F BOMB - update

CMGragain

FUCK!  FUCK!  FUCK!  FUCK!  FUCK!  FUCK!  FUCK!

I think you will agree that THIS is an appropriate use of that word.

Threw up Monday morning.  My oncologist sent me back to the hospital.  After a very long wait, a surgeon removed nine inches of cancerous bowel.  So much for our trip to Japan. 

I'll be in the hospital probably through the weekend.  It has not been a pleasant experience.  I have been quite vocal about my treatment, and hospital administration has been in and out of my room today.  Pray for my nurses!

Jen4948

I'm sorry to hear about all this. Hugs and prayers for you and your caregivers.

missfrodo

I'm so sorry you're going through this!  My thoughts are with you, your family, and all those hospital staff that are going to get their asses chewed out to make sure you get the care you need.

holyguacamole79

Oh, CMG ... so many hugs and prayers for a smooth recovery.  

MobKaz

I'm so sorry to hear this.  I cannot imagine, nor do I want to imagine, what you are going through both medically and emotionally with the loss of this long awaited trip.

I will absolutely be lifting you and your family up in my prayers.

WinstonsGirl

So sad to hear about this, and your trip too!!  Fuck cancer

ei34

So sorry!  F cancer indeed 

MairePoppy

I'm sorry for the dreadful news, CMGr. Prayers for you and your family. 

OurWildKingdom

Oh no! Sending healing vibes your way!

lovesclimbing

I'm so sorry you're going through this.  Praying you're out of there soon!

ILoveBeachMusic

Praying and thinking of you. So sorry about the poor treatment and your trip!

ahoywedding

Oh no!! I'm so sorry to hear this!

Also, if you're unhappy about how you're being treated, say something while you're there so it can be addressed immediately! (Former hospital nurse, hated getting surveys back when we could have done something at the time to address the patient's concerns)

CharmedPam

so sorry that happened @CMGragain, yes the proper use of the word was used

short+sassy

(((Hugs))), I am so, so sorry and sad to hear that.  I know how much you all had been looking forward to that trip.  I hope your recovery for this latest medical blow goes smoothly.  Damn cancer to hell.

MissKittyDanger

Fuck indeed!

downtondiva

*hugs* I'm so sorry. 

ernursej

ahoywedding said:

Oh no!! I'm so sorry to hear this!

Also, if you're unhappy about how you're being treated, say something while you're there so it can be addressed immediately! (Former hospital nurse, hated getting surveys back when we could have done something at the time to address the patient's concerns)

100% agree with this.

I'm sorry that you are going through this and I hope that you end up getting the care you need and deserve.

charlotte989875

That really sucks CMG. All the good thoughts to you. 

CMGragain

I just got home from the hospital.  The surgeon removed the large tumor that was blocking my small intestine along with 8 or 9 inches of intestine, and there are two more tumors that are very small that are still there.  I will be starting a new chemo regimen soon directed towards shrinking those.

We are really fortunate that this did not happen while we were in Japan!  The cruise ship would have assumed that my vomiting was caused by the Noro-virus, (They are crazy worried about that!) and locked me in my cabin for a few days.  Then I would have been taken off the ship into whatever the next port in Japan was.  Much better to be home where I know the doctors.

We are disappointed about the trip, but because we bought trip insurance that covers pre-existing medical conditions, we won't have a financial loss.  I have a few new scars to add to my collection.  I'm too old to wear crop tops, anyway. 

The problem at the hospital was COMMUNICATION, training, and hospital policy.  The ON-Q pain pump that delivered my pain medication was on low batteries.  It beeped and stopped working.  At 5:30 AM the staff had no idea what to do.  A special key was needed to access that batteries, and nobody knew where it was.  The excuse given to me by the supervisor was "This almost never happens!"
Nope.  Not good enough.  Someone needs to check those batteries regularly and not put faulty equipment out on the floor with a patient.  Finally, after 45 minutes, someone found the key and changed the batteries.

I have been on strong anti-depressants for years.  Current one is new, called Viibyrd.  I entered the hospital on Monday AM, and was given a stomach tube in my nose.  Late Tuesday night, the busy surgeon stayed late to do my surgery. Now it is Wednesday, and the hospital is refusing to give me my medication because it is in my pill container, not the prescription bottle.  The surgeon said he had said that I could take personal meds with a sip of water, but nobody wrote it down, so nobody would follow it.  I telephoned my psychiatrist (whom I usually see once a year for med evaluation), and she was furious!  She offered to come to the hospital and give it to me herself.  This is not a medication that you can stop cold turkey for 4 days, and I was showing the effects.  It turned out that the pharmacy actually already had my meds from last week.  They just misfiled them because I was in twice in the last two weeks and couldn't find them.  Total stay = ten days.

NOW, I started making a fuss.  Hospital administration was very concerned and there was a path of VIP administrators in and out of my room all day.  I think the nurses were all terrified of me, and I may have gotten someone fired.  After that, I turned back into a sweet old lady, and had no problems.

Very glad to be home.  The cat seems not to recognize me.  I think he liked having his Daddy all to himself.

Now that we aren't going to Japan, DH is exploring ways to get to the eclipse site.  We aren't very far away here in Grand Junction.  I would stay home, of course.  A partial viewing is fine for me.  Since he is president of the local astronomy club, we have loads of viewing glasses.

Thanks for all your kind thoughts!

