By VASHTEE ACHIBAR Saturday, January 5 2013

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FAST ASLEEP: Baby Siara asleep in her father Damien Bisnath's arms yesterday at her grandparents' home in Freeport, unaware that her mother Sasha Bisn...

SASHA Lysa Bisnath’s blood type was O Positive, but a report into her death following complications after a Caesarean Section to deliver her second daughter, Siara, at a private medical institution in San Fernando, stated she was given B Positive-type blood at the facility four-and-a-half hours after giving birth.

Sasha, 28, of Orange Field, Carapichaima died on December 21 at San Fernando General Hospital. She had been transferred, at her family’s request, from the private medical centre when her condition worsened at 8.15 pm on December 20. Doctors at the General Hospital performed emergency surgery, but her condition worsened and she died hours later. A first autopsy by pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes, at the San Fernando Mortuary, revealed Bisnath died as a result of Disseminated Intra Vascular Coagulation and bleeding diathesis, post C-section. A medical doctor explained that this meant her body lost the clotting mechanism necessary to stop bleeding because of heavy blood loss.

A second autopsy, performed by Professor of Pathology at the University of the West Indies, Hubert Daisley at Guide’s funeral home, made the same findings.

The young mother delivered a healthy baby girl at half-past- eleven on December 20, and was returned to the ward at the nursing home at noon. The report further stated that at about 4.30 pm, she was given blood.

Sasha’s relatives told Newsday shortly after returning to the ward and cradling her newborn, she began to bleed heavily and despite their best efforts to get a nurse to call a doctor, relatives claimed that no one responded. When the haemorrhaging worsened Sasha received a blood transfusion. Speaking at Sasha’a parents’ home yesterday in Calcutta No 2, Freeport, widower Damien Bisnath said he had a copy of the report from the private medical institution.

Asked what he thought about the report, Damien said, “it contains a lot of inaccuracies. Some of the times given are off. There are a lot of contradictions. Remember we were all there, we saw what was happening, I was running up and down trying to get a nurse or doctor when I saw how much she was bleeding. But they were not taking us on. There was a Christmas atmosphere at the centre and no one was paying us any mind,” Bisnath said.

Damien’s daughters Solara, two, and two-week-old Siara are now going to grow up without their mother. “I don’t know how I will manage, but I have to. I wasn’t prepared for this. My wife gave up her job so she could have our children and care for them. Now look what has happened,” Bisnath said.

He said that Solara keeps asking for her mother and believes she (Sasha) is sick and once she gets better, would be coming back home. “It breaks my heart, but what can I tell her? She is so young,” Bisnath said.

Asked what is his next step Damien said he is seeking legal advice.

Sasha’s mother Leela Ali, a schoolteacher at Preysal Government Primary School is helping the young father and single parent to take care of the girls. Ali said she is unable to go to school following the loss of her daughter.

“I can’t stand in a classroom and teach children. I need some time to adjust. But I will take care of my precious grandchildren. I promised Sasha that at the hospital,” Ali cried.

During yesterday’s interview, baby Siara slept soundly in her crib. Later on, she awoke and was bottle-fed by her grandmother. A report, compiled by Chairman of the South-West Regional Health Authority Dr Lackram Bodoe, was submitted to Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan a week ago. Sasha was cremated at the Shore of Peace, Mosquito Creek on December 27, following a funeral service.