My week in the hospital....so sad

[Guest guest]

Ok -

I had the epidural injection last week. Started feeling like a

spinal headach was happening (which it was...is) and I was adviced

to go the emergency room since my pain mgm. dr was out of town and

he does not have " back-up " . THey said call my nuerologist and he

could help. He met me in the ER, said no doubt I needed a blood

patch done to reliev this unbelievable pain, si he admitted me into

ht hospital. One whole day and night I didnt se him again. Like

clock work 3 hrs. big pain shot. then the nurse wqould be leave.

At one point I asked if they could asked my Dr. about the nausea and

see if he could give something since I had not eaten in four days

sincxe the headach was so bad, the meds were going in IV and dumping

on an empty stomach. HE NEVER called them. SO, many more hours

clicked by. Earlier in the day before I was admitted and still in

the ER, he ordered a caffiene drip to help the headache...IT was

equal to 15 cups of coffee, they gave me an ativan to help with

rapid heart beat, but...needless to say it did nothing but keep me

awake in excrutiated pain every time I moved my head. Well day 2

came...for 8 hrs. I saw no Dr. only nurses with the pain med every

three hours. Well, my Iv had by this time been burning up my arm

and it " blew " rash and fever set in. FINALLY, the nurse was so sad

when she saw the pain was worse and I was nervous,, she told me the

Dr. had changed his mind and did not want to take responsibility for

doing or finding an anesthitioliogist to do the blood patch. I

freaked. I was in big pain, I was tiered, hungry and noe so upset,

I started bawling like a baby. HystericaLly (ha) 40 yr. old

woman...crying her eyes out!

My husband got a sitter for the kids rushed up there to help. We

got a patient advocate and they helped. BUT, I still got a 100mg

shot of Demerol in the butt sent home and am here to suffer because

a spinal headache cause by spinal fliuid leak does not go away

alone. My pain Dr. will not be back until Tuesday. Nice, huh. We

stayed in the hospital with no Dr. overseeing me......but no one

told me. FINALLY the nuero called me on the phone and I was crying,

he acted like I was having an anxiety atack (very condecending), I

told him what I thought. He " couldn't " see what the problem was and

actually told me to go on home and if the pain got worse to go to

hte ER again. I told him...I did what he said, I went to he ER, the

PAIN IS WORSE< and here I am...So, exactly what would the benfit of

me coming up to this hospital again for this problem be????so, I

could sit alone, scared with no Dr.

Well, we talked to the head of the hospital, we talked to the head

of the staff, we talked to the Patient advocate, and I am feeling

pretty lousy, but I am not done with stringing this guy from one

line to anohter. I am NOT paying fo any of his services, we are

talking to the Ins. company to tell them of the wasted day nd night

and next day with nothing to dowith my health occuring.

If you can believe this, I have lost 50 lbs in 9 monhts with

deligent efforts, overseen by my endocronoligist. I needed to lose

the weight I had gained when my thyroid stopped working. The Dr.s

never tendwed to me, but three people from the nutritional dept.

came by to express their concern over my weight loss...was it

intentional or did I have an eating disorder. OH MY GOSH! Can you

believe it. I said yes, it was intentional, no I dont have an

eating disorder and to leave me alone. Holy cow! Then a dietician

came in to my room with concerns that I had " denied " my evening meal

and breakfast. I lost it and told her that was because, NO ONE HAD

BROUGHT IT OT ME>>>oh well then they rushed in with some food.

What a nightmare. I insisted that the Dr. discharge me immediately

to my husbandss care, NOT to attempt to contact me, since I had

absolutly NO faith in his ability, and I wanted enough medication in

a shot to get me through a painful night at home.

i am still hurting severly, as well as bloated from the 5 1/2 bags

of saline (uneeded for so long) that was pumped into mesince there

was no Dr. supetvision to cahnge or fix any of the orders.

The staff and nurses are appalled and were very assuring that this

was highly erroneous behavior from a physician. THey adviced us to

continue forward with pursing him. WHa5tever that means.

I am still in need of a blood patch to stop the spinal leak, but I

am petrified to do another thing.

I am a medically educated woman due to my lupus and medical

background...but even I was upset and terrified at the situation.

WHat happens to those folks who don't know what is going on? The

elderly, or those who simply trust their Dr. without question.

oh well, I have to lie down as these headaches get worse when

sitting up. I will check in later.