Learn from my experience

[Guest guest]

Starting this January, I have required periodic transfusions

due to bad anemia, the symptoms stopped me in my tracks.

I've gone to the hospital 5 times previously for

transfusions, with no problems. They transfuse 1 unit of

packed red blood cells (about 1 pint) into me over a 2 hr.

span, sometimes it takes a little less time. Then another

unit, usually, 2 total.

Prior to starting the blood transfusion, I'm given a drug

called furosemide (Lasix), by IV, which is a diuretic,

because it's hard for your heart to pump around all the

extra fluid. That is standard operating procedure.

Friday I had another transfusion, but it was rocky. I'd had

the same nurse several times before, she's been a nurse over

30 yrs., and is very good at inserting the IV needle.

Here's what I want to tell everyone: ALWAYS take a family

member or friend with you, it's another pair of eyes and

ears to watch over things. And ALWAYS check what nurses do,

don't ASSUME they know everything. They're understaffed.

My nurse was running 3-4 other patients, and only had one

assistant, an R.N. who seemed pretty clueless. Ergo, I ran

into trouble. Here's what happened to me:

I'm so glad I had my son with me. The infusion nurse

started a saline drip, then put my Lasix into the port in

the tubing, then began the blood. My son noticed about 5 or

so minutes later that the lower port where she had inserted

the Lasix was starting to drip blood. I called for the

nurse. She said, " oh, that happened because I put it in

with the needle. " She said she didn't usually do that. I'd

guess just a tablespoon or so of my donated blood was on the

floor. Why, oh, why did she decide to do it then? God

knows.

Anyway, she went and got new tubing and started the whole

thing over again. She left the room and was busy with other

patients. There was only one other nurse there, and she

seemed pretty useless. About 15 minutes or so later, my son

informed me that the bag was about 1/2 empty. I freaked and

immediately buzzed the nurse, who didn't come. So I got up

and looked for her, and she was about to come to me. She had

the drip rate set at 450!!! She was anxious to move the

blood through the new tubing, and so wanted to hurry it

along, but FORGOT to re-set the drip rate.

My blood pressure shot up to 138 or so, high for me. It had

been about 107. My pulse rate went up to about 115 from 90.

I was crying and freaking out that my poor heart couldn't

handle all that fluid. I told her she was killing me. For

all I know, the Lasix had dripped onto the floor along with

the blood. I implored her to give me more Lasix, and she

refused, saying that she would call the doctor if I got

worse. I took a Xanax pill to calm myself down. She re-set

the drip rate to much lower to 60. After about 10 minutes,

my b.p. did drop and I calmed down. Here, I had a half unit

of blood put in me in 30 minutes or less!! It was supposed

to have taken one hour! I told the nurse that from now on,

I'd have to watch her like a hawk.

So, my first unit went in, total, less than one hour. The

second unit I implored her to set the drip rate low. She

started the drip rate at 120. I thought I could trust this

nurse!! She's the most experienced transfusion nurse in the

unit, but Friday, she fell down on the job and nearly killed

me.

At least I know that my heart must be pretty strong. It was

extremely stressful. Medical people are only human and can

make mistakes that cost you your life! The best defense is a

good offense when you go into the hospital. Always learn

ahead of time what they're going to do to you, and what

drugs you're getting and how much and learn as much as you

can about the procedure, so that you can catch mistakes.

Learn inside out. Hell, mistakes are common by medical

people! Don't ASSUME that you'll be taken care of properly.

Ellen