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Catherine Shaw's avatar

I am appalled that in Chrissy’s letter there is no mention of the nurses who will be affected by this decision. They have been managing the department with fierce dedication and loyalty to the families who choose to come to MDIHospital for their obstetrical care. They have served generations of families, pregnant moms who are traveling to the island and moms who need emergent care who chose homebirths. So has the mission of MDIHospital changed to only serving the elderly of the community? It used to be that the purpose of keeping the OB unit open was to support the family practitioners practices who were caring for the entire family-starting with the newborn. I too am deeply saddened and concerned for the welfare of the community and especially the OB nurses!

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JENNIFER FISK's avatar

We are into a whole new era of Bar Harbor residents. When I moved to BH 54 years ago, I set down roots and became part of the community. I birthed and raised my 4 boys here. I worked here and ran a business here. My plan is to live out my remaining days here. Now, people tend to live in a community for a few years and move on. Our neighborhoods don't really exist anymore. The homes are no longer vibrant with year round residents but are instead rental units by absentee owners. The people of childbearing years who do live here don't feel the same affinity to MDIH that us older residents did. The younger women tend to want more advanced technology at their disposal during labor and delivery. Laboring and delivering in Ellsworth or Bangor doesn't feel foreign to them as it would have to most of the Mom's of my babies era. The closure of the MDIH OB unit is a financial decision because the number of births a year won't sustain it. I understand it but am deeply saddened by it.

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