Two Weeks In Hell

[Steve81]

Good morning all,

I just wanted to share my recent experiences in the health care system with my Audioholics family.

 

[highfigh]

Yikes!

I wonder where I can find some cool, gritty chicken broth.

Glad you made it.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Good morning all,

I just wanted to share my recent experiences in the health care system with my Audioholics family.

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That does not sound fun. Not fun at all. Glad you're doing better.

 

[Swerd]

Wow! That's a hell of a been-in-the-hospital story. I'm also real glad to hear that you made it home.

If memory serves me right, it's been a little over 2 years since I had some of that same cold gritty chicken broth. I still wonder if it was really chicken or broth, however I'm certain about the cold & gritty part.

That's also a real indictment of medical care in this country. Quality varies much too widely. Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center is a little south of Fredricksburg, VA, which isn't too far from the Washington DC area. But your account (which I don't doubt) makes it sounds like a dreadful hospital. It's genuinely shocking how big a difference there was in your experience in that hospital compared to the hospital in Alexandria. I'm glad you got out of there as soon as you could.

 

[Steve81]

That does not sound fun. Not fun at all. Glad you're doing better.

Thanks. It wasn’t any fun at all. On the other hand, I feel like I’ve had an epiphany on how to live life.

 

[Steve81]

Wow! That's a hell of a been-in-the-hospital story. I'm also real glad to hear that you made it home.

If memory serves me right, it's been a little over 2 years since I had some of that same cold gritty chicken broth. I still wonder if it was really chicken or broth, however I'm certain about the cold & gritty part.

That's also a real indictment of medical care in this country. Quality varies much too widely. Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center is a little south of Fredricksburg, VA, which isn't too far from the Washington DC area. But your account (which I don't doubt) makes it sounds like a dreadful hospital. I'm glad you got out of there as soon as you could.

I don’t blame the staff so much, except for a handful of incidents. They were generally understaffed and overstressed. One of the first nights at Arlington, there were apparently no techs on hand for the entire floor for the evening. My poor nurse had to lug around this POS station that couldn’t take blood pressure without throwing out an error. She still took care of me, and we bonded for three nights in a row. I credit her (Aisha) directly with saving my life. She saved my breathing.

 

[Steve81]

Also, just to make 100% clear, I AM NOT LOOKING FOR ANY SORT OF DONATIONS. MY FINANCIAL SITUATION IS COMFORTABLE. ANYONE SOLICITING IN MY NAME IS A SCAM.

 

[Swerd]

I don’t blame the staff so much, except for a handful of incidents. They were generally understaffed and overstressed.

Understaffed and over-stressed is the most common problem in all hospitals, especially the smaller hospitals in non-urban locales. The medical staff mean well, but hospital conditions keep them from performing well.

One of the first nights at Arlington, there were apparently no techs on hand for the entire floor for the evening. My poor nurse had to lug around this POS station that couldn’t take blood pressure without throwing out an error. She still took care of me, and we bonded for three nights in a row. I credit her (Aisha) directly with saving my life. She saved my breathing.

Aisha deserves high praise indeed. And I'm glad you found that hospital where she worked. Why were there no nurses similar to Aisha in Spotslyvania?

You deserve some praise too. You had the courage to leave that place and go elsewhere when the going wasn't easy. Your cousin Reggie has earned some praise as well. It never hurts to have someone go to bat for you when you're in the hospital.

 

[Steve81]

Understaffed and over-stressed is the most common problem in all hospitals, especially the smaller hospitals in non-urban locales. The medical staff mean well, but hospital conditions keep them from performing well.
Aisha deserves high praise indeed. And I'm glad you found that hospital where she worked. Why were there no nurses similar to Aisha in Spotslyvania?

You deserve some praise too. You had the courage to leave that place and go elsewhere when the going wasn't easy. Your cousin Reggie has earned some praise as well. It never hurts to have someone go to bat for you when you're in the hospital.

Honestly, much of my experience at Spotsylvania resembled that of an opium den. IMHO, the painkiller I was given was too powerful in some ways, and less than ideal in others.

The dilaudid knocked me out in minutes, but I would usually wake up in a couple of hours back in pain and begging for more. I think a weaker painkiller with longer lasting effects would have been more effective.

Incidentally, the THC gummies I’m self medicating with do a great job of pain relief, appetite stimulation, and helping me sleep at night. And they last a long time.

As for my cousins Reggie and Eyon…they saved me and started my journey back from death’s door. I leaned on their strength in my recovery.

 

[j_garcia]

My brother had pancreatitis and was in ICU for about a week, then in a room for another week or so too. Pretty scary stuff.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Honestly, much of my experience at Spotsylvania resembled that of an opium den. IMHO, the painkiller I was given was too powerful in some ways, and less than ideal in others.

The dilaudid knocked me out in minutes, but I would usually wake up in a couple of hours back in pain and begging for more. I think a weaker painkiller with longer lasting effects would have been more effective.

Incidentally, the THC gummies I’m self medicating with do a great job of pain relief, appetite stimulation, and helping me sleep at night. And they last a long time.

As for my cousins Reggie and Eyon…they saved me and started my journey back from death’s door. I leaned on their strength in my recovery.

After witnessing the experiences of some relatives and friends in helpless states in hospitals, I'm convinced that anyone admitted to hospital must have a strong-willed advocate acting on their behalf.

 

[Steve81]

After witnessing the experiences of some relatives and friends in helpless states in hospitals, I'm convinced that anyone admitted to hospital must have a strong-willed advocate acting on their behalf.

That was my first error. I told my wife to continue on because I wanted her to enjoy at least some of the vacation, and to get the kids. I asked for and received an advocate on one occasion, though the memories are starting to get a bit hazier now that I’ve blasted them out there.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Sorry to hear about your near-death hellish experience with the acute pancreatitis, SBO (small bowel obstruction) and hospital stay.

Hopefully you will NEVER experience anything like that again.

I think there is a reported-incidence of about 66,000 acute pancreatitis cases per year in the USA.

My brother is currently admitted on the 7th Floor (MED/SURG) of a hospital for Acute Pancreatitis, expected to be discharged from the hospital soon since he is now on regular diet (was on liquid). His initial experience was also HELL until he was transferred to the current hospital. Hopefully he will never experience anything like that again also.

 

[ryanosaur]

D@mn, Steve!
Helluva story to read first thing out of bed!

Very glad you are able to tell it!!!

Hope you continue to improve and don't have to bad of a PTSD experience.

Be well, my friend!

 

[lovinthehd]

Sounds like hell, glad you made it through all that!

Made me wonder how a place gets a name like Spotsylvania (hadn't heard of it before)....so had to go look...if anyone else is curious https://www.wordsense.eu/Spotsylvania/

 

[Steve81]

This experience has given me an idea. A great dietary reset.

This doesn’t involve anything forced. Forcing people to do something inevitably causes them to dig in against. Better to teach them something new.

Instead, I’m asking people to join me on a journey of cleaner, healthier, happier eating. I’m enjoying the food I eat, I know what I’m eating, and it’s not hard at all.

All I ask is that you stop poisoning yourself.

 

[lovinthehd]

This experience has given me an idea. A great dietary reset.

This doesn’t involve anything forced. Forcing people to do something inevitably causes them to dig in against. Better to teach them something new.

Instead, I’m asking people to join me on a journey of cleaner, healthier, happier eating. I’m enjoying the food I eat, I know what I’m eating, and it’s not hard at all.

All I ask is that you stop poisoning yourself.

Just what was it about your diet particularly that caused this issue?

 

[TLS Guy]

I don’t blame the staff so much, except for a handful of incidents. They were generally understaffed and overstressed. One of the first nights at Arlington, there were apparently no techs on hand for the entire floor for the evening. My poor nurse had to lug around this POS station that couldn’t take blood pressure without throwing out an error. She still took care of me, and we bonded for three nights in a row. I credit her (Aisha) directly with saving my life. She saved my breathing.

Glad you are better. Sorry you had a bad experience. I think the staff in that hospital need educating on how to properly insert and pass an NG tube. It should not be that way. I had one in for the best part of a month back in 2007, and have had several insertions over the years. I used to insert my NG tubes in my patients as often as I could and did a lot of instruction of staff on how to do it properly. It is a shame that this was such a bad experience.

 

[Steve81]

Just what was it about your diet particularly that caused this issue?

Things started years ago when I was young and reasonably healthy. I had off the chart triglycerides, and was put on meds. No big deal at the time, a pill a day and I was fine. Whatever.

Age brought a battle with weight, depression, laziness, etc. As I got further out of shape, I developed diabetes as well. This information made me feel fatalistic, depressed, and utterly fucked by life.

I lost the battle with weight, ate whatever and however much I felt like. That I never cracked 215lbs was a miracle.

 

[Teetertotter?]

I have a case of BEEF Broth on its way! Welcome back to a NEW LIFE, from a traumatic experience! At 79, I'm still ALIVE! lol