PLEASE i am so scared

i am 38 yrs old..i went into sugery for a hysterectomy about 2 weeks ago..After sugery that night i felt as though an elsphant was standing on my chest and i could hardly breath..i kept telling the nurse and they still didn't call my doctor..They thought the blood pressure machine was broken, and still didn't..They finally called at 5 30 and when my doctor walked in i could see the fright in his eyes..he told me i was bleeding internally had lost half the blood in my body, needed a blood transfusion and had to be transferred to another hospitla because they did not have a cardiac until at this one and i was in cardiac arrest..I went to the other hospital and was given 6 untils of blood , went throught the cat scan and found out it was a small blood vessels that busted in my belly and i had been bleeding all night..He could not go back in because it would have killed me and it just clotted and once they gave me the blood my heart did well..My question is he said something about my level being a 6.. and that i should not have permanent damage on my heart..i see a heart doctor tommorrow morning..Any advice or information would be apprcieated..Thank you

[anacyde]

I'd sue that hospital.  That's completely beyond unacceptable.  OMG.

I don't understand the situation with your heart.  Cardiac arrest means your heart has stopped beating, and you're dead.  I'm sure losing that much blood put you in severe danger of dying until you were given blood and stabilized, but I'd try and get a clearer picture of what actually happened from a cardiac standpoint.  Get copies of all of your medical records, never go to THAT hospital again, and speak to someone legally once you're recovered.

I'm glad it doesn't look like your heart suffered any permanent damage, and I am so sorry you've been through so much.  No one should have to go through something like that.  Hang in there.  I wish you continued recovery and good health.

[fearfactor]

I agree...I am (almost) an attorney (gotta pass the bar) and I would definitely seek the advice of a good medical malpractice attorney on this one.  The nurses were negligent in not calling your doctor when you complained of chest pain.  I am glad you are doing better now.

[blan3556]

I am thinking that the level of 6 could possibly be you hemoglobin level which would have been low.  Also cardiac arrest is when it would have stopped so that was incorrect.  I am thinking the heart damage could have been caused by hypovolemic or cardiogenis shock, kinda like running a motor with no oil.  Your body would have compensated by vasoconstriction and sent all your remaining fluid to the heart and brain but there was still not enough so possibly some of the heart muscle went without o2, but that can be reversed.  As a nurse I feel that what happened was detestable.

[Barbarella]

Call the Louisiana Bar Association and ask them if they can give you names of malpractice lawyers who are working FOR the patients and NOT for the hospitals.

As far as not getting your records yet, this is pure B.S. EVRYTHING is computerized, and all your test results, illnesses, diagnosis, symptoms are entered into the computer on top of your records in the folder.  Soon there will be no more records in a folder and everything will be on the computer.

All your Cardiologist has to do is call the hospital/doctors and ask them to FAX your medical history to you including procedures, test results etc etc.  Don't let some clerk or nurse give you the "run around" as "not all completed yet", that is pur B.S. and DON'T believe it.  Its all in the computer, all they have to do is FAX it.  If they say they can't, then they are LYING to you.

Maybe some backwoods country doctor who still makes house calls and gets paid with fruit and vegetables from the patients farms does not enter his patients history in a computer, the rest DOES!  Don't let them give you the run around.  

Dictations in most hospitals are dictated by the doctors directly into the computer eliminating the need of a medical machine transcriptionist, and therefore the dictation/doctors report is even quicker in the computer system.

[road2recovery]

hi..thanks so mcuh for the response..i saw that you are going to be an attorney..Maybe you can give me some advice..Someone told me to be carefull because some attorney' work for the hospitals in this state( i am in louisiana) ..do you know is that true?? I really feel like this is a hugh malpractice issuse and really almost died , when all they had to do is call my doctor..i just called the hospital and asked for my medical records and they told me they are still incomplete..i told the lady that i had an appointment with the heart doctor at 9 in the morning and i needed something to bring him and would be there at 8 to pick it up..i think once she typed in my birthdate and probably saw what happened she just anwered ok..i am really just happy to be alive, i have 4 kids and one is just 7..But really feel they are responsible for all medical bills then and in the future.
thanks in advance

[road2recovery]

OMG--thanks for the responses..i could have got the cardiac arrest wrong and maybe he said stress..,my mother has contacted a lawyer , because i need to heal and still feel horrible..This is one of the nicest( or so i thought ) hospitals around here..it is where i had all my children..But never knew it did not have cardiac care, well not that it would have mattered because i never thought that would happen to me..i called for my records and the supervisor said it may take 3 weeks..My doctor on the other hand said it should not and that he will testify and do what he has to do to help me..i wil be 39 and he has been my doctor since i was 18 and he said i scared him and he thought he was going to lose me..Plus he told me the other hospital that i stayed at for 7 days will probably max out my major medical..i sure hope they have to pay for this, and i don't wish anyone to lose their jobs but those night nurses almost killed me.
thanks again so much- will let ya';ll know after my heart doc appt tommorrow

[fearfactor]

Some of the attorneys may be "crooked" but I think that is really rare.  Maybe find someone that doesn't live in your town, maybe that way you can be assured there won't be a conflict of interest.  Attorneys are ethically bound to keep your information you give them confidential and they can get in LOTS of trouble and even go to jail for not doing so.  I would just find someone you really trust and pursue this...good luck!