Minor (VERY MINOR ) vent

[Freedom]

Dad is fine, thank you much. He seems to bounce back from these episodes fairly well. We try to keep them to a minimum for MY sanity. As he says, he is out of it, so it doesn't bother him one bit.

It was a peak at how the other half live, and something I could have lived without seeing, thank you very much. That is an inner city hospital, the only one in the state which deals with prisoners. They rotate the staff every 3 hours, as it is high stress for them as well. One nurse I spoke with told us she LOVES getting people like us who are polite, don't swear, and ask for guidance immediately rather than waiting until we have a full blown swearing fit. She also said Mondays are known for being the worst in these type ERs. And if Monday is a holiday, it is the Tuesday which is the worst.

[Muddy4paws]

Glad to hear your dad is ok, Sounds like you need a lazy day too.


I've got so much respect for nurses and doctors. They do an amazing job and don't ever get enough credit for it. I've been in a few time in A&E and have always seem someone else screaming or swearing at them.

[Scooter's Mom]

I have much respect for Dr's and nurses - especially after the year I've had.
Sandie, I don't know how you do it! I am sending you some puppy and kitty hugs, since I know for sure you do *not* want my flu ridden ones... but the critter ones should be okay!

Glad to hear your dad is alright.

[Alysser]

I am glad your dad is okay! That sounds like a hell of a day. I hope everything went well for your busy day TODAY.

[Karen]

What a day!

Years ago - probably 15 years ago by now, I somehow was the "ambulance" for our department at the newspaper. One day my assistant slipped with an X-acto knife and knicked a vein in his palm. Well, blood went everywhere. He made it over to his desk next to mine, we commandeered supplies to make a torniquet around his wrist, gave him my watch to keep track of how many second so he could release it a bit every 30 seconds, and bundled him into my 13-year-old beat-up car and off to the hospital. The whole way there - maybe three miles - he alternated between apologizing for bleeding on my car, and saying he felt faint, and saying he felt like he was gonna throw up. We got to the Emergency Department, me saying "Don't pass out, you're bigger than me, and I don't know if I could carry you" and there at the desk, he was looking paler and weaker.

The admitting woman kept asking question after question, seeming to be purposefully delaying things, and finally when she slowly asked "Now, was this an accident, or ..." I realized because the tourniquet was around his wrist she thought it was a suicide attempt. I snapped at her, and said "Listen, he's lost a LOT of blood and is about to pass out. Can we get him to a bed and take care of the paperwork after that? I know he has insurance, and it was NOT a suicide, that's a tourniquet!"

She looked at me, startled, and said "Oh, uh, come with me, sir," and got him to a bed and a triage nurse, looking kind of embarrassed the whole time. I was glad he was taken care of, but furious at her assumption - and besides, even if it WAS a suicide attempt, should someone with blood all over his shirt and a tourniquet applied be seen right away?

You do have to feel compassion for the hospital that have to take everyone, and are understaffed and overburdened.

[Felicia's Mom]

Glad you dad is fine. I just saw this thread or I would have posted sooner.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Wow sounds like a "fun" adventure!

Hospitals creep me out and I would have been a panicky mess in a couple of hours. I admire you for being so calm! I'm glad your dad is ok

[Pam]

WOW! What a day you had! I'm glad you found your dad and got the EMTs there quickly. It's too bad you had to go to the hospital since you have been down that road before. What a waste of your time and money. *sigh* It does give all of us reading your post a real appreciation for what the staffs of the ERs all over the country go through. It's not as glamorous as it is portrayed on TV.

Years ago I had a stomach virus - the worse I ever had. I was throwing up several times an hour for 7 hours straight (also had problems at the other end - I know TMI!!) Well, finally hubby called an ambulance because I was getting weak and spacey and was obviously dehydrated. I was lucky enough to be seen almost immediately (slow day in the ER) and put on IV and up and out within about an hour. The worst part for me was getting the bill for the ambulance!! It was $400 for a 5-6 mile ride. If we had known that hubby would have taken me in one of our cars even though it might have needed a good scrubbing afterwards!

[Freedom]

It does give all of us reading your post a real appreciation for what the staffs of the ERs all over the country go through. It's not as glamorous as it is portrayed on TV.

That is one of the reasons I posted. It was such a 'learning' experience, and an eye opener.

Thanks everyone. I KNOW that in part, BECAUSE Dad was OK, that is why we were able to 'observe' so much of what was happening around us. On the other hand, if he had been in more serious shape, we wouldn't have remained in the hallway, we'd have been transferred to a room for care and treatment.

I often have to remind D: if I had wanted a medical education, I'd have gone to med school.

[Laura's Babies]

I don't know how those RE people even do it! Especially the inner city ones where it is gun shot, over doses and preventable stuff.

All they do is put a band aid on something and send you home anyway, telling you to see your regular doctor tomorrow.

When Mama started pouring blood, Sis took her to ER and they told her "Yep, she is bleeding from her rectum and you need to call her regular doctor tomorrow" and discharged her. There they had a 80 year old woman who had just loss a massive amount of blood and they sent her home?! She was hopsitalized the next day and that is when we found out she had cancer.