Re: Email Me Your Horror Stories

[Guest guest]

Hi Jimmy,

I think that your idea is a wonderful one. I have my own story to

tell, but I have to bring the episode back to my mind as I felt so

humilated by my treatment that I have blocked it out of my

psyche. My story is not as outrageous as many others, but it still

fits the category of gross negligence by the ER doctors.

However, we all must keep in mind that ERs do their best when

treating acute emergencies - not chronic conditions. By

definition, acute emergencies arise quickly and unexpectedly

and have visible signs and / or symptoms - usually easily

categorized, recognized and labled. When a patient comes in,

complaining of a chronic condition that shows no overt signs or

symptoms (other than pain) they are untrained and unskilled in

how to deal with it. Pain is not a disease, in the lexicon of

emergency medicine. Therefore there is no algorythm of care in

their key card index. If you were to access this index, you can

follow the yes / no boxes and arrows to the final conclusion of

" drug seeker " . This is inevitable in almost any textbook,

electronic prompter or other cheat sheets that are used in

emergency room care. The outliers, like CP patients, are so

unusual, that there are not any pathways in these cheat sheets

that take account of the validity of the pain situation encountered

in the CP patient. And that is how most emergency rooms work -

with patient profiling based on signs and symptoms, age, history

and presentation. They then try to fit this into the most likely

scenario and follow the arrows into the final diagnostic

conclusion or action to be taken. For 80 to 90 percent of the

patients (the bulge in the bell shape curve) this may lead to the

correct diagnosis and treatment, but for those that fall in the tails,

inappropriate and even harmful treatment results. I truly believe

that is why we are mistreated and looked on with suspicion:

because cookie cutter medicine (under the guise of the much

harolded " evidence based medicine " religion) does not take into

account the tail ends of the bell shaped curve.

Laurie

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

You are so right that cp patients do fall outside the norm for what ER docs are

trained to deal with. I do totally understand how they could think a cp patient

in the ER is simply a 'drug seeker'. However, when you have doctors that are

familar with you outside the ER telling the ER doctor that the patient is not

lying and is NOT a drug seeker, yet the ER doctor still chooses to think he

knows more about you than a doctor who has been your pcp for over 15 years, a GI

doctor that specializes in pancreas and liver problems and says that you are his

'most complex and unusual patient' and he's been treating you for over a year,

and an internal med doc that has been treating you for over 2 years and does not

question the validity of your complaint - I'd have to say the ER doctor most

likely has a 'God' complex and is basically just a jerk!

With all the complaining I've done in the past couple of days about 'bad' ER

experiences, I do have to say that by and large, I've had many more 'good'

experiences than bad. I have been treated by numerous ER doctors and nurses

that are now pretty familar with my case. They actually ask me what works best

for me. They give the pain, nausea med, and IV fluids time to work and even

with totally normal labs ask me if I feel like I need to be admitted or if I

want them to call one of my docs. Typically I do not complain about having to

wait hours to be treated. I know that you cannot expect to go to the ER and be

treated immediately if they have patients that are in danger. The majority of

the time, I am very patient (despite being in terrible pain and maybe even

puking several times while waiting my turn). I laugh most of the time instead

of crying and I don't ever complain if it takes more than one try to access my

port a cath. I know nurses and ER doctors work very hard and most are good,

kind, people who are trying to do their best to help you out. They can have bad

days just like the rest of us, so I typically try to cut them some slack.

However, there are a few that are just jerks and no matter what information you

provide them from any source, they are just going to think you come to the ER

because it's a fun place to party and get high on pain meds!

The ones that treat their patients with kindness, dignity, and respect have my

utmost appreciation. They are angels on this earth doing a job that is many

times thankless! They may not be properly rewarded on this earth, but I do

believe they will receive their rewards one day. I do try to always make it

known how much I appreciate even the smallest act of kindness and compassion

when I am at the ER or in the hospital.

W

[Guest guest]

Jimmy,

I have not had the problem with this occurrence yet, but I do agree and support

you in doing this. It is something that needs to be heard by the legislature.

Thank you for your attempt and wishing you the best with it. I have read some

of the horror stories on here, and hope Congress and the Senate get an

understanding of this disease. I feel for those that experience this, and know

I might can eventually expect this to happen to me as well.

Loretta Greer

TN

Have a good day and God Bless!

Mt 17:20 -

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you,

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,

Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be

impossible unto you

Have a good day and God Bless!

Mt 17:20 -

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you,

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,

Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be

impossible unto you