Jerry, question about UNC Chapel Hill Hospital

[Guest guest]

Jerry,

I have been living in Fayetteville, NC since the end of February. I

had a total pancreatectomy/autoislet cell transplant done in May 2003.

Since then I have had good times and bad times, the bad times nearly

as bad as having a messed up pancreas. Plus now I am prone to psycho

blood sugars.

The hospital in Fayetteville is Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and it

is the only hospital in the county for civilians. Wait times when

critical and triaged as critical can be 12 hours are routinely 6

hours. Even if you come by ambulance you wait 4 hours at least. Then

you often get a " doctor " who is so overburdened they just don't care.

And they have no clue about me. I am the only person in this shape

they have ever treated. Treated. Haha that is a good one.

I have had it, I had some bad spells recently, near DKA twice and

severe pain in the empty pancreas spot. They ICU'd me once and not the

other time. But the doctors were incapable of doing a thing for me;

they had no idea what to do. But at least the ICU nurses were awesome.

The admitting doctor thought I was drug seeking (I was for good

reason, pain that kills) so she only prescribed .5 mg of dialudid

every 4 hours. LOL. One ICU nurse put her job on the line but she said

her crew had her back. She used the full vials and gave me 2 mgs every

four. Anyhow I don't want people to put their jobs on the line just to

give me decent compassionate care. The nurses suggested I skip this

place and go to Chapel Hill citing that even if takes me 1.5 hours to

get there that is a drop in the bucket in the wait time at Cape Fear.

My question is, do they have anyone up there with a clue about the

pancreas and post-pancreatectomy issues? Do they have pain management

teams? What is the wait time in the ER before you get back to see a

doctor? How quickly do they move to treat you? (at Cape Fear, you can

get back to an exam room, and wait two more hours for a doctor, they

then order labs and wait for them (1.5 hours) before they do anything.

You could be rolling around screaming and passing out, they just pull

the curtains).

Any info is greatly appreciated!

Hope you are having a happy, healthy day.

Thanks,

Bert Bolin

[Guest guest]

Bert, I tried to send you one response, but it got all bollixed up. I'll try

again. First of all, thanks for asking, but no I am not any better.

UNC Chapel Hill is a good ER. I have never waited more than two hours and my

fastest time has been 15 minutes from signing in to getting a bed. The best

time to go is in the morning, but pain does not always keep to a schedule.

UNC has taken Demerol out of the their formulary. If that is your preferred

drug, don't go there. You can't get it.

Have you tried hospitals in Raleigh/Cary? DO NOT GO TO WESTERN WAKE in Cary.

Western Wake is terrible. Just Awful. I got to Rex if I know I don't have to

be admitted. It's a good ER. They take you rather quickly, they do have

Demerol, and their staff is pretty good.

Hope that helps.

Jerry/NC

*****************************

>

> Jerry,

>

> I have been living in Fayetteville, NC since the end of February. I

> had a total pancreatectomy/autoislet cell transplant done in May 2003.

> Since then I have had good times and bad times, the bad times nearly

> as bad as having a messed up pancreas. Plus now I am prone to psycho

> blood sugars.

>

> The hospital in Fayetteville is Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and it

> is the only hospital in the county for civilians. Wait times when

> critical and triaged as critical can be 12 hours are routinely 6

> hours. Even if you come by ambulance you wait 4 hours at least. Then

> you often get a " doctor " who is so overburdened they just don't care.

> And they have no clue about me. I am the only person in this shape

> they have ever treated. Treated. Haha that is a good one.

>

> I have had it, I had some bad spells recently, near DKA twice and

> severe pain in the empty pancreas spot. They ICU'd me once and not the

> other time. But the doctors were incapable of doing a thing for me;

> they had no idea what to do. But at least the ICU nurses were awesome.

> The admitting doctor thought I was drug seeking (I was for good

> reason, pain that kills) so she only prescribed .5 mg of dialudid

> every 4 hours. LOL. One ICU nurse put her job on the line but she said

> her crew had her back. She used the full vials and gave me 2 mgs every

> four. Anyhow I don't want people to put their jobs on the line just to

> give me decent compassionate care. The nurses suggested I skip this

> place and go to Chapel Hill citing that even if takes me 1.5 hours to

> get there that is a drop in the bucket in the wait time at Cape Fear.

>

> My question is, do they have anyone up there with a clue about the

> pancreas and post-pancreatectomy issues? Do they have pain management

> teams? What is the wait time in the ER before you get back to see a

> doctor? How quickly do they move to treat you? (at Cape Fear, you can

> get back to an exam room, and wait two more hours for a doctor, they

> then order labs and wait for them (1.5 hours) before they do anything.

> You could be rolling around screaming and passing out, they just pull

> the curtains).

>

> Any info is greatly appreciated!

>

> Hope you are having a happy, healthy day.

>

> Thanks,

> Bert Bolin

>

[Guest guest]

Jerry,

Thanks for the reply. It helped a lot. I can't take demerol as I have

an allergy to it. UNC Chapel Hill sounds like a good place to go. I

have gotten so sick of hospitals that whenever I go to the ER things

are bad enough I consisently get admitted. I guess I should go sooner,

but you know that run around, and that bad feeling that you are a

burden. And God forbid the silly fools that say you are drug seeker.

To attempt to prove that I am not addicted I gave up home pain meds. I

have been free of home meds since October 18, 2004. But the doctors

just think I am lying to them. So a new place, a new chance at some

kind of care.

Thanks,

Bert/NC

[Guest guest]

If I wuz you, Bert, I'd go to Rex Hospital in Raleigh. They don't have a

pancreatic specialist that I know of, but they always treat me well and give

me what I need. It may be closer for you anyway. Maybe not. If you can get

straight up 15-501from FayetteNam, Chapel Hill will be closer.

Jerry/NC

*****************************

>

> Jerry,

>

> Thanks for the reply. It helped a lot. I can't take demerol as I have

> an allergy to it. UNC Chapel Hill sounds like a good place to go. I

> have gotten so sick of hospitals that whenever I go to the ER things

> are bad enough I consisently get admitted. I guess I should go sooner,

> but you know that run around, and that bad feeling that you are a

> burden. And God forbid the silly fools that say you are drug seeker.

> To attempt to prove that I am not addicted I gave up home pain meds. I

> have been free of home meds since October 18, 2004. But the doctors

> just think I am lying to them. So a new place, a new chance at some

> kind of care.

>

> Thanks,

> Bert/NC

>

[Guest guest]

Jerry,

Yeah I would evacuate FayetteNam and head towards Sanford, take a

short cut and be on 15-501 in no time. 'sides not having a pancreas

seems to be what freaks people out. So knowing there is a

pancreatologist helps.

Thanks,

Hey maybe we can share an IV sometime hehe =-)

Bert