Lucky he was constipated, or he'd be dead

[adventure_rn]

After lurking on this site for years I just joined last week, and I have to say, you guys tell the best stories!!!

So, I'm wondering: Has anybody had patients who probably would have died if they didn't happen to be in the hospital for a completely unrelated complaint?

Had an elderly patient years ago in the ED to rule out small bowel obstruction. Came from a nursing home, had a 'touch' of pneumonia (whatever that means) for which he was already taking antibiotics. X-rays showed that his 'bowel obstruction' was simply constipation and gas. About to get discharged, waiting for transportation back to the facility, hanging out eating a ham sandwich, and BAM, he codes.

After twenty minutes of resuscitation, he's up to the ICU. Apparently he had a systemic inflammatory response related to his pneumonia. The poor resident nearly wet himself, and kept saying over and over, "I don't know how I missed it!" Not sure if the patient ever made it home, but I'm certain that he wouldn't have survived if he hadn't coincidentally been in the ED with bad gas! Blows my mind to this day.

[Twinmom06, ASN, APN]

had a post partum pt become SOB after having the baby - CXR showed large thymus tumor in her chest. Last I knew she was doing ok after several rounds of chemo

[SwansonRN]

My dad went to the ED for back pain after falling down the stairs. He got scanned and they found a couple of broken ribs and a very enlarged prostate. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with prostate CA a few weeks later. I'm glad it was noticed (Lord knows my dad would not have gotten it checked otherwise!) and he is now getting treatment and hanging in there :)

[nursemeanie]

We had a kid with an extremity injury mention occasional shortness of breath. Doctor ordered a chest xray for completeness sake and there was a large mass in the chest

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Had a healthy postpartum mom s/p primary cesarean section get a post-op CBC with crazy WBC numbers. Diagnosed a week later with leukemia. Took care of her sister in labor a couple years later and learned she had died.

I had a patient we did a BMT on who was diagnosed with leukemia during labor. She had a normal CBC a few weeks prior. Had to have a cesarean. She died after 6 months of horrid disease.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I had another patient who went to campus health with blurry vision. She had a retinal bleed. Got diagnosed with ALL that afternoon. I guess that's not the same since that actually was a symptom of the ALL, not an unrelated symptom.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

It was during the work-up for my knee replacement that they found my breast cancer. PCP says, "Since you're here, let's check off this box and get your mammo done now because you're not going to feel like doing it while you're recovering from a knee replacement." Mammo found breast tumor which put the kabash on the knee replacement.

I've had more than one patient for heart surgery because they failed the work-up for some other surgery . . . at least a couple a month.

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

My dad went to the ER C/O an earache. His glucose was in the 600's. That night he got diagnosed with type II diabetes. Crazy !

[bagladyrn, RN]

My brother was taken to the hospital after having a seizure and gashing his head on the street. After admission he was dx'd first with Type 2 diabetes (also way above 700), hypertension, and when exam showed enlarged lymph nodes - chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Of course he is one of those single males who would never see a doctor.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Well, my mom went to the ER one day with a severe headache, and found out she had a brain tumor.

Sadly this happens a lot..

I was pretty sure my husband had a clot in his R. Leg a few years ago. After a work up turns out he has degenerative disc disease. Sciatica was causing the intense leg pain.

[BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN]

I took my husband to the ER for right shoulder and upper quadrant pain. His doctor and I both believed it was his gallbladder and ordered a CT. Well, his GB was full of stones all right, but that wasn't his major malfunction---he had pancreatic CA with mets to the liver and spine. Stage IV, no less. He's still with us, but he wouldn't have been if we hadn't gone to the ER when we did.

This story is ridiculously similar to how my pastor was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer as well. RUQ pain and gallbladder scan only to show spots on liver and spot on pancreas. One week later he was diagnosed and two weeks later he started chemo. That was 4 months ago. We're hoping to keep him around as long as possible and he's responding very well to the treatment.

[BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN]

Recently had a patient who coded in the doctor's office attached to our hospital. She was in for a preventative work up and went into V-Fib from non-STEMI. Thankfully we were able to get her back into rhythm and send her out for post-cardiac care.

[nynursey_]

I've had a handful of patients in with AMS with suspected UTI and it turned out they all had aggressive glioblastomas.