A few weeks ago, I was admitted to one of the Big Three hospitals in this small town...meaning it has tons of satellite physician offices all over. I am also looking for a job and there are not many opportunities here as in a bigger city.
This is what happened: I took a break from working out, and then went to the gym and started a heavy training programme including deep squats with weights. I had been lifting previously, and didn't think much to go right back to it. The burn in my legs was immediate, but I just thought I was really kicking some butt in the gym and I kept pressing on through the pain, doing super sets, etc.
By the next day, I was having trouble walking, way more than typical soreness after working out. Two days later I noticed my urine was a little bit brown. My dog jumped up on me and it felt like I had gotten hit with a baseball bat.
I managed to drive to the ER, which is really within walking distance, but I was having trouble walking. I told them I suspected I had rhabdomyalysis, and eventually I was admitted.
Almost immediately, things started to go wrong. The nurse insisted on a straight-cath, which I protested because I am prone to UTI and because the standard cath is too big for my urethra. I would have needed help to the restroom, but I could have provided a specimen. They refused to help and cath'd me. My urethra bled bright red, obviously painful. I gave the list of my home meds. All were immediately discontinued except for Topamax. One of them was clonazepam. By the third day in the hospital without the clonazepam, I was getting panicky and starting to vomit.
Meanwhile, not being able to walk well, I had to wait for help to the restroom. They would say someone was coming and I could literally wait hours before anyone showed up. I resorted to hanging onto my IV pole and dragging myself to the restroom. During the night shift, I saw the nurse twice. My IV fluids, which were essential to flushing my kidneys, ran dry for 12 hours. When they did run, two IV sites infiltrated and I called and asked for a nurse to come take out the IV because fluids were swelling under my skin. A solid hour passed...I could go on and on about the shortcomings, how I could hear them giving report on every patient because of their voices and my room location, but mainly my anger is because I will have a huge hospital bill and very substandard care. Essentially, while I had no fluids, I was getting no medical help at all.
Sorry for this long post.
I just wonder if I should address this with someone in the hospital?
I'm sorry, Sunny, I posted before I looked at your thread history, you are quite clearly a nurse. Please forgive me for questioning you. I am truly sorry. I stand by my statements that I am a patient advocate, but I also have been a patient, and the daughter of a patient, and know how we can all succumb to influences of the "white coats," whatever form they take, when we are scared and intimidated for ourselves and our families.
Again, I apologize, and once again, I am so sorry for the awful experience that you had.
Lesson to me: listen (read) more, speak (write) less....
Apples&Oranges
171 Posts
I'm sorry, Sunny, I posted before I looked at your thread history, you are quite clearly a nurse. Please forgive me for questioning you. I am truly sorry. I stand by my statements that I am a patient advocate, but I also have been a patient, and the daughter of a patient, and know how we can all succumb to influences of the "white coats," whatever form they take, when we are scared and intimidated for ourselves and our families.
Again, I apologize, and once again, I am so sorry for the awful experience that you had.
Lesson to me: listen (read) more, speak (write) less....