left to her father and doctor to decide (not even her husband was allowed much of a say!) Or would things really be so different when it came to the crunch? Would two differing medical opinions ultimately prove fatal for the patient because neither side wanted to back down or “lose face?” Would the fear of costly litigation have any influence on how matters were handled and recorded or even explained subsequently? Ever the optimist, I would hope that the patient or his/her advocate would not be brushed aside so easily but even as I type the sentence, my inner voice tells me that when it comes to medical matters it is all too easy to be “blinded by science” when you assume that “doctor knows best.” Hard to argue with that one.  Lady Sybil certainly couldn’t and now never will.

Filed Under: Writing

Footer

Pinterest Feed Widget

Although I can still party like an absolute rock star, it would appear that I cannot recover like one. | Snarkecards
Abel Tasman National Park,New Zealand. Been there! It's gorgeous.
Model train rides in Surrey. A great day out for the family!
The Sixteen and Harry Christophers
Choir at Passion Sunday service
Gorgeous wedding anniversary cake made by my lovely husband and our two sons.
Gibraltar

Categories

Favourite Links

  • BBC News
  • Brindisa Spanish Food
  • Delicioso
  • Gibraltar Chronicle
  • Gibraltar Government
  • Gibraltar London
  • Sing For Pleasure
  • St Joseph’s Family Choir
  • Scribepress
  • The Sixteen

mumsnet

Copyright© 2022 · Brunch Pro by Shay Bocks