Soo Looking Furrward to Surgery!! [GOING Home..]

[Husky_mom]

please let her know she is in my constant thoughts....... sending hugs and healing vibes.......

get well soon sweetie

[Taz_Zoee]

Difficulty Breathing, Vision Problems, and Chest Pain are NOT routine after effects
of KNEE surgery!!

Is there a MEDICAL Doctor in charge of her follow-up care?
It there a Medical Professional assigned to monitor her progress?

When is she due for her next follow-up check-up?
She NEEDS to be monitored frequently to determine what's wrong!

FEEL BETTER SOON, Gina!

Well, this is what the doctor in the ER told me. He said with a surgery like the one Gina had it is possible for the blood to clot as it circulates through the body which could be the cause of the breathing and vision problems. They ran tests and found that this luckily was not the case with Gina.

[jennielynn1970]

Oh gosh! Definitely sounds like a reaction to medication, whether it be meds they gave to fight off infection after the surgery or, as someone else mentioned, anesthesia.

Hope she feels better soon!

[Daisy and Delilah]

Blood clots are a big danger in this surgery and many others. She'll have to try to move around as much as possible when she can to avoid this. They may have to put her on blood thinners. How is she doing now?

[Taz_Zoee]

I think we are past the roughest part. She seems to be feeling a tiny bit better with each new day. Of course the knee is still very, very sore.
Thank you.

[davidpizzica]

I'm so glad to hear that Gina is through the roughest part of her recovery. The first couple of days in my recovery were also the most painful. Please tell Gina that David p is thinking of her and praying for her.

[Catty1]

Oh, Good....teeny bit every day. Gentle {{{hugs}}} to Gina!

[Karen]

Tell Gina we are glad she's feeling a bit better, and hope she heals more and quicker each day. And NO DANCING until the doctors say so, okay? Not even a little! Knowing she has some medication allergies, perhaps she should ask them for a list of whatever she was given this time, to be tested and make sure not to be given it again if the symptoms were part of an allergic reaction.

[Cinder & Smoke]

This is what the doctor in the ER told me:

He said ... it is possible for the blood to clot as it circulates through the body
which could be the cause of the breathing and vision problems.

They ran tests and found that this luckily was not the case with Gina.

Oh---Kay ...
So they know what DID NOT cause the breathing & vision problems ...

So WHAT DID cause those problems, and the current pain ???

Sounds like you got a total NON Answer to a serious medical question.
Did GINA sign a Consent Form or Medical Power of Attorney form designating
YOU or your parents as a spokesperson for her??

Someone should be designated to talk directly with the Doctors and Nurses; and then
take the time to be SURE Gina fully understands the medical information.

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh---Kay ...
So they know what DID NOT cause the breathing & vision problems ...

So WHAT DID cause those problems, and the current pain ???

Sounds like you got a total NON Answer to a serious medical question.
Did GINA sign a Consent Form or Medical Power of Attorney form designating
YOU or your parents as a spokesperson for her??

Someone should be designated to talk directly with the Doctors and Nurses; and then
take the time to be SURE Gina fully understands the medical information.

OH--KAY.

The doctors said the problems could have been the meds she took at 3am. And he would not write things out for Gina. A clerk, who was not very educated, tried to help and write things out for her. She even stated she could not write everything out that the doctor said because she didn't know the terms.
I had asked the doctor NUMEROUS times to write down what he was saying for her and he wouldn't do it, that is why the clerk tried to help. Every person that walked into the room said....we need to get an interpreter in here. And a consent form or anything was not offered. Gina is ABLE to understand IF the doctor would have written things down.

[Cinder & Smoke]

The Lord helps those that Help Themselves!

OH--KAY.

The doctor ... would not write things out for Gina.
A clerk ... tried to help and write things out for her.
She even stated ... she didn't know the terms.
I had asked the doctor NUMEROUS times to write down what he was saying ...
and he wouldn't do it ...

Every person that walked into the room said ... we need to get an interpreter in here.
A consent form or anything was not offered.
Gina is ABLE to understand IF the doctor would have written things down.

Gina, HELP THYSELF!!

Almost eveything you say those hospital "clowns" did
was a violation of Federal ADA LAWS!

Gina has been deaf long enough to KNOW there are ADA LAWS written to both
prevent this type of treatment AND to CORRECT it when and while it is happening in the real world!
It's time for her to start USING these Laws to help herself!

There are small, concise summaries of the ADA LAWS that she could laminate and carry with her -
they TELL Hospitals and Doctors what MUST be done to translate for a deaf person.

Look at and READ this National Associaton of the Deaf Q&A page >>>
http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=138000

MOST "local" "Help Hotlines" run 24/7 and have folks ON CALL - 24/7 - who can
repond to a local hospital to assist with translating for a deaf person - at NO COST (FREE)!

