Hi all,
Well, got through the Christmas season and had from 7 to 11 people at our house for 6 days, cooking, laundry, Wii fun and card games. The Saturday after New Year's Day I started out to go to the grocery, the bank and to stop at a fitness center to talk about a six week course that my mother in law bought me for Christmas.
Was talking about what I would be doing with my limited endurance and suddenly said "I have to sit down". Sat at a table and put my head down and the next thing I knew my husband was there and also the paramedics. My BP had plunged to 50/30 and remained there all the way to the hospital and I was lying on the floor not knowing quite where I was. They shuttled me off to the heart center saying "We don't want you to go home and go to sleep and not wake up". That convinced me I should go and be checked out.
They did blood tests including Cardiac Enzymes which were inconclusive for a heart attack. The Troponin (sp) was elevated at the second and third blood draw. They did a echo and haven't heard the results yet. They wanted me to stay a third day to have a chemical stress test which I did and then they said they couldn't do it that day and I would have to stay another. Meanwhile the money meter was running and I said I wanted to be discharged and have this done as an outpatient with my own cardio. They dismissed me Sunday and today (Monday) I am very pale and weak and SOB.
I was very unhappy about the way they handled everything. Saw three different cardios and they all disagreed on the treatment and didn't know all my background on that short a notice. I had to discontinue Lasix because of a sulfa allergy and no one Rx'd anything else.
I was in the prestigious Heart Center and didn't have my room cleaned or trash emptied for three days, had to ask for water...no one came in to check if I needed any and didn't have my Coumadin dispensed with the rest of my meds. I thought I would probably have a heart incident while waiting for someone to take charge, so got discharged and will follow up with my doctor. So far he has not received any of the lab work.
Now that all the charts are on the computer, it is easy for everyone involved to access them, but they take up a lot of time that would have been spent with the patient while they walk around like pod people with their computers on rolling stands. I felt like I was in for an oil change.
Now that I have vented, I will update this when I see the cardio's PA tomorrow. Yes, you must see him first to see if you qualify to have a real cardiologist see you. Into the computer age....yikes!
JOY
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Unexpected hospital trip
- By Joy3032
- Posted January 5, 2009 at 4:04 pm · 5 replies
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- By arizona1
- Posted January 5, 2009 at 6:48 pm
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So that's what you've been up to!!!!! I wondered where you went!!! So sorry to hear about this latest episode of illness. Keep me posted.
Love and hugs,
Kathi
- By carmelbabe
- Posted January 5, 2009 at 9:37 pm
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Wow your experience sounds identical to the one my father just had at our local hospital. It seems that we are now expected to endure "do it yourself hospital service," but still pay the big $$$! They left his urine bottles in the bathroom FOREVER, and I noticed a wrapper that was on the floor under the bed for a day and a half. Geez!! What is going on? The nurses were strapped to their computers as well, and if my mother had not been there to help him with eating and getting up to go to the bathroom, he probably would have fallen and just left there for the day! I'm sorry for your experience too!!
- By Joy3032
- Posted January 5, 2009 at 9:47 pm
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I was beginning to think I was the crazy one expecting them to do "something". The hat in the toilet to collect the urine was filled and sitting there and asked if they wanted to empty or wanted me to empty and they said "go ahead empty". Well, what the heck was it for if they weren't going to keep charge of the "output". Yes, I am able to get up and do for myself, but I pity those who don't have a helper and can't get out of bed.
I had milk spilled on my gown and asked for a change and the NT said "it will dry". For a zillion dollars a day, I should be able to have a clean gown. I didn't have anything done in the room for the three days. I did insist on a clean gown and also for a pair of pants so I could get up and about to do my chores without having my fanny hanging out....lol.
I worked as a nurse for many years and I am appalled at what they call nursing now. I think I could go back to work after 20 years and work rings around most of them.
Tomorrow will tell the tale if I get any insight into what caused my collapse when I see the cardio's PA. He may be more interested and less jaded than the cardiologist.
To be continued.....cheers...JOY
- By MMaslek
- Posted January 6, 2009 at 7:36 am
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My sister is a nursing supervisor & believe me when I say, the administration assumes everything was just fine unless you tell them otherwise. You may feel like you are complaining, but if you want it to be different next time or save someone else a headache, you need to write a letter to the Director of nursing services describing your lack of care. You don't have to use specific names if you choose not to but write down your experience & drop it in the mail. One phone call to the hospital & you can find out who the director of nursing services is. Then you will feel like you at least did something and you can let it go & just worry about your heart.
Did I catch you correctly that you had elevated enzymes & they didn't do an immediate cath? Can you say laywer? I trust my PA as much as my cardio. When it's necessary to see him, he puts me in the hospital... yuck!! She's nice, does everything he would do & calls him to update him before I leave the office. We sit & talk about our dogs the whole time.
Hang in there & keep us posted!!!
Amy
- By Joy3032
- Posted January 6, 2009 at 10:17 am
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Hi Amy,
I didn't write a letter (which I may still do), but talked to a rep from the hospital (got her name, but not her position) and she was to pass on my observations about lack of care to her superiors. We will see how that goes and if I get some feed back. If not, I will take your suggestion and write the Dir. of Nursing.
Yes, the Troponin was elevated on the second draw and a little down on the third and then up again. I, too, was surprised they didn't do a cath. I had no coordination between the PA's and the cardios I saw and them all disagreed on the way to treat me. I see my cardio PA today and hopefully he will be more attentive. I have written everything down from my history to what Rx's I am on now and hope that will expedite the appointment.
I will keep you posted...thanks for the input...JOYful
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