PLEASE READ – LONG, PERSONAL BUT
IMPORTANT!!
Hello.... some of you may know that I
started having problems just as soon as I got home from the hospital
but had no way to get back to get checked....... This is a
continuation and I need serious feedback,...! For that reason I
sent it to a group I feel very close to. I need a lawyer or at
least the ability to talk to one. Please fee free to forward
this one to one.
Still no way to get to the hospital. I
found a free one today and my mother freaked out. Why they
don't want me to go so bad is beyond my comprehension Perhaps
they think I'll keel over - lol.
I can't believe how stupid I
am to listen to her. Fever at 102.8 - well over the 101.5 they
tell you to call for. She won't even look at the incisions for
me to see if she thinks they are worsening.
But get this.
In the hospital from the some friendly but not wise nurses I found
out my doc went into bariatrics - a fancy way of saying lap band -
BIG money!! So they had four rooms completely redone in a VERY
fancy way so that they could get the big spenders in. You can't
imagine it! It's insane.. like 1st class on a jet only more so
Well the big week started Monday.
I had problems from the
get-go. Shocky, shivering to where I couldn't hold a pencil,
couldn't walk, intense migraines from the meeds they refused to
change. The incisions weren't right, my bladder WOULD NOT WORK
so I had to remain catheterized for much longer than others (4 or 5
days) until the risk of infection was worse than the other....
So
one day a nurse comes in my mother on the phone. She wanted to
know when I was looking at coming home. So... I asked the
nurse who answered loudly enough, "Not for 3 to 5 more days"
The ave stay is 2 to 3 days. Unless it goes wrong.
In
addition is was on a laparoscopy but no one told me til a nurse
did!!! 3 - 5 DAYS,,, ARGH! I can handle that,,, I was so
sick i just wanted t get better! In addition as you can tell by
my lack of writing skills I was getting confused, losing my
vocabulary etc... scary as heck!! I no longer trusted them and
their meds... they seemed to make me sicker. There was ONE NICE
HONEST nurse who I am calling after I send this.
Anyway the
nurse conversation at the desk went something like this:
Nurse
1 "I know that Drs T and G want those rooms
specifically for the BAR patients. I thnk it's wrong anyway,
because the hospital paid for it, and now we have to play musical
beds!" Nurse2 "I agree and now I don't know
what the hell to do with patient N! I am not about to keep
moving her, she's not doing well! Nurse3 (glares at 1 and
2) Nurse 2 "Well I'm just going to put her in 5 (6
through10 were the bariatric beds) because I REFUSE to move that poor
woman again!" Nurse1 "Sounds like a good plan
to me!"
Nurse 3 (glares at 1 and 2 and tels them she
needs something out side the station (I presume to warm them about
me) Nurse 1 and 2 say they are charting and have to figure out what
to do with this poor woman and then the inevitable next ER patient
who shows up.
I say "Do you mean to tell me
that it's the docs who get to decide who gets what kind of care and
in which room?? Nurse 1, a young nurse and unit secretary says,
"That's not how they'd put it, but that's how it is! (Very
angry) Nurse 2 (also angrier by the minute since nurse 3
is a jerk anyway who got in trouble for calling me a "frequent
flayer" from when I was in on an emergency and knows that
_expression_ is usually reserved for drug seekers finally said, "I
have to talk to you about something else now!
Enter
Humor
Nurse 1 & 2 totally ignore 3. Me "It
makes me so sick the way things have changed around here! This
place is no longer about patient care! It's about corporate
backed HMOs runing things. (SO MUCH HAS CHANGED - tell ya later
but the nurses are being screwed bad!!! Nurse 1 & 2 laugh
cynically and said, "You have no idea how right you are!! Me
"Ohhhhh I think I do!! Me "I'd better get back
to my penthouse suite before they steal that too! Nurse 1
"i CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST SAID THAT!!
(Riotous laughter)
So... one day my mother calls,.
Her How
are you doing today? Better? Me "Not really.
They won't get me off the stupid dilaudid!! It causes huge
migraines and so I can't walk like I should etc. Me - to Nurse
So when are you getting out? Nurse Well, 2 to 5 days from the
looks of it. My mother (loud enough to hear the nurse but
needed to repeat it anyway since I needed to know it was heard.
Foreboding? Who knows.
NEXT DAY ) dark-thirty
Dr
G (on call for my doc who's on vacation) "So how are you
feeling?
Me (editing my words) "Well, honestly
I feel terrible. I cannot get warm, I cannot get rid of the
fever, I can't sleep, I have trouble eliminating urine ELIMINATED.
The tremors are out of hand to the point here I can often not do
intimate things when I need to which includes dressing, eating and
drinking! In addition the pain is NOT under control (HUGE
criterion), the confusion is getting worse, and I am quite concerned!
I need something less strong or something for the pain,.
Dr
G "Well, you fit all the criteria. (IV out, drainage
tubes out (they were NOT I had to remind them to do it greedy
idiots! I also live with my 77 and 79 year old parents and we
are raising my small grandchildren. The LAST think I need is to
be climbing the stairs to go to the bathroom!! I can't do this.
Dr G Well, let me to take a look at this and I'll be
right back,. (not the smartest crayon in he box- you'll see
why.)
FIVE MUNUTES MAX passes
Dr G "I
checked into it
(where???) and sure enough he says I need the
criteria. WTF?????? So I ask questions and he says if the
fever gets over 101.5 to phone. I explained that I love far far
away... but his brain had become calcified by then.
Me
I disagree with this, I only want one day.
Dr. G
I'm sorry this is how we must do things. (this is a lie proven
my my last two trips to the hospital)
Me
Grrr......... okay but since I had no sleep last night can I have a
minute for a nap? Dr G You have to be out by noon.
I'll send a nurse in. (cop-out weasel)
90 SECONDS LATER
Mean Nurse "So you are going home, excited?"
Me No, in fact, I need another day. I explained
about the folks and staircase" ME How high can they
be? (I was tempted to ask if she'd been in a lighthouse but
didn't. MN More than one story? Like two stories?
How many stairs? Me Maybe one and a half MN
Oh you can handle that. (Easy for her to say) Me: I
explained about the kids MN Do you need a nursing home?
ME NO! I should have said yes for gosh sakes!
MN
I'm sure you'll be happier at home (how in the
heck do I answer that??)
SILENCE as she asked stupid
questions.
ME Can I please sleep a little?
MN
No, we already ordered translink for you (transportation for the
poor) ME You did WHAT? I already have a ride! MN
There was no answer ME My mother has her cell phone but I
have no calling card. (finally she lets me call on the hosp
phone)
My mother They did WHAT? We are here!
Me No kidding. I knew that. They say I have
to wait in the lobby at noon! (no rest for the poor sick)
My
mother: Let me talk to the nurse (this I did not
want)
MN Well, we already provided translink for her.
Apparently my mother said no way, they were at safe way and were just
getting some scripts and then would be there. Me Okay
mom, thanks, love you. (to the MN) May I lie down please?
I am exhausted and need to lie down (major surgery remember idiot)
MN No, I am sorry. We have to pack now. (I'm on the edge of tears
now but will not give her th
satisfaction. ME Do I have time for a shower?
MN No, you must be out by noon.
So.. pack
I did while in excruciating pain, her trying to put all kinds of crap
in my backpack... which I told her I did not need. I didn't
take much so had not much to pack, thank God.
SHE LEAVES THE
ROOM
ME I lie down on the bed and wish for some
sort of seizure so they see I'm not ready to go home.
THREE
MINUTES LATER
Nice Nurse walks in.....
NM well, I guess
you're ready to go, let's get you in a wheelchair and head to the
lobby. All your drains are gone and you're all dressed. I
mention that my drainage troop has not been touched at all. She
apologizes profusely and was actually nice. She said she's take
care of that right now. She leaves the room. I lie
down.
NN returns in 2 minutes with equipment.
ME Is this going to hurt? NN Well..... and
give me a funny grin. She said, We'll it'll sting a tiny but..
and winks. I loved that because she told the truth and I NEVER
whined once the whole time I was there, even though the pt next to me
had an appendectomy and actually cried. (poor thing)
There was someone else who was very whiny but only had an hernia
removed, so I was proud of myself. (And God!)
NN
Gets out the scissors, started cutting stitches that went through the
drain to keep it in place. No problem, she warned me.
THEN she pulled on it. I said WOW you weren't lying! :-)
It went very well, though I kept praying it would get stuck or the
infection would come out with it. lol
In any case, I
think that is on the dark side of malpractice, don't you?
I
called the patient super when I got home. How stupid!
Naturally he took the ol party line. I asked if I could phone a
lawyer. HE said, "Gee, I would have to see you waste your
money on a lawyer when you have no PROOF. Seems to me I do
though. That one nurse said 4 or 5 days and my mother heard
that too.
Of course my folks can't / won't help even when they
can - though my mother DID help me make my bed today. I sleep
on the worst bed on earth - a twin, and I had to ask my dad to put a
board under the mattress. Of course he made me help lift it.
Of course earlier I spilled water from an ice tray and asked him to
please pick it up, I cannot bend over. He walked out of the
room. He wouldn't even hep. I also asked to please put a
hook and eye latch on m (porch or as I like to call it SHU for
special handing unit at prisons) and he and my mom flipped. I
have NO privacy. They tried to claim they never come out here
until They have to come turn off the computer in the middle of the
night. That's fine with me.
But you know what? I
am not allowed to pray here. That means it's th opposite of how
it should b.. it' nerve wracking. No bending/bowing, no scarves
blah blah blah.
Ok so now i am whining I hope you understand! I needed to vent about
this!! I
also have to pay for the blog next month and i have no idea how I'll
do it.
I need feedback bad. Anyone know any lawyers,
mostly tort? I only know one habeas but she's soooooooooooo
busy.
All in all this was a horrd trip, but Susan, the
good nurse made my times.
Did I tell you about the nurse who
screwed up my meds in her favor then called ME a liar?? Oh yea
that was nice.
Shutting up now. Honest feedback
DESPERATELY needed please. I know this post is insanely long...
but please? I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Linda G. Richard
http://freedetainees.org
phone # available on request