CONSENT Forms:

Another FEDERAL Requirement!
EVERY Hospital has to have available Permission / Consent forms that allow a
patient to SPECIFY
friends, family, clergy, ANYONE that the patient wishes to have INFORMED about the
patients condition, prognosis, and treatment options. IT's the LAW - they gotta do it!

Gina is NOT helpless ... but it's past time for her to stop "acting" like she's helpless!
She's got to start to USE these ADA Laws to HELP HERSELF!

*End of Rant*

/s/ Phred

[Karen]

I do know, Phred, that Gina has taken lawsuits against certain California hospitals in the past for just this sort of thing.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Gina has taken lawsuits against certain California hospitals in the past
for just this sort of thing.

Bringing a lawsuit won't resolve anything for YEARS AFTER the poor service, poor treatment,
pain, and suffering has happened.

MOST of these ADA problems happen because the folks ON DUTY are ill informed
or don't think they have access to the tools (translator) to rectify the situation -
so they bluff it and pretend there is no problem!

A couple of always-handy laminated cards EXPLAINING the ADA provisions,
along with a few 24/7 Help Hotline numbers;
and a deaf person has the tools to overcome the poor treatment routine.

And TAKE a Trusted FRIEND!!
SIGN their name onto the Admission Forms - "THIS is my representative ...
he or she MUST be informed of my condition, prognosis, and treatment options.
You must explain my condition to THIS Person as well as myself!"

HELP THYSELF!

/s/ Phred

[Catsnclay]

Phred is 100% correct on everything that he has said, GINA needs to assign SOMEONE other than herself to a consent form, before the surgery would have been nice, but now is not too late.


I'm actully surprised that the doctor talked to you Cindy, you are not related to Gina in any way, so legally he should not have told you anything.......maybe this is why nobody knows what is going on!

My suggestion is that you (Cindy) get Gina to sign that form, just for short term, so that YOU can ask the doctor directly, and get direct answers. Flashing that piece of paper around will get you a lot of answers!

Gina should also print out what Phred told her, and carry that on her person just in case of ER's. She should also have a current, updated list of any and all medication she is taking - even over the counter pills!

The only way things like this will stop, is with education. I'm surprised Gina - will all she seems to have gone through - should already know all of this!

[Cinder & Smoke]

THIS was just posted and then deleted by the poster ...

The information is good and correct ...
BUT the "attitude" is an EXCELLENT Example of what's WRONG with our medical professionals ...
The "attitude" expresses contempt towards the patient

(NOTE: Emphasis ADDED by Phred)

They will not perform a surgery without a consent form signed, period.
They will not do it so that (one not being presented to Gina) is not correct.

Maybe she doesn't remember signing a consent form, but she most certainly did sign one.

If she did not read it, or did not fill out the paperwork correctly -
that is her doing.

Consent forms are in print, therefore can be read by anyone who can read.
... she could have read it before she signed it.

NO operation is performed in this country without a consent form signed. If you try to tell me it was I won't beleive you, I work in the medical industry and I know for a fact they will NOT perform anything on anyone, not even admit you to the hospital, without a consent form and other paperwork signed, that is all in print.

It is the responsibility of the person having the operation to read it and understand it
and if they DON'T understand it, then why are they signing it until they do?
That is the patient's responsibility.

OK, "Medical Pro", you ARE CORRECT about the Consent FORM ...
Gina HAD to be given one and told to sign it ...
OR she'd NOT get treatment nor her knee operation.

What you DIDn'T say is those "forms" run two to three FINE PRINT PAGES;
are often presented with NO "expalnations" other than "You gotta sign this!";
and often aren't further explained if you DO ASK queations!

I've personally been admitted to hospitals TOO Many times lately ...
ONE night THREE TIMES into different facilities - while suffering a HEART ATTACK!

I had NO glasses on, was drugged, drifting in/out of being awake/alert ...
and had NO Freakin idea in the world what I was signing!
On the Second "consent" form I tried to print "Under Duress" before my name ...
Clerk saw it but couldn't read it --- squawked --- but couldn't understand my reply
and let it go.

I *REFUSED* to make decisions or agree to medical procedures UNTIL my two
unrelated "Friends" -
both of whom were EMTs and were being forced to wait in the lobbies -
were allowed IN to the ER *AND* Heard the "story" from the MD Doctor!

THEN the "consent forms" were brought back and THEIR NAMES were both added to my forms.

NOW - imagine if I was DEAF --- couldn't hear a thing the whole time I was there ---
and some less-than-happy-to-be-working-today CLERK shoved a three-page form at me
and *pointed* to the last page signature line!

"Consent Form" is a BADLY named weapon that the hospital uses to protect THEIR Interests,
at the expense of the PATIENT's interests!

(Rant over, for now.)

/s/ Been there; been DONE that way!