The Real ER - Day 1
UPDATE: I jsut called in, it's 10:35 am, she was admited just around midnight, they didnt get her into a room until 10:05am.
I tried calling in a few hours ago, before I finally managed to fall asleep someitmes between six and seven I think, and thye didnt have her in a room yet, and no status update.
The charge nurse couldnt tell me anything because her orders and charts werent even with her, they were being updated. I talked to my mother directly and she was begging me to come get her and take her home, but I told her I couldnt until they told me I could. She said they told her she could go home, but I told her the nurse said they didnt have her orders yet, and that I counldnt even visit her until they were updated, in 15-30 minutes.
It's all about their system, the patients are just an inconvenience that get in the way.
Oh well, I guess I'm just lucky the nurse told me anything at all, without a singed release and a frikken DNA test.
UPDATE: 11:05, and I jsut got of the phone with the nurse again. Her order s JUST got there, and they are sticking her now for more pain control. The Dr. wont be in to see her for at least another half hour, maybe an hour, and we won't know anything til then...
UPDATE: Noon, and no dr, and her pain is getting worse. They havent fed her either because they can't get someone to write the orders.
UPDATE: My mother started freaking out around 2 oclock, and saying that she was going to walk out. I called the nurses again, an no-one had seen to her pain, becuase no doctor had seen her to order it. The pain and the nausea had come back full force; and she said if I didn't come and pick her up, she would walk out on her own.
So I went down there, got in around 3 o'clock, and the Dr JUST WALKED IN THE DOOR FOR THE FIRST TIME, after I arrived.
So from about 11 the night before, until 3pm the next day, she hadn't recieved the proper medication, and no Dr. had seen her.
Of course my mtoher was yelling this whole time that she wasnt going to stay, that shed rather be at home etc... which got us into another fight. The Dr. was a young (younger than me) indain woman who spoke with an accent so thick I couldnt understand her, and I work with indians CONSTANTLy in my business.
My mother kicked her out, said she wouldnt see her etc..
Anyway a whole thing happened; and I just lost it on the charge nurse and the Dr. and they called security on me. I wasn't yelling or screaming, but I have what you might call a creative control of tone, presence, and verbal invective. I have made grown men cry before, and I RIPPED that woman a new one... the little arrogant incompetent god complex bitch.
NOTE: I actually have a complaint to make; while I'm sure there are some great indian doctors, and I know some TECHNICALLY great indian doctors, I personally have NEVER met an indian or pakistani dr. who didnt have a HORRIBLE bedside manner. They are almost univerally even MORE arrogant , condescending, and offensive than Drs already are. I think it's a bi-product of the Indian education system, because that same arrogance and condescension is pretty common among the engineers, and consultant I work with as well.
After that, they actually did something. They got her meds right away, and got some diagnositc going, talked to her other dr's, got her neurologist on the line etc... but it actually took intimidation to do it.
They went to scheduLE her MRI and MRA, and a spinal tap, and said "I hope we can get it done today".
I went and picked my brother up to bring him to the hospital (he doesnt drive), then dropped him home at about 6, and went to my final job interview. I called my mom up before I got there and asked her i they told her when they'd do the MRI, and she said they hadn't told her yet.
At least they finally fed her.
Finally, after the job interview (which went AMAZINGLY btw, I'm expecting an offer in the next day or two), I called my mom, and she said it would be tomorrow afternoon until she had her MRI.
She's so damned scared, and angry, and in pain...
There's nothing I hate more than being helpless, with the people I love in pain...
