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Despite my wonderful charm and influence, I found myself inside an ER again. And while I may be getting up in years to some, I am still a vital person. Unfortunately, I fell on my leg a week ago Saturday. It developed some SERIOUS pain and swelling. By Tuesday, I could hardly walk. Decision time. My experiences with hospitals in general and the ones around here have been like night and day, the ones here being the night side. This particular ER is new to me since we avoid places that used to be bandaid stations in the expectation that they still might be that. It was where the ambulance dropped me off.
The doc there was pretty good, seemed like a nice guy, seemed to have a clue what’s up. After the check in, I was treated to a few xrays to see if I had a broken leg. Nope. Then they wanted blood. Now I have to admit that my veins are a nightmare to some people. They roll, collapse and every other thing possible. It makes blood draws such a nice thing to go through. They tell me that this girl that looks like she belongs in high school applying acne care products instead of trying to start an IV in me is something of an expert at this. Wrong. She blew it. Someone finally started one in my left hand which, by the way, hurts a lot. Usually they don’t once they are in. So what I have is one on one side putting in an IV and the other side is someone taking blood. Nice.
They give me an IV of antibiotics because the doc says I have cellulitis which is an infection of the skin and muscle tissues. Then they give me a pain killer. Not bad. I was sort of out of it for a while. The doc finally comes in and lets me know he can’t justify me staying in the hospital even overnight. The agony of this infection is awesome. At home, I can hardly walk to the bathroom and back, at no time without help. And they want me to go home. The bed they put me in cannot go down enough for me to put my foot on the ground. When they get me up to shoo me away, I have to step down over a FOOT to the floor. The incompetence screams at me.
Eventually, we went to get the prescriptions at the local pharmacy to the hospital. We lived about 30-35 miles away and would not get home in time to get them filled there. While the doc wrote out a prescription we could not get, my husband was inside getting someone to call the doc back. Took 45 minutes. I was sitting in the car in shorts, tshirt and shoes. It was 40 degrees. Nice. Now I have a nurse coming out a couple times a week.
I cannot tell you how much I am beginning to hate living where I do. The reality is that I used to like it here when there were no medical issues. But now……….Just a small clue. Even if you do not have medical issues, check out what is around you. Make sure when the time comes, you have adequate and hopefully more than adequate medical care.
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2 Comments
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I’m sorry to hear that, hope you are feeling better. I HATE the hospital, I refuse to go. The last time I was there was for a gastroscopy and the nurse who did my IV was ridiculous. Couldn’t get the vein and it took literally 10-15 minutes poking me with a needle (I hate needles) to find one… I had to tell her she better take everything out while I was still under so I wouldn’t have to be awake for it. Feel better, regards!
Yes, there are problems with trying to get my veins to cooperate so it takes a certain type of person who is really good at their job to do mine. I absolutely refuse to deal with people who do that little vein search deal. That hurts too much. Usually, they want to do this is the hand which is much more painful than the arm anyway. But searching is forbidden. If they can’t find it first go, they are done. I don’t put up with that anymore.
The one thing I learned years ago that has kept me going pretty well is that you CAN say NO! and they have to accept that.
Thanks for your comments!!