WinstonsGirl

Glad to hear that you're back home.  Sounds like it was a mess at the hospital.  

missfrodo

I'm glad you made it through your hospital stay!  I hope your next round of chemo goes well (as well as it can, at least).

kimmiinthemitten

Ugh what a mess, and I'm sorry you have to go back through chemo. I'm glad you're home now, kitty will come around soon!

holyguacamole79

Hang in there!  I'm glad to hear you're home and were able to recover finances from the cruise.  

Jen4948

Glad to hear you're safely back and was able to recover your travel costs. Hope your next chemo helps you.

OliveOilsMom

Missed this on the 9th.  Glad you are home and on the mend.  Sorry about Japan, but you are right that it was better to happen before so you could be here with your doctors!  Sorry your stay at the hospital was difficult.

OurWildKingdom

Glad you updated us, and sorry about your experience with the hospital! That is not okay! Healing vibes continue!

Edited to add: I really admire your positive attitude and advocating for yourself.

CharmedPam

Glad you're back!  Refresh my memory: when was the cruise set for again?

ernursej

NOW, I started making a fuss.  Hospital administration was very concerned and there was a path of VIP administrators in and out of my room all day.  I think the nurses were all terrified of me, and I may have gotten someone fired.  After that, I turned back into a sweet old lady, and had no problems.

I really hope that your future experiences are better but I hope that someone wasn't fired. I find that most patient/staff upsets happen with unmet expectations and communication issues. I really hope that it was a learning opportunity on both sides.

I really like your perspective on this blog, but sometimes the stuff that you write really irritates me. My expressing this is no way = me not feeling like you should have received top notch care or having compassion for your situation.

ahoywedding

ernursej said:

NOW, I started making a fuss.  Hospital administration was very concerned and there was a path of VIP administrators in and out of my room all day.  I think the nurses were all terrified of me, and I may have gotten someone fired.  After that, I turned back into a sweet old lady, and had no problems.

I really hope that your future experiences are better but I hope that someone wasn't fired. I find that most patient/staff upsets happen with unmet expectations and communication issues. I really hope that it was a learning opportunity on both sides.

I really like your perspective on this blog, but sometimes the stuff that you write really irritates me. My expressing this is no way = me not feeling like you should have received top notch care or having compassion for your situation.

Please especially don't try to get the nurses in trouble for what sounds like a surgeon not writing an order. So much gets taken out on them already.

CMGragain

ahoywedding said:

ernursej said:

NOW, I started making a fuss.  Hospital administration was very concerned and there was a path of VIP administrators in and out of my room all day.  I think the nurses were all terrified of me, and I may have gotten someone fired.  After that, I turned back into a sweet old lady, and had no problems.

I really hope that your future experiences are better but I hope that someone wasn't fired. I find that most patient/staff upsets happen with unmet expectations and communication issues. I really hope that it was a learning opportunity on both sides.

I really like your perspective on this blog, but sometimes the stuff that you write really irritates me. My expressing this is no way = me not feeling like you should have received top notch care or having compassion for your situation.

Please especially don't try to get the nurses in trouble for what sounds like a surgeon not writing an order. So much gets taken out on them already.

Oh, I didn't!  My problem with the nurses was that nobody had any idea what to do when the ON-Q went dead in the middle of the night, and nobody knew where the key was.  I complained to administration that they had not trained the nurses properly, and that they had no procedure to remedy the situation.  Also that no one was responsible for maintaining the ON-Q batteries.  This is an ADMINISTRATION issue. 
After the nurses all saw the parade going back and forth from my room, they got nervous.  One administrator, in particular, had a reputation for shit flying. (Nurses told me this.)  "This almost never happens!" is not a good thing to say to the patient who is experiencing it.
One thing I did notice was that many of the nurses were temporary traveling health providers who had not been there for very long.  Most of them were very good.  A few were not.

ahoywedding

CMGragain said:

ahoywedding said:

ernursej said:

NOW, I started making a fuss.  Hospital administration was very concerned and there was a path of VIP administrators in and out of my room all day.  I think the nurses were all terrified of me, and I may have gotten someone fired.  After that, I turned back into a sweet old lady, and had no problems.

I really hope that your future experiences are better but I hope that someone wasn't fired. I find that most patient/staff upsets happen with unmet expectations and communication issues. I really hope that it was a learning opportunity on both sides.

I really like your perspective on this blog, but sometimes the stuff that you write really irritates me. My expressing this is no way = me not feeling like you should have received top notch care or having compassion for your situation.

Please especially don't try to get the nurses in trouble for what sounds like a surgeon not writing an order. So much gets taken out on them already.

Oh, I didn't!  My problem with the nurses was that nobody had any idea what to do when the ON-Q went dead in the middle of the night, and nobody knew where the key was.  I complained to administration that they had not trained the nurses properly, and that they had no procedure to remedy the situation.  Also that no one was responsible for maintaining the ON-Q batteries.  This is an ADMINISTRATION issue. 
After the nurses all saw the parade going back and forth from my room, they got nervous.  One administrator, in particular, had a reputation for shit flying. (Nurses told me this.)  "This almost never happens!" is not a good thing to say to the patient who is experiencing it.
One thing I did notice was that many of the nurses were temporary traveling health providers who had not been there for very long.  Most of them were very good.  A few were not.

Ahh, phew! Yes, that's something that ONE of the nurses at least should have know! I'm glad you got your issue resolved and hopefully now the hospital can provide training so everyone is caught up.

(I can't speak to all traveling temps, but yeah, it's a real crapshoot sometimes with them. I usually hated working behind them.)