This is a very long read due to context.
Me (M) and my wife lost our baby to a miscarriage at eight weeks at the end of September. We both work together in an operating theatre but with different job roles. We met here, four years ago and love our little life together. Having owned a home together for a year, we decided it was time to start a family.
We were so happy, I’ll never forget that first text message saying she’s got something to tell me. I couldn’t wait to finish work and immediately rushed home where I practically fell into her arms right there in front of the door where she stood waiting. In that moment there was pure joy, warmth and love. I dived straight into what I felt was my responsibility of making sure I did everything I could so that she was comfortable, safe and happy. We spoke to our Manager and the team leads who were all responsible for the allocation to make sure she would be away from X-Rays, Harmful chemicals and heavy lifting.
Suspicions started to arise, and our work friends and colleagues started to push and prod, and to a select few the secret came out asking them to politely keep it to themselves. These select few are friends outside of work so it didn’t seem too far fetched to expect them to respect our decision to keep it quiet until our first scan. And so we carried on like that, for maybe three to four weeks until some symptoms started to develop.
Unfortunately what started as mild spotting we were advised to attend A&E where an emergency scan was performed and we got our most heartbreaking news that there was sadly no heartbeat. We both disclosed this information to our manager who broke down in tears with us and promised that outside of the team leads no one would be told. We were signed off work for two weeks together which obviously raises questions and suspicions about what has happened and I can’t deny I understand that part, the department was short staffed and people talk.
I came back first for one day and a friendly colleague who we had told told me he’s sorry for our news and offered his help if needed, I thanked him and told him we’re getting by. The following week the night before her first shift back another colleague messaged her to say “I’ve just heard your news and I am so sorry”. We did not tell this person that she was even pregnant. Then an hour later an old colleague who works somewhere else and we hardly see, messaged saying “tight hugs, I’m here whenever you need”. This upset us both, my wife more frustrated and I was fuming.
So not only have people been spreading the rumour of our miscarriage through the department but spreading it so far as to reaching people who don’t even fucking work here.
My partner says she doesn’t mind, saying “people talk, I’m angry too but we can’t stop it and it has happened” she also told me she doesn’t want to know exactly who it was as to not upset herself. Me however, am spending most days stewing at work and trying to stop myself from going ballistic. I spoke to my manager just casually and she is on my side in terms of support but also opinion. And she like me wants to be on the warpath.
Now. The interesting but complicated dynamics of working with your wife and having your own emotions.
As you can see, we are both handling this together but in our own way. But it’s my responsibility to look after her in life but also at work for us which means I have to take a step back and follow what’s best for her and in this case it’s letting it go, and when we get pregnant again we will just handle it differently. But I’m just so goddamn mad, I’m already giving the cold shoulder to the people who’ve revealed they knew when they shouldn’t and I’m overall just ignoring or staying quiet instead of confronting them and telling them that’s it’s outright fucking disgraceful to spread this as gossip. It’s none of their business, they’ve breached our privacy and disrespected the both of us, that is not a friend, that’s not even a friendly colleague. I don’t really know what to do, I’m hurt and we’ve both talked it though together and I’ll respect her needs always and she’s already apologised profusely to me that she knows it’s wrong for me to have to suppress my emotions just to keep the peace. We both have an understanding that this whole situation including the miscarriage is difficult and we’ll get through it together.
It’s probably not the best place to stop typing but I just really needed to say that to a group who hopefully can sympathise.
(I am looking for a new job)