Emergency Room Horror Srories

   First and most I want to thank yoa all for not forgetting about about me and sending your good thoughts and wishes. I do see my onc tomorrow morning so hopefully we can figure out what is going on.
   I HATE the hospital in the small town that I live in. I quit doctoring here years before I got sick because of situations just like I have been through the past couple of weeks. But if it is a real emergency, whats a gal to do?
   I went to our local ER about 11 pm on Sat nite with severe lower back pain that slowly shifted to the front (my lower right abdominal area) I laid in an exam room (shared by another patient behind the screen) for an hour before anyone even came in to see me. Needless to say the people on the other side were getting rather ticked off due to the fact that I was left lying there and no one was doing a thing. A Dr finally came in and asked me all of the dumb questions that they asked, where it hurt, poked me in the side and left. About another half hour passed before a nurse came in and gave me a shot of turidel which she said "might" help with the pain. As I was aslo complaining of shortness of breath, they also finally came in and gave me some oxygen. A while later another nurse came in to take me to have some x-rays done; OF MY CHEST! A little later some blood was drawn. By then the pain medsthey gave me were startring to wear off and I was right back where I started. I was finally able to get them to give me another shot, this time of numinol (?). At one point my sister asked the Dr if he was going to call my Dr and he asked "what for?" It was not much longer before a nurse came in and said I could go home. When the Dr came back in he said he had no idea what the problem was. After looking at the test results,(blood, urine, chest xrays) and his exam he could find nothing. What exam? Since when did a poke in the side with your first finger become an exam? Boy when I think of all the exams I have given in my lifetime....
   Anyway, I was told to continue taking my vicoden as they now had everything under control. And the vicoden is a whole different story. I had seen this same Dr one night last week and on both occasions he was obssesed about me taking vicoden. Why do I have them, what do I use them for, how often do I take them. He came across as though he thought I was abusing them or something.
  This is the second Dr I have seen in the ER in as many weeks and they are both pretty much the same. Even when my Dr has called ahead and tolf them I was coming.
   That is the reputation that this hospital has and why many people in my are go else where for medical help. I consider my self so lucky that it was another Dr who found my cancer in the first place because I hinestly feel that if I had had to rely on the Drs here, I would have been gone before they realised what it was.

   A lot of you know how I push to find a Dr elsewhere if you are getting satisfactory results from the one you are seeing and this is exactly why. I am feeling much better today and am home from my moms. I go to Effingham in the morning and will let you all know what I found out. Oh and I have also cut down on the pain meds as I do not need them like I did.

  I did find out last week that my CA is still dropping, down to 994 now. And my latest CT scan showed that a few lymph nodes and the lesions in my liver were larger, but not significantly. I also got the computer problems laid to rest, knock on wood. I ended up having to replace my tower. So hopefully I will be back and running in no time.
  I love you all and have missed you so much. Hopefully now I can get back to normal.
    Love Chris

[TrudieC]

Ah, Chris, what a nightmare!  I actually moved because of the bad hospital in the small town where I lived.  I was having a miscarriage and they refused to give me anything for pain and forced the poor young teenager in the room with me to have to listen to my crying and pain all night!  My Mom also has a lot of horror stories of that hospital.

So glad you are home and that the pain is under control.  We have really missed you.  Welcome back!

Love, Trudie

[marie3B]

I am glad that you are doing better.  Back when I used to work in the hospital if a person came through the ER and they couldn't find and fix the problem, they were admitted to the hospital and stayed until all was well.  Can you tell that was a long time ago????  LOL  Now you go in and they pretty much just say "Call your doc in the morning"  and send you home in the same shape you started.  Also glad your computer is replaced.  I was lost when mine was broken.  Love, Marie

[cirella]

Chris, I'm so sorry you've been through all that!  I hope you can get some results at the bigger hospital.

What you need is some Damitol!  ; )

Love ya.

[ireneo]

So glad to hear you're home and feeling better. It's never any fun going to ER. And it's nothing like the TV program where people are rushing around helping patients. It's just lay around and wait, hope someone remembers you're there.

Will be waiting to hear what you find out tomorrow. And I love that medicine cirella mentioned. We need more of that. :-)

[Tybear]

Oh Chris...man, it sounds like you and I have been doing the same thing lately! I've been in and out of emerg too, although I had a room to myself :)  (although they did have to sit a crazy lady in a chair outside my door because it was right beside the nurses station...that was fun!)
I think we all have one story or another we could contribute to this...I waited all night and day last week in emerg for a procedure to be done and while I was hopping onto the operating table, then and only then did they tell me I wasn't having any sedation! I tell you I think I flew back onto my stretcher...how could they make me wait that long only to leave me like that? I was ready to strangle someone...
I'm sorry you haven't been feeling so great lately. Our board seems to be taking quite the hit it seems..
Wishing you some better days ahead!
Love ya,
Becky

[Sandymac]

Oh brother !! That IS a horror story.. but I'm glad you're home and feeling better. Hoping for the best when you go to Effingham. (Love that name).. sounds like something out of a nursery rhyme. I really do wonder why ERs are the same no matter where in the world you are? Just dreadful ! Keep in touch and be well!

Love,
Sandy

[fungirl1011]

Chris  you poor thing.  I can't believe how the Dr at the ER treated you.  Thank God it was nothing like your appendix rupturing or anything.  I am so glad that you are feeling better though.  Just know that you are in my prayers and thoughts.  Can't wait to see what you find out from Dr. Dee tomorrow.  Love ya, Kasie

[jane65]

Dear Chris,
You've really had a terribly rough time, I hope all that is in the past.
We've really missed you here as everyone said, and we're so glad you and your computer are feeling better.
I'm so glad you're seeing your oncologist tomorrow to get an answer about what's going on. What ever it is you'll know what you're dealing with, and how to fix it.
Be well and feel better!
jane

[JC145]

Chris,
So glad you are back on line and so sorry for the inept care in your area. Here's hoping for better days ahead.  God Bless Ya ...

Judy

[dawnlyn]

I am so glad you are doing better....Your hometown ER sounds like ours here.....I keep hoping ours will get it together......It sounds like you are on the road to getting some answers....I really hope so.....

I am glad computer is working, it is awful when the dumb thing decides not to work the way we want....lol.... My sons help me out in this department....teenagers are the best.....

I will be waiting and hoping you get good results from doctor tomorrow....Let me know.

Love, Dawnlyn

[nyc lady]

Do we blame the hospitals, insurance...or both.  The care is horrible no matter where you go...I'm not in a small city and can tell you the treatment in the ER isn't much different here, oh the wait is probably longer.....much longer.

Hope you get some answers tomorrow...and hoping your CA 125 continues to drop.

Love,
Pam

[lvfrogs]

Chris, so sorry to hear about your treatment at the ER. It is such a shame that in this day and age, with all the technology available and training, that we even have these situations in ER's. I hate going to the ER. Once I had to take my 6 yr. old son with severe burns to his feet and they made us WAIT! Everyone in that ER was so upset and asked them to take my son first, before themselves.
I hope that you will get answers at your doctor appt and please let us know when you can. Miss you!! Colleen

[ladyjogger31]

Hi Chris, glad to see you are home. What a horrible experience you had. Praying that you have better success at the big hospital.
Love, Terry

[gma718]

Thinking about you and hoping and praying you are going to continue to feel better...I get so mad when I hear stories like yours with the ER...I can't stand it!!! What kind of Doctors and staff do they hire??? I cant figure it out....they dont care if you sit there all day and they dont care how much pain a person is in...it really infuriates me...I may not post as much as I used to but I am always here reading posts and checking on everyone....sending you loads of prayers and anxiously awaiting how you makeout at the Oncologist...Gia xoxo