Cruz Reihana’s Give A Little page for his whānau can be found here: https://shorturl.at/lGwwB
Cruz Reihana’s life has changed irrevocably in a matter of weeks. The Rotorua father of five, known to his community as the owner of “Mow Hero’s Lawncare,” has permanently parked his mower, trading his business for the round-the-clock demands of full-time caregiving.
This transition comes in the wake of a traumatic medical crisis at Rotorua Hospital that nearly cost his wife, Regina, her life.
Following a difficult labour, Regina suffered severe internal hemorrhaging. According to Cruz, she lost four litres of blood due to complications from an emergency C-section. In a harrowing turn of events, the family was forced to grapple with a profound ethical and medical dilemma: the necessity of a life-saving blood transfusion, which conflicted with Regina’s faith.
“I almost lost my wife, I almost lost my wife,” Cruz said, visibly shaken as he recalled the day. “She lost all her blood. They did the cell saver, recycled the blood, but then also had to give her a blood transfusion. Um, but that decision for us was a hard one,” he said.
While Regina is now home and beginning the long road to physical recovery, the emotional toll on the whānau is immense. The emergency has robbed both mother and newborn of vital bonding time – a loss that weighs heavily on the whānau.
“Just so blessed to know that my son made it out okay,” Cruz said. “But I also feel sorry for him, too, because his mom’s not around. It’s hurting her so much that she doesn’t get to have that time with him.”
The Reihana whānau is now seeking answers. They have formally requested their full medical records regarding the birth to understand exactly how the complications occurred. However, the path to transparency has been difficult; the family has been advised that the process could take up to 20 days, and they have been directed to engage with ACC to expedite the release of information.
Aukaha News has made formal inquiries to Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ) to verify the circumstances surrounding Regina’s care and to seek a response regarding the distressing experience the whānau is currently facing. At the time of publication, Te Whatu Ora had not provided a response.
As Regina continues to recover, Cruz remains steadfast in his new role, prioritising the stability of his tamariki and the health of his wife over his business. For the Reihana whānau, the focus remains on healing, and on securing the truth about what happened within the walls of Rotorua Hospital